Whether you are an avid consumer of 2000s rock ballads or simply a periodic enjoyer of music, you have probably been aurally impacted by the heavily supported works of English band the 1975.
Forming in Cheshire at the cusp of the 21st century, the quartet consists of lead singer Matthew Healy, bassist Ross MacDonald, guitarist Adam Hann and drummer George Daniel, each of whom started out covering punk songs. Not long after their chart-topping release of their self-titled album in 2013, the band rose to international fame. Between brief periods of inactivity, the band has been churning out hit after hit, including songs like “Chocolate,” “Sex,” “Love It If We Made It” and the infamous “Somebody Else." The 1975’s sound typically skirts the boundaries of contemporary pop; hence, it is difficult for many to pinpoint the band’s ever-evolving style. Remaining a quiet but impactful player in today’s music industry, the band has ventured from electronica to ‘80s pop and back again. This unpredictability has directly translated into the 1975’s international success, which has since been affirmed through recognition from the Grammys and the esteemed Mercury Prize.
The band’s four albums have achieved impressive rankings on both U.S. and U.K. charts. After a few years of radio silence, however, fans expressed hunger for more.
In mid-July, @the1975, the band’s Instagram, virtually broke the internet with a complete wipe of its feed. The only post remaining consisted of a photo of the four band members looking quite mysterious in black ties. Below the photo, the caption read: “Your new album. Your new era. Your old friends. The 1975”.
Twitter and Instagram alike blew up with enthusiastic fans spreading the new information, one tweeting:
In the weeks following the announcement, the band’s social media team has been working overtime. They have since announced two new singles, an album and a tour of North America.
The tour, named “At Their Very Best,” is set to begin in Connecticut. With 24 total stops, the band has plans to grace our very own Milwaukee, Wisconsin for FM 102/1’s “Big Snow Show.” The venue’s capacity of approximately 1,500 proves it to be relatively intimate despite the band’s popularity. Tickets for this particular show go on sale to the public on Aug. 9.
The singles, “Happiness” and “Part Of The Band,” facilitate a nice taste of the band’s upcoming musical panache. The songs consist of the 1975’s trademark jazz-inspired use of trumpets and saxophones as well as the monetary use of artistically Auto-Tuned background vocals.
The first song contributes to the upbeatness that has surrounded this year’s summer hits, the likes of “As It Was” and “Levitating”, whilst maintaining the alternative flair fans have come to know and love.
The latter song ventures more into the unknown. Rolling Stone described it best, claiming it to be “a strange song backed by violins and a soft melody.”
The music video for this new song matches this vibe with its dramatic zoom-outs and stoic violin players. Nonetheless, the music community has proved themselves eager to consume anything the band has promised to put out, and I can only imagine how much success will follow the release of “Being Funny in a Foreign Language.”
