The 1975 show less is more on ‘Being Funny In A Foreign Language’
The 1975’s previous offering, Notes On A Conditional Form, was a confusing listen, a record which flipped between genres incessantly and had a running time of 80-minutes. If they trimmed the fat and delivered a record that was 20-minutes shorter, the album could have been their crowning moment, but instead, it was an overdrawn showing of self-indulgence.
While there were several flashes of brilliance in their 2020 effort, such as the retro-pop, ‘If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)’, and the experimental instrumental, ‘Shiny Collarbone’, it lacked a coherent narrative to thread the tracks together. Contrarily, Being Funny In A Foreign Language is an album in the most traditional of senses, with a sonic theme which blissfully runs throughout, blessed with only 11-tracks; it leaves the listener craving more rather than searching out the skip button.
Admittedly, for several years, I didn’t understand the immense popularity of The 1975. Although I had issues with aspects of NOACF, it made me appreciate their talent, a feeling that has grown even more thanks to Being Funny In A Foreign Language.
Regarding his new creation, frontman Matty Healy previously said: “Every record I’ve made, I convinced myself that I had so much to prove, so it had to be about everything that ever happened, everything that’s happening now, and everything that could ever happen. But on this record, I said, ‘Instead of a magnum opus, what about more like a polaroid?”
Being Funny In A Foreign Language isn’t an expansive genre-spanning effort trying to make a grandiose statement about society. The 1975 have made their most enjoyable record by simplifying their message and sound.
As seen with their other four previous albums, the LP begins with an opening track titled, ‘The 1975’, but unlike the rest, the haunting Being Funny In A Foreign Language opener isn’t an instrumental. It’s a theatrical curtain-raiser with a telling nod to LCD Soundsystem’s ‘All My Friends’ and finds Healy in an apologetic mood. He sings: “Sorry for my twenties, I was learning the ropes, I had a tendency of thinking about it after I spoke.”
The record then bursts into life with ‘Happiness’, which features their trademark Prince-inspired guitar licks and a sexy sax solo. Meanwhile, ‘Looking For Somebody To Love’ is an earworm that races by as Healy turns loneliness into joy. Similarly, the euphoric ‘I’m In Love With You’ follows the same uplifting pattern.
‘Part Of The Band’ is the lead single from the album, and rightfully so. While sonically, it borrows heavily from the land of Justin Vernon and Bon Iver, Healy’s cutting lyrics about online activists make it unique. He scathingly sings: “I know some ‘Vaccinista tote bag chic baristas’, Sitting east on their communista keisters, Writing about their ejaculations, ‘I like my men like I like my coffee, Full of soy milk and so sweet, it won’t offend anybody’, Whilst staining the pages of the nation.”
It’s important to remember The 1975 are not your typical guitar band, and just because they are four white guys who play instruments doesn’t mean they’re not a pop act. This fact is most evident in the infectious ‘Oh Caroline’, a delightful throwback to the genre’s golden age.
Contrarily, there’s also a more conventional acoustic-led sound that has time to breathe on the record. The festive ‘Wintering’ is an indie alternative to Chris Rea’s ‘Driving Home For Christmas’, filled with humorous, conversational lyricism.
Meanwhile, ‘Human Too’ sees Healy drop the bravado, apologies for previous controversial misdemeanours which caused controversy, and emotionally strip things back. After seeking pardon for past behaviour, Being Funny In A Foreign Language seamlessly transitions into the tender ‘About You’, which features guitarist Adam Hann’s wife Carly Holt on vocals, which brings warm energy to the record. ‘When We Are Together’ brings the album to a close in a similar gentle and loving vein which impressively rounds off The 1975’s finest moment to date.
While Being Funny In A Foreign Language isn’t as avant-garde as some of their previous work, it’s The 1975 at their sincerest, proving that sometimes less is more.
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