Throwback Review / The 1975's Self Titled

WORDS BY ELIZABETH STAFFORD

At Hangout Fest 2014, I was leaving the festival with my friends. The day had been long, especially after waiting 6 hours in the sun to be front row for The 1975. They had just started blowing up as a band in the US, and I had fallen madly in love with their self-titled debut album. As we walked to the car, I saw a stumbling figure making his way through the crowd. I was puzzled as I noticed all he was wearing were black skinny jeans and a leather jacket. I squinted harder to look at him, and my heart stopped. It was Matty Healy, lead singer of The 1975, drunkenly strolling through the crowds. I stopped to speak to him. He smiled, hugged me, and calmly asked me, “Do you know where my bus is?”

Since that small intimate moment with Matty (don’t worry, he made it back safely that night) I have always held a special place in my heart for The 1975. Every show I have been to of theirs has not been just a show, but a spiritual experience. They are talented musicians with a gift for composing full masterpieces. They’ve stretched and grown as a band, but I will always consider their first album one of my favorite albums in existence.

I picked up that album in high school and thought I would be so cool with the slick black and white album cover, blaring “Chocolate” and “Girls” in my car on the way to school. After just a couple listens, I craved listening to each song more and more. I barely listened to anything else for months, and I still find myself turning on that album in my car. It holds a lot of memories for me. I saw those songs live at my first music festival experience, and I remember listening to “Robbers” as I cruised down the highway at night, hair blowing in the wind.  

That album brought emotions out in me I didn’t know I even had, and it made me miss experiences I had never even been through. There’s a sense of nostalgia in each song I’ve never been able to place, and the songs have made me fall in love with a person I’ve never met. Something so spiritual and special surrounds every chorus and verse. My personal favorite song by the band is “She Way Out”. Everytime I press play on that song, I can’t help but to smirk and twirl around like a girl who just broke into freedom for the first time.

I may sound dramatic to some, but The 1975’s debut self-titled album moved my heart, and I am eternally grateful for this band and the music they continue to pour out. I highly suggest seeing them live. If you’re a newer fan, go back to their original album. There’s a gold mine within it, and it’ll make an impression that’ll never fade.