Nearly three years after The 1975 released their self-titled debut album, which gained the British pop band One Direction-level status among Tumblr teens, frontman Matty Healy generated much excitement about their upcoming sophomore album. Healy told NME, “The world needs this album.”
Released on Feb. 26, 2016, the 75-minute-long record had a ridiculously lengthy title: “I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it.”
The album with lots of sonic inspiration from the 1980s begins the same way as the debut and every subsequent album do, with a track titled “The 1975.” These opening tracks serve as sonic mission statements, evoking the band’s reinvention with each new project they release.
On “I like it when you sleep…,” the band sticks with the same abstract lyrics and soaring melody but lets go of the heavy distortion that enveloped the original album. The nearly six-and-a-half-minute-long title track features sparkling synth melodies and ambient soundscapes.
“I like it when you sleep…” sets the tone for a record that, despite their fanbase being hungry for more of the same angsty sound, is less gritty and more purely pop. Bubbling arpeggios and choral vocal layering make this song airy and untethered, as if Healy is delivering the lyrics from a cloud.
Suddenly, we are thrown back down to earth with “Love Me,” an ‘80s-inspired pop song that meditates on The 1975’s newfound success and the triviality of fame. It’s hardly an original topic for a sophomore album, but it is made more interesting by Healy’s distinctive lyricism, which can elicit both laughter and an eyeroll.
In “Love Me,” Healy seems self-aware as he pokes fun at the rockstar character he plays for a living, but then he delivers the lines, “You’ve been reading ‘bout yourself on a plane, fame for a change / Caught up in fashion, Karcrashian panache / and a bag of bash for passion…” It’s a perfect example of The 1975’s inherent grandiosity.
Though “I like it when you sleep…” is more upbeat production-wise, its subject matter is frequently heavy. This is evident on “UGH!” where Healy sings about his struggles with cocaine addiction over a bouncy funk groove.
“A Change of Heart,” meanwhile, slows down the pace with simple three-note repetitions. The ballad deals with romantic disillusionment while showcasing Healy’s conversational storytelling style. He mocks his partner’s vapid social media use and performative cigarette smoking, as well as his own pretentious penchant for quoting “On The Road” by Jack Kerouac.
“She’s American” sees Healy playfully exploring cultural differences between himself and an American woman, set to funky, retro instrumentation and a smooth saxophone solo. Meanwhile, “If I Believe You” adopts a moody, existential tone, presented as a conversation between Healy and a higher power.
Inspired by gospel, “If I Believe You” is over six minutes long, featuring a melancholic flugelhorn solo by acclaimed jazz musician Roy Hargrove. Healy takes the listener on his search for identity and purpose, and the vulnerable track closes as he questions, “If I’m lost, then how can I find myself?”
The band subverts expectations once again on “Please Be Naked.” The song’s title might suggest a raunchy, guitar-driven anthem like their 2012 hit “Sex.” Instead, it’s an ambient, entirely instrumental track featuring real traffic recordings, based on the walk home to Healy’s London flat at night. “Lostmyhead” is also largely ambient, with shoegaze production evocative of M83.
On “The Ballad of Me and My Brain,” Healy’s vocals are raw and desperate as he illustrates how his mental health has been affected by The 1975’s popularity, through an allegory where he physically loses his brain.
A standout track on the album, “Somebody Else,” is an R&B-inspired 1980s-style ballad reminiscent of Tears for Fears. Its matter of fact, honest depictions of jealousy after a breakup are among some of Healy’s more relatable lyrics, cementing the song as a timeless fundamental in The 1975’s discography.
“Loving Someone” begins yet another rumination on modern life and celebrity culture. In the midst of a tense political climate, Healy used the track to speak out against hate and bigotry.
On President Donald Trump’s first inauguration day in January 2017, the band released a video of their live performance of the song at the O2 the month before.
At that show, the band showed support for the LGBTQ+ community by displaying rainbow visuals. Healy gave a speech addressing the year’s political degradation and emphasizing the power of inclusivity and compassion. Consequently, “Loving Someone” evolved into something of a hopeful LGBTQ+ anthem.
On “The Sound,” a huge, pulsing synth propels the track forward as Healy rasps over a catchy piano riff. The London Community Gospel Choir contributed vocals to the hit, adding a distinctive celebratory energy.
1980s new wave and synth pop sounds return to the forefront in “This Must Be My Dream.” A shimmery, nostalgic ballad, the track is complete with a luscious saxophone solo.
“Paris,” meanwhile, explores the City of Love as a symbol for the good parts of a relationship. Healy expresses his desire to “go to Paris again” and revisit the honeymoon phase where his personal troubles don’t exist. The track’s relaxed production is juxtaposed with more intense, darker lyrics.
The last two songs on “I like it when you sleep…” are emotional, acoustic-driven arrangements centering on Healy’s familial relationships. “Nana” is a beautiful, raw meditation on grief and a tribute to his deceased grandmother, while “She Lays Down” is an intimate account of his mother’s struggle with postnatal depression. These stripped-back tracks demonstrate the band’s unpredictability, as they stray far from the highly produced ‘80s influences on the rest of the record.
Sonically, “I like it when you sleep…” is all over the place. If The 1975’s goal was to defy expectations after their debut album, they were successful. It’s electrically fun sometimes, heartbreaking sometimes, boring sometimes and incredibly pretentious the whole time. It’s unclear whether the world needed this album but if nothing else, “I like it when you sleep…” gave us some lasting bangers.
Riley Greenberg can be reached at [email protected].
