The 1975, The 1975

I vividly remember the waves that The 1975 made with their self titled 2013 album. In a time when social media was on the rise, this album and its songs were everywhere on platforms like Pinterest and Tumblr. The album aesthetic was cool and edgy, the music was easy to listen to, and as an album, The 1975 is near perfect.

I listened to this album back when it was first released a fair amount, but it's faded from my album library over time. Coming back to it reminded me of just how unique, grungy, catchy, and skipless The 1975 is.

Stand out tracks: "Chocolate" "Settle Down"

My favorites: "The City" "Pressure"

I could do a deep dive into every track on this album, but they're all so ridiculously good and cohesive and catchy that I would advise you to just give this album a listen yourself. "The City" catches your attention right away with it's commanding drums and boppy hook. "Chocolate," "Heart Out," and "Settle Down" are among the stars of tracks with get-stuck-in-your-head choruses, electronic influences, and irresistible guitars. Interludes like "An Encounter," "The 1975," and the beginning of "Menswear" divide this album almost into acts, which makes the listening experience all the more cinematic in a sense. The album closes with the pared down ballad "Is There Somebody Who Can Watch You," which mimics closing credits to this album and the story it tells across the whole piece of work.

No one was doing it quite like The 1975 in 2013, and I have yet to come across a band that has a sound quite like theirs. And with a 16-track debut album as good as The 1975, I'll be coming back for more from this band going forward.

AM I OBSESSED?

RATING:

FULLY OBSESSED

Kick, INXS

I really didn't know what I would be getting into with an 80s rock album, but Kick took me by surprise. I appreciate the heck out of a rock album that can be listened to as a sonically cohesive compilation. With this album, INXS has successfully taken the title of my second-favorite Australian rock band (you're still number one 5SOS).

The instrumentals on this album have more of a pop/electronic influence than many other rock albums, and the unique production somehow makes every song unexpected while working so easily together to unify the album. Combined with smoothly edgy vocals, the whole sound of this album is fresh, stylish, and smooth.

Stand-out tracks: "Need You Tonight" "Never Tear Us Apart"

My favorites: "New Sensation" "The Loved One"

"Mediate" is definitely a filler track, but it's needed to slow things down after the hard-hitting beginning of the album consisting of tracks like "Guns in the Sky" and "Need You Tonight." "The Loved One" is sort of an upbeat, rock ballad, which continues the effortlessly cool vibe exuded through every song on this album. I'm thoroughly obsessed with the unexpected, meaty production in the track "Never Tear Us Apart"-- the bass and saxophone alone on this song is absolutely exquisite. The album closer, "Tiny Daggers," is the most classic rock track, which is a perfect ending to an album that spins classic rock into something new.

For me, Kick is one of those rare, skipless albums. I know I've only dipped my toe in this album project, but I foresee Kick to land itself as one of my favorites.

AM I OBSESSED?

RATING:

FULLY OBSESSED

Faith in the Future, Louis Tomlinson

So this is my first attempt at review a brand new album on the day of it's release-- let me tell you, Louis Tomlinson made it easy with Faith in the Future. Post-One Direction looks really good on Louis, who has gone with a more pop-rock sound than One Direction ever did. (Dare I say the teacher has become the student and Louis was influenced by 5 Seconds of Summer? Louis was the member of 1D to originally discover 5SOS way back when.)

Louis natural vocal talent shines through as much on Faith in the Future as it did back on the One Direction albums, but operating solo allows the listener to appreciate it all the more, especially when coupled with a deeper instrumental sound.

Stand out tracks: "The Greatest" "Common People"

My favorites: "Lucky Again" "Angels Fly"

The album opens in such a way that catches your attention with "The Greatest"-- if Louis doesn't open his tour with this song, he's missed an opportunity, because it just screams tour opener to me. "Face the Music" is a little simplistic in comparison to other tracks, but at worst, it serves as a filler track that doesn't detract from the rest of the album. As a person from Chicago, "Chicago" does a pretty good job of illustrating what it might feel like to cope with heartbreak by walking around the city at night. "Out of My System" is a guitar-heavy, dark pop song that perks up the listener mid-way through listening to the full album. "Saturdays" sounds just like it would fit in on One Direction's last studio album, Made in the A.M., which was one of my favorites-- it's gentle, full of harmonies, with a vibey drum-centered bridge. "Common People" is arguably one of the best written songs on the album, depicting the contrast between the feeling of star-power stage persona and the humanity of just feeling like a regular person.

While I feel like Louis's 1D bandmates Harry Styles and Niall Horan have branched out from the sound they left behind when One Direction parted ways with their solo albums, Louis has leaned into that sound and matured it with Faith in the Future. Louis likely won't make the waves solo as he did with One Direction with this album, but Faith in the Future is an easy, enjoyable listen that is a great step in the right direction of moving him towards that 1D-level of success at a solo level.

AM I OBSESSED?

RATING:

KINDA OBSESSED