It’s ethereal, it’s fun, and it’s real. The 1975 is the newest band to head overseas and marvel young American alternative rock-pop fans such as myself. This Manchester, UK band (made up of Matthew Healy, Ross MacDonald, Adam Hann, and George Daniel) recently released their EP, Music for Cars. A follow-up to last year’s Sex, their new release is, well, incredible.
Maybe it is a joke that the rest of us are not in on, because these guys are that cool that they can get away with that, or maybe they are just being up front, but Music for Cars is the perfect “car” music. You know, that classic you want to roll down the windows for and just bop your head to. That favorite song from years ago that brings back a flood of memories and glimpses of faces you have not seen in years, but with that song in that car ride you feel like they are sitting right next to you.
That is the effect Music for Cars has. Sure, maybe this is just speculation, but Healy has stated that director John Hughes has been a huge influence for him. The underlying ethos of a John Hughes film is perhaps the clearest way to describe the music of The 1975: it is fun, creative, but it resonates deep within. This type of emotion is felt immediately on the synth-heavy track, “Me”, with its percussion beat and delicate instrumentals allowing the words to carry it through to the end. The snapping gives a human element, not that it needed it: the lyrics are a strong reminder of the past, of wrongdoing, of loss.
Then, you listen to pop-rock track “Chocolate” and you are immediately brought back to life. Easily the heart of the album, it is an instant taste of rebellion and a fast-paced night followed by a laid-back day at the beach. It kind of feels like an anthem of youth, but even that statement is too overwhelming for these guys, because what makes them so unique is that their talent is not in your face; their music is not trying to reach lost souls or remind us of wild days that have passed: it just does. It does so in a way that does not feel commercialized or “made for radio” — it feels like a true piece of art, without even trying to be, which is why The 1975 seems like the type of band that will survive the string of alternative modern rock bands.
The 1975’s “Chocolate” lets you to take a ride in the coolest car, on the perfect road trip, that leads you right into summer.