Rating: 9/10

Staying true to their particular brand of genius, the 1975’s latest album is the perfect demonstration of their meaningful lyricism and penchant for 80s music vibes. Being Funny in a Foreign Language mainly features love songs hiding deeper references to the status quo, like lead vocalist Matty Healy’s references to him being canceled in “When We Are Together” and being ‘ironically woke’ in “Part of the Band.” In collaboration with Jack Antonoff, a music producer notable for his work with Lorde and Taylor Swift, the 1975 breaks down the experiences of being at the cusp of adulthood through a range of songs that everyone can relate to and enjoy. 

The album itself has 11 tracks and is a little over 40 minutes long overall, making it their shortest album so far but the songwriting and instrumentals more than makes up for it. Being Funny in a Foreign Language could be a bit of a mouthful as a title but maybe we should be grateful that this album didn’t attempt to beat the band’s unofficial record with their 2016 album, I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it. 

The album’s first track follows the pattern set by the 1975’s previous albums where they name the track after themselves, so it’s simply titled “The 1975.” This tradition was meant to be a way of portraying the band’s state by rerecording the same song for every album but, in the newest version, Healy changes the lyrics of the song entirely. While I understand that the original “The 1975” could’ve been a nostalgic checkpoint for many fans, the lyrics of “The 1975 (BFIAFL)” have a certain self-reflection to them that is exactly what the song was meant to be. The song is best described as being cynical, with the lyrics representing Healy’s struggle with insecurity and the draining nature of society. The first track finishes off with the repetition of the line “I’m sorry if you’re livin’ and you’re 17” and leads into the next track, which emphasizes its message with even more repetition. 

“Happiness” is full of repetitive lyrics which give the sense that you’re listening to a stream of consciousness. This also allows for multiple meanings of the lines to show through as “mind my mind” and “my, my, my” start sounding about the same. This technique also makes the song really catchy and fun to listen to. 

The third song of the album is called “Looking for Somebody to Love” and, on the surface, it appears to be from the perspective of a man doing just as the title suggests. However, the aggression and violence of the man portrays the reality of how toxic masculinity plays into a man’s decision to seek a relationship. The song itself has a synth-pop feel to it that goes back to the 1975’s brand of 80s music.

The fourth track is the lead single of Being Funny in a Foreign Language, “Part of the Band.” In a true roller-coaster fashion, the overtly cynical and deprecative lyrics are back once again but contrasted by the playful instrumentals of the song. Taken from by the bridge Healy wrote for his 2021 opening for Phoebe Bridgers, “Part of the Band” is existential and sarcastic and a necessary wake-up call. For any classic literature fans, there’s also a reference to writers Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine that was nice to note! It’s one of the best parts of the album overall and captures the essence of living in America during current times, a theme that starts with the first track.

Both “Oh Caroline” and “I’m in Love With You” are odes to a lover executed in exactly the opposite ways. Both are pop songs with a focused subject that the singer is clearly enamored with, but “Oh Caroline” has darker undertones as the singer is begging ‘Caroline’ not to leave him. On the other hand, “I’m in Love With You” is a testament to wanting to keep a significant other you’ve fallen for and the natural next step is to confess your love. The contrast created by these two tracks right next to each other just goes to prove, once again, how the 1975 make music for everyone. 

“Wintering” is a lot like the supermarkets who put their Christmas decorations on in September or the radio channels playing Christmas music right after Thanksgiving. It’s a song about reuniting with your family as the singer promises to “be home on the twenty-third.” More than Christmas and the holidays, the song is the personification of nostalgia and a love for family that’s untainted by the various dark themes of the album. 

Revered as one of Healy’s best vocal performances, “Human too” is the singer’s apology for all of his faults. This theme of self-deprecation is seen throughout the album but it reaches a new level here and is almost haunting in its sincerity. 

The next track, “About You,” is more an assurance to combat the lingering self-deprecation from the previous song on the album. It captures the simplicity of being in love and how it’s enough, even without all the grand gestures.

If the 1975’s albums were TV show seasons, Matt Healy believes that the final track on Being Funny in a Foreign Language would be ‘the end of this season.’ Telling you about his lover and her little quirks in “When We Are Together,” the singer ends the album on a melancholic note. The flaws and issues mentioned in previous tracks seem to reach a point of catharsis, for both the singer and the listener, as the girl’s company seems to lighten the overall mood of the album. Implications of an unhealthy relationship linger long after all of the songs finish but, in the moment, “When We Are Together” is a much-needed reprieve that wraps the album up with a lighter feeling.

You would think that attempting so many genres and incorporating so many themes in a single album is bound to fall short at some point but Being Funny in a Foreign Language does not disappoint. All of their songs have their own appeal and the album’s only mistake is not being longer to allow listeners to experience it a bit longer. “The 1975 (BFIAFL)” might have been my favorite track, personally, but nothing comes close to the euphoric feeling that “I’m in Love With You” can give at the right moments. Even if you can’t find yourself relating to every single song, I can assure you that there’s at least one song that will complement your mood at the moment.