The album cover for The 1975’s latest release, “Being Funny In A Foreign Language”, is shown. While the album won’t overly impress listeners, the band still managed to put together a quality collection of songs. “The 1975 didn’t manage to write an album-defining song as they did on their 2016 and 2018 releases, which will leave listeners with little reason to come back to the album after an initial listen,” Sports Editor Wyatt Meyer wrote. Photo fair use of pitchfork.com
The 1975 released their new album “Being Funny In A Foreign Language” to the public on Oct. 14, with the band delivering a decent album that lacks a star song.
In The 1975’s newest album “Being Funny In A Foreign Language”, the pop band mixes a middling album that will appease – but not impress – listeners.
Released to Spotify and Apple Music on Oct. 14, the album features many of the staples that have made The 1975 popular, with the band doubling down on their use of keyboards and eclectic backing vocals to replicate their trademark airy, etherial sound.
Listeners will especially experience a wave of déjà vu when comparing “About You” and their 2016 smash hit “Somebody Else.”
In fact, the album sounds very similar to the band’s previous releases that made their name in the music world. Listeners will especially experience a wave of déjà vu when comparing “About You” and their 2016 smash hit “Somebody Else”, which garnered over 600 million listens on Spotify.
That’s not to say that The 1975 didn’t change anything on their newest album. Songs such as the self-titled “The 1975” and ballad “Oh Caroline” change things up with some piano, while several songs experiment with fast-paced string instruments, all to good effect.
“Being Funny In A Foreign Language” features three standout songs: the aforementioned “The 1975” and “Oh Caroline” along with “Part Of The Band”. While other songs on the album get old quickly, the catchiness of this trio sets them apart.
With that being said, The 1975 didn’t write an album-defining song as they did on their earlier releases, which will leave listeners with little reason to come back to the album after an initial listen.
While the musical aspects of the album are sometimes forgettable, some of the lyrics are anything but. Beneath the sheen of musicality and melody is a far more serious tone best exemplified by the refrain of “The 1975”, in which lead vocalist Matthew Healy sings “I’m sorry if you’re livin’ and you’re seventeen”, referring to Healy’s description of a declining world.
On the whole, “Being Funny In A Foreign Language” is a consistent, good-not-great album that will leave listeners satisfied rather than starstruck.
