Summer 2016. I’m working as a chemist intern in the gorgeous Los Angeles city of Commerce, CA. To minimize our commutes, a couple of my friends and I teamed up to rent a one bedroom (yes, you read that correctly) apartment in the shadow of the campus of Cal State University Fullerton. Trevor and I occupied the bedroom while Tanner was on a futon in the living room. We were all broke interns, and it was the best we could manage.

In what would have been a challenging summer for many, those three months featured quality time with friends that I will never forget and a great deal of musical discovery. Living minimally and experiencing a one hour commute each direction for the first time in my young life, I was forced to further explore the worlds of music and podcasts. I discovered The Fantasy Footballers ( https://www.thefantasyfootballers.com/), which remains my all time favorite podcast. Andy, Mike, and Jason deserve every award that comes their way. But I also discovered many bands who remain staples on my playlists to this day. For me, that summer of 2016 is synonymous with Warped Tour and all the bands associated with it, but also with my discovery of The 1975.

Essentially, I was hooked from the very first verse that I heard from the group. As soon as I finished listening to one song, I wanted to move to the next. Then I would go back to the original to hear it again. You ever have that moment where you just can’t get enough of a band? When you are already singing along to the lyrics just 1 hour after hearing the song for the first time? I experienced all of this as I was driving home from my internship in gridiron traffic on the 5 freeway in Southern California.

The song that I’m going to feature today is “The Sound”, but I really mean it when I say that I could have picked a variety of songs from The 1975.

I was immediately brought in by the fast, metronome-like beat and the subtle harmonics in the background. But as soon as Matthew Healy entered with his powerful lyrics and I heard those power chords on the keyboard…. I was so damn with it. Obligatory “I’m a sucker for any song that can incorporate piano” comment. But it’s true!! The chords are rather simple and are spaced out. But it’s so effective. It draws the listener in. After just a few listens, I was jumping on my keyboard to learn the chords myself so I could play along and attempt to sing with the vigor that Healy possesses.

The instrumentals of the track are so appealing to me. It’s not the booming drums or the heavily amplified electric guitar that I adore in pop punk. No. It’s unique and it’s certainly more indie rock, pop rock, or even funk rock or electropop. However, the track features plenty of rock and roll elements, perhaps best evidenced by the guitar solo that runs from 3:05 to 3:37. The song is so upbeat from start to finish, but it features gaps in certain instruments that are filled by parts from others. This keeps the listener intrigued without having one instrument or sound dominating throughout. This is why the gap between the powerful keyboard chords works so well.

Clearly, Matthew Healy’s vocals are a key factor in the success of the track, which now has 53 million views on YouTube at the time of this writing. He has a unique voice that very well accents the funky instrumentals of the band. I prefer the instrumentals in “The Sound”, but I think Healy best showcases his vocal range and style in “Girls”. The boys’ British accents are highlighted in the beginning of the video, as well:

“Girls” was released in 2012, and features more raw elements from the band. I was just as obsessed with “Girls” in that Summer of 2016. The guitar riff throughout the track rivals the piano chords in “The Sound” for the catchy element in each respective track.

The reason I was inspired to write about The 1975 today is because they just released a new single today and announced that they will be heading on tour this Spring: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-1975-me-and-you-together-song-notes-on-a-conditional-form-937426/

The song, “Me & You Together” is a really sweet love song in which Healy is describing his relationship with his girlfriend. The track features many heartwarming lyrics while showcasing even more variety in the group’s musical style. The song is rather upbeat but features very soft-spoken and muffled vocals from Healy. I’m an early fan of the track, and I only just heard it earlier this morning.

Despite my adoration of the band, I have not yet had the opportunity to catch The 1975 live in concert. Therefore, I am very much looking forward to this upcoming tour. Here are the tour dates:

April 27 – Houston, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

April 29 – Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater (formerly Austin360)

May 2 – Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion

May 3 – El Paso, TX @ Don Haskins Center

May 5 – Phoenix, AZ @ Gila River Arena

May 7 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum +

May 8 – Irvine, CA @ FivePoint Amphitheatre +

May 11 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre

May 13- Omaha, NE @ Baxter Arena

May 14 – St. Louis, MO @ Enterprise Center

May 16 – St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center

May 18 – Milwaukee, WI @ Fiserv Forum

May 19 – Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center

May 21 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage

May 23 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem

May 26 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden

May 29 – Hanover, MD @ The Hall at Live! Casino and Hotel

June 2 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Petersen Events Center

June 3 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse

June 5 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater

June 6 – Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center

June 8 – Jacksonville, FL @ Daily’s Place

June 9 – Miami, FL @ Bayfront Park Amphitheater

June 11 – Atlanta, GA @ Infinite Energy Center *

June 12 – Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival * +

I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention some of my other favorite tracks from The 1975 in case you find yourself being drawn to them as much as I was upon my first listen.

This track brilliantly features Healy’s vocal range

One of their more underrated tracks

Another great one from their earlier work

I hope you enjoyed this read, whether you are just discovering The 1975 for the first time or if you have long been a fan of their music. Happy 2020!!