People like “People”

The 1975, a band dedicated to the themes and aesthetics of their album-centered eras, have released a taste of what their next record, Notes On a Conditional Form, will hold. 

Their new song “People” dropped with its music video on YouTube before it hit streaming services. The supplemental visual aid of their eccentric frontman and band clad in all black wouldn’t be out of the ordinary if it weren’t for the new Marilyn Manson-type element present. Coming in gaudy and gothic aesthetically, The 1975 have embraced post-punk sonically.

Frontman Matty Healy’s screaming vocals are complemented by equally strong instrumentals. George Daniel opens with drums, Adam Hann joins with sharp guitar riffs, and the song wouldn’t be complete without Ross MacDonald’s creation of a dark depth on the bass guitar. This musical equation results with a very catchy, slightly punchy track with many edges.

Though, I think it’s important to note that this is by no means The 1975’s first dip into punk. The band’s roots were grown playing and covering punk music (see Grand Theft Autumn); they even have their own unreleased punk originals (see Love Without Sleep, Penelope, and Shoot Out at the University Fair).

In this sense, this track has been a long time coming, yet is a punk purposefully dedicated to our modernity. The 1975, per usual, aren’t short of social commentary here; in “People” they share their take on our reality of near-immediate delivery and apps for everything. Healy sings with angst, “Well girls, food, gear - I don’t like going outside so bring me everything here”. Not only is this lyric relatable to a moody mentality, but, in hand with the rest of the song and preceding track, “The 1975”, nudges listeners towards a bigger picture.

Their latest rendition of “The 1975” highlights the importance of the ecological crisis us humans are pushing ourselves into, narrated by 16 year old environmental activist, Greta Thunberg. The context of this track in hand with “People” prompts the listener to consider their consumption choices… “WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!”

Another grand perspective of this song can be seen by considering it in hand with “Love Me” and “Give Yourself a Try”, the tracks that served as first singles off of their last two albums. Not comparable sonically, but evolutionarily, “People” joins them as a representation, a teaser, of the inventive and explorative nature of The 1975. The three songs act as statements of The 1975’s versatility. They do not serve as identifiers or portrayals of their era, but rather new colors to the chameleon that is The 1975.

- SJ

Stream “People” here