The 1975

A band and sound like The 1975 invite a curiosity about their backstory. It’s almost unbelievable to listen to this self-titled album and not question how a debut can sound so well developed.

But The 1975 have paid their dues. Starting out as tender teens in 2002, they used their time to craft and evolve. With each evolution came a new name, the Manchester-based quartet finally settling on The 1975 when they decided their sound needed no more tweaks.

With inspiration drawn largely from John Hughes’ movies, the album cements an electronic ‘80s vibe with timeless lyrical themes of angst and love.

Knowing the inspiration, it means the band can be forgiven for first impressions of the album suggesting a collection of background, soundtrack music.

Delving deeper reveals even more musical influences. From the groove funk rhythm of ‘Settle Down’ to the guitar-driven indie sound of ‘Sex’, the band obviously have a large range of interests and are quite capable of using them to craft a sound.

Lyrically they offer an equally large spectrum. The aforementioned ‘Sex’ explores issues of image and vanity in present day English youth (“You’re in your high tops any day / you’re in your skinny jeans anyways / you and your fit friends anyway”), then contrasts them with the haunting themes of the darker ‘Robbers’.

What stands out most from the album is the effort and focus the band put into it, achieving exactly what they wanted to achieve. Just as Baz Luhrmann brought Romeo & Juliet into the future, The 1975 modernise the sounds and pop culture references of the ‘80s for an audience of 2013.

Get unlimited access to the coverage that shapes our culture.

Subscribe to Rolling Stone magazine

Subscribe to Rolling Stone magazine