ALBUM REVIEW: The 1975- Being Funny In A Foreign Language

By Resonate | December 14, 2022

Words by Eloise Kirton

It’s been an entire decade since the notorious British band The 1975 first released their first music to the world. Since their Sex EP in 2012, which was later extended to make their self-titled number-one debut album The 1975, they have found colossal success on a global scale.

Frontman Matty Healy is no stranger to satirical self-reflection and irony throughout his lyrics. Being Funny In a Foreign Language certainly encompasses the comedic, cynical nature of the previous two albums Notes On A Conditional Form and A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships, but with this album comes an unapologetic display of cheerful, confident love songs that showcases yet another layer to their ever altering dynamic. 

The opening track The 1975, as with all the previous albums, serves as a foreshadower. Matty’s lyrics on the track range from “I think I’ve got a boner, But I can’t really tell” to “makin’ an aesthetic out of not doin well,” which certainly sets the scene lyrically for the rest of the album. Lyrically, the album can come across as unconcerned and blasé, but somehow also feels like the most sophisticated release to date. One of the best moments is All I Need To Hear, a masterfully written love song in which Healy reveals the ever-addictive vulnerability in his songwriting and scrutinises the cliches of being in love. 

For diehard fans of the band’s first releases, filled with stories of teenage hook-ups and reckless recreational drug taking, understandably the new album is a long way from what once was the distinguishing aesthetic of The 1975. However, as with all artists, as the individuals’ experiences grow, they change from the people they once were and their music changes with them.