The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships (2018)

The third offering by British indie-pop colossus The 1975, A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships is the first half of what frontman Matty Healy describes as an “era” for the band, entitled Music For Cars. The supposed concept album, as well as the band themselves cleaned up at the 2019 BRITs, claiming both the title of best British group and British album of the year. The concept behind this album is exploring the link between our relationship with technology and our relationships with one another, according to Healy at least. The overarching themes aren’t as tightly woven into the work as much as concept albums such as Arctic Monkeys’ Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not or A Grand Don’t Come For Free by The Streets, this, however, does not detract from the content of the work, much of which is outstanding. One thing ABIIOR has going for it is the sheer strength of its singles, beginning with TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME, a rhythmic mix of synthpop grooves and classic indie, unlike much of the album, this is vintage 1975, and it is done very well. Another of the singles, Love It If We Made It, ties in more seamlessly with the concept, with the band taking more of a leap sonically, it’s more synth, less pop,with a more intense delivery and an understated bass hook driving the whole track. Love It If We Made It is a highlight not only sonically, but lyrically, it is Healy’s magnum opus, a snapshot of the world in 2018, a musical postcard, a lyrical time capsule for future generations to explore. Something that ABIIOR does well throughout its 58 minute runtime is pacing, it rises to incredible heights and falls to astounding lows from track to track, without ever being jarring, a quality which ties an album together superbly, and this almost makes up for the loose concept. The best example of this pacing comes at the end of the album, with I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes), which encapsulates this idea perfectly within its 5 minutes, it rises to the album’s crescendo and slowly descends to fade out the work by Healy and co. Overall, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships is a step forward for The 1975, showing that they have developed sonically and musically, especially since it is their first self-produced offering, but also displaying Healy’s development as a lyricist through rehab, and the end result is an album with incredibly strong lead singles and brimming with anticipation for the as yet untitled fourth offering.