Being Funny in a Foreign Language
The 1975 finds a familiar sound in a new era
BY CARTER STARKEY
When I first heard the first single off this album, “Part Of The Band,” I immediately had a few thoughts: This song is great, I’m in a better mood than I was before hearing this song, and why did it take me so long to become a fan of the 1975. It was literally the second The 1975 song I had ever heard, but I was hooked nonetheless. Some of you, like me, may be new to the indie-rock/pop group, while others may be long-time fans from their peak era in 2013 when they released their self-titled album. Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to the band, there is something to like about “Being Funny in a Foreign Language.”
There is a certain way The 1975 makes me feel. Over the last month or so, I’ve had the opportunity to listen to more of the band’s music and realized that there is often more than meets the eye. Sure, it can be easy to get hooked on catchy riffs and witty lyrics, but it’s the heart behind them that so often gets me feeling what I feel. Of course, that’s not to say I don’t appreciate this album's catchy riffs and witty lyrics–a particular favorite of the latter coming on the aforementioned track “Part Of The Band,” when frontman Matty Healy says the following: “I know some ‘Vaccinista tote bag chic baristas’ sitting east on their communista keisters.”
As much as I’d like to sit here and list off all the funny lyrics on the album, I just can’t do that. Instead, I’d like to talk about how the album has affected me since it came out. It certainly spiced up my walks in between classes. I often found myself wanting to do dance moves I have no business doing simply because of the way the music jams. Some might say the credit for that is due to Jack Antonoff who helped produce and polish this album (and some of your other favorites). While listening to BFIAFL, I feel that it’s hard to have a sorrowful energy about you. The music does such a great job uplifting its listeners; in a way, it’s giving back to us for listening to it.