If you were to walk past any major chain shop these days, there is an overwhelming high probability that you will spot multiple 'retro' items placed in the window display; frankly society's current infatuation with the 80's and 90's is starting to get to a rather worrying level. And if you are as a savvy as The 1975 appear to be, then this fad can be used to your considerable advantage. Despite being together for around a decade in various incarnations, it was not until Matt Healey and co. chose their current moniker of The 1975 that they achieved any real modicum of success. Via a quartet of EPs and a series of well received live performances, the hype for this retro peddling act has continued to grow and the potential for 'real' transatlantic success is increasingly tangible. So here with the release of their self-titled début album, The 1975 are finally given the opportunity to prove themselves worthy of all of the buzz.
The main problem with The 1975 is that too often it feels like a rapidly assembled Spotify playlist; amalgamating multiple releases of different styles into one slightly incoherent whole. From the start of the vaguely ethereal, and also self-titled, intro track the album quickly finds sure footing with the slightly Industrial synth pop of 'The City' from an earlier EP; of the first five tracks, three are previously released singles. Fortunately they are all really very good; the funk-lite rush of 'Chocolate' and the indie rock swagger of 'Sex' proving to be among the highlights of the record. Slotted in between is the R'n'B tinged 'M.O.N.E.Y' the first real taste of 'new' music for the previously initiated. Whilst it is a decent song, it pales into comparisson to the singles that surround it, making it seem weaker than it actually is.
Later the driving synth on 'Heart On' helps the band to craft an effortless neon pop song that helps to emphasise the band's position as a retro act; like the later song 'Girls' there is the sense that The 1975 are less concerned with creating an album as they are the soundtrack to a new John Hughes film. Though this is not necessarily a bad thing, indeed 'Girls' is the best track to origniate from the album with its charmingly adolescent lines like; I like your face despite your nose , these songs add to the feeling that this is a work by a group that are still trying to create their own distinctive voice amongst the clamour of their influences. This sense builds as the album moves into its final stages with the dreary 'Pressure' that re-treads ground previously covered better and the schmaltzy piano driven balladry of 'Is There Somebody Who Can Catch You', which sounds entirely alien amongst the synth pop that dominates the album. Frankly The 1975 would be far better off without them, especially as the post-dub sounds of 'Menswear' would be a far more satisfactory closing track.
It has to be acknowledged that this is a slickly produced effort, thanks to the contributions of frequent Arctic Monkeys collaborator Mike Crossey, with the synth lines at the right levels and an effortless pop sheen encompassing the record. Unfortunately it is an ultimately unsatisfying effort when viewed as a coherent album; at 16 tracks and over 50 minutes,The 1975 is very top heavy and about 4 tracks too long. However for all the faults, the album clearly shows that The 1975are more than capable of writing a great pop song. Let the anticipation build for their sophmore album.
