The Beauty of Being "Unfocused" - My Thoughts on Notes On A Conditional Form.

We're in a very unfocused time right now. Between pandemics, riots, some people being even bigger idiots on the internet. There's a lot going through everybody's heads all at once, and The 1975's "Notes On A Conditional Form" is a stellar, and accurate musical interpretation of all that mayhem. The opening track (The 1975....again) starts with Greta Thunberg and minimalist piano. Appropriately it was also the first song released for the album with a release nearly a year before Notes release, and I think a perfect opening, I interpret it as The 1975 saying "This is a snapshot of all the Mayhem, Sadness, and complete fuckery that's going to happen at this point in time". Adding Greta Thunberg was also a very bold choice, but I think the best choice they could have made for this, and really shows that The 1975 know who they want their audience to be. Then Jumping into their most Punk sounding song ever "People". As we go further into the album we get some great ambient interludes, experimentation with 2-step, back into indie-pop, 80's style anthems like "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know) which has the best use of Saxophone since CRJ's Run Away With Me. "Guys" wraps up the album on a sweet note, and it's a song that has impacted me like no other song has before. It's all about being soft around your friends and It makes me feel validated, because I'm a very soft person, and I'm pround to be soft. I keep seeing critics call this album "Unfocused", too long, messy. But I think that's because people want to put this band in a musical corner. The thing I like most about The 1975 is that they're so untraditional, and touch on so many different sounds. I want to hear more so I'll find more artists with that specific sound, then keep coming back to them. I love that this album is long, I love that it touches on so many different sounds, and I love how much work went into it.

I'll be getting the vinyl as soon as I can, I like this album and you should listen to it.

Best songs:

• The 1975: Again, having Greta Thunberg right at the start is a great way of showing what you're getting into.

• If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know): Lyrics are a little sleazy, but the song feels so uplifting in a weird way.

• Guys: A perfect ode to friendship, and positive masculinity.

What else I'm listening to:

• Lady Gaga - Chromatica

• Blondie - Parallel Lines

• The Cars - Heartbeat City