'Notes on a Conditional Form': The masterpiece by The 1975

The 1975’s Notes on a Conditional Form sees them set off on a journey of self-reflection, challenging audiences perception of the group. Drawing on genres previously unventured, like the anarchy punk of “People” or the samplings of reggae DJ Cutty Ranks, The 1975 dismantle their own status quo. Their last instalment of the musical project ‘Music for Cars’ is arguably their most challenging and innovative piece to date, whilst remaining socially conscious on topics from climate change to consumerism. I reached out to a few other fans for their thoughts on the new album to give a wider insight on the reaction to the album.

Cagla (@cxgla) contemplated the intention of Notes, saying “it’s clear that this album is more for them than it is for the fans, which makes it more enjoyable because it’s more honest”. It is interesting to consider the band making this album as an opportunity to experiment and reflect personally over marketing a continuation of their popular sound. She also commented on the band’s shear breadth – “we can all agree they’ve tried out more or less every genre of music now”, which is undeniable as audiences see them tackle gospel, shoegaze, electronica and even twang’s of country seen in ‘Roadkill’ and Adam swapping a guitar for a banjo in ‘The Birthday Party’.

When looking at their previous albums, there has been a clear sense of moving forward and looking to the future, examining the new forms of communication and how we go about all this post-modern mess with the internet. Instead, Notes turns itself around, questioning how we got here and how it has affected both band and audience. It has definitely been a journey watching The 1975 grow up from teenage angst to existential quarter life crisis’ and the ongoing struggle with mental health. Lyrics have always been raw and honest, more so than ever in this album “I depend on my friends to stay clean as sad as it seems” denoting Matty Healy’s conflict with addiction and “I’m in love with a boy I know but that’s a feeling I can never show” revealing the homophobia that is undeniably still present in many communities today.

Jess (@jessicadines_) commented on the song ‘Frail State of Mind’ particularly, saying it is “probably one of my favourite songs of theirs to date, it resonates with me as someone who has been through euphoric highs and severe lows across my teenage years”. This highlights the relatability found in their music, therapizing young people’s anxieties and personal conflicts. Jess also explained “on first listen, I was struck by the variety and chaos in sound and message. I’m now fully immersed and starting to understand the nostalgia and their take on modern society”.

Chaotic is definitely an accurate term to describe the album, particularly from the transition between the instrumental reggae toned “shiny collarbone” to “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)”, a major 80s like hit with sounds of Kajagoogoo (who’s biggest 1983 hit was uncoincidentally called ‘Too Shy’), it would seamlessly fit into a Tears for Fears album. This is something that has always caught me personally with the group’s sound as it is clear they take inspiration from the music they have grown up with, making it more than likely that ‘Too Shy’ was played to members when they were younger.

Personally, I didn’t immediately bite to this album like I had with their previous records, but I found the sheer diversity fascinating and exciting. Music that does this to listeners, that takes you off guard, making you listen to it again and really consider what you just heard is just as important as the songs that you immediately fall in love with. I had both reactions throughout listening to album, with ‘The Birthday Party’ and ‘If You’re Too Shy (let me know)” instantly falling into my heavy rotation, whereas it’s taken a few listens to understand and equally love songs like “Tonight (I Wish I Was Your Boy)” and “Roadkill”.

It could be argued the album lacks cohesion, as the group squeeze in a multitude of concepts and genres. By the end of the album, as acoustic guitars fade out on “Guys”, its likely for you to wonder how on earth you got there from the Marilyn Manson-esque screams in “People”. However, the instrumentals that blur the rigid lines between these ideas make the experience of listening to the album more fluid. Overall, an album that reflects on itself and encourages you to do the same could not be released at a more perfect time. It is interesting to see the 1975 look back on the past few years as we all seem to do the same under quarantine. This album caters for many but is not for everyone, although I hope those that have not been fans of the group before are drawn to this album for its experimentation. It is certainly an album that you can come back to and discover something you hadn’t before, and I look forward to listening to this again and finding something new.