The 1975 Is Back — Our Review and Analysis of ‘Being Funny in a Foreign Language’

The 1975 is at their best — on tour and with their new album, released on Oct. 14, 2022. Here’s Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s review of Being Funny in a Foreign Language.

The 1975’s black-and-white aesthetic is officially stained cobalt

They dominated 2013 with “Chocolate,” “Girls,” and “Robbers,” refining their sad boi, alternative image with a box logo and a black-and-white aesthetic. The nostalgia attached to The 1975 is truly unmatched. Something about this group, fronted by Matty Healy, conjures memories of scrolling through Tumblr and writing Instagram captions / / L I K E T H I S / /.

They were there when Donald Trump was elected President of the United States (and sang about it on “Love It If We Made It”).

They were at the forefront of environmental activism, literally rebranding old, unsold merchandise with their newer logo and featuring Greta Thunberg on Notes on a Conditional Form’s “The 1975.”

Then, they disappeared. Healy deleted social media after sharing a controversial George Floyd-related post. George Daniel started dating Charli XCX. With their last North American-based tour canceled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some fans wondered when, or if, the band would ever release another album.

That’s what makes this new era so exciting.

The 1975 released singles ‘Part of the Band,’ ‘Happiness,’ ‘All I Need to Hear,’ and ‘I’m In Love With You’

In true 1975 fashion, the singles are a mixed bag of amazing and just “huh?” As a standout release, “Happiness” crumpled years of pretentiousness and unapologetically chucked it out the window. The 1975 returned to their roots, doubling down with a “dance floor edit” and fun TikTok videos featuring the band members.

We would be remiss to ignore producer Jack Antonoff’s influence on songs like “Part of the Band” — a 1975 track that feels straight out of Bleachers’ Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night (said with reverence, of course).

The one-two-step-iness of “I’m In Love With You” is emphasized by the earnest, frustrated, almost urgent feelings articulated the way only Healy’s lyrics can.

“Yeah, there’s something I’ve been meaning to / Say to you, baby,” the artist sings. “But I just can’t do it. What a call, moving in / I feel like I can loosen my lips (Come on so strong) / I can summarize it for you / It’s simple, and it goes like this: I’m in love with you.”

Do “Happiness” and “I’m In Love With You” sound similar? Sure. Do “My, My, My” and “I, I, I” rhyme? Kind of. 

And even if “sincerity is scary,” “All I Need to Hear” cemented itself among The 1975’s best love songs. (Unfortunately, nothing will top “Fallingforyou” or our personal favorite, “Don’t Worry.” A controversial choice, we know.) 

The 1975 is ‘at their best’ with ‘Being Funny in a Foreign Language’ 

Even if it was a unique and obviously impactful space in the 2018-2020 music scene, The 1975’s experimental era wasn’t exactly a casual listen. Being Funny in a Foreign Language is undeniably more palatable for those who aren’t die-hard fans. For die-hard fans, though, this album is a warm hug and a wave of nostalgia. 

“The 1975” — a.k.a. the introductory song title of every 1975 record — alludes to “Girls,” with Healy singing, “I’m sorry if you’re livin’ and you’re seventeen.” In “Girls,” the lyrics state, “she can’t be what you need if she’s seventeen.”

Complete with funk, synths, and their infamous “we’re not a pop band” pop sound, “Oh Caroline” perfectly encompasses The 1975’s latest collection. 

The group is prone to instrumental interludes, (and performed them live during the ILIWYSFYASBYSUOI tour). But with a mere 11 tracks — as opposed to Notes on a Conditional Form’s 22 songs — this group highlights only the finest pieces of The 1975. Their visceral, palpable lyrics. Their self-referential riffs and 80s influence. 

The 1975 is truly “at their best” again. / / C H E E R S / /