Buy This Album - 'I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it' by The 1975

The sophomore slump is a real thing. After you've had your entire life up to the point that you write your first record, the new deadlines of being an already established artist tend to quench the flow of a substantial amount of artistic juices. Add to this the dynamic of a successful first record, and now you've found yourself with the added pressure of living up to (or even exceeding) expectations. Even more rarely do you hear real artistic growth between a first and second record.

Well, it seems that The 1975 has defied all of those tendencies with their second label release, I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it.

The band's self-titled debut took me by surprise and blew me away. The retro '80s influences, the great playing, the hooks... it was an unusual breath of fresh air in a market oversaturated with disposable pop detritus or artists trying too hard to be important. It rocked, it grooved, it was singable and accessible with just the right amount of artistry to remind everyone that these cats weren't looking to be anyone or anything but themselves.

I'm glad to say that the new record has picked up right where the first left off, but with enough twists on the original idea to verify the notion that these guys aren't settling. They're not over-extending themselves, either, but they're moving in directions that indicate growth and a lack of contentment with where they left off the first time.

Whereas the first record featured short sound effect-y interludes between songs, I like it when you sleep... has taken things a bit further, featuring entire instrumental pieces built on the foundations of those earlier clips. These might not be welcome news to everyone, but they're an interesting touch on a modern pop/rock record. The instrumentals on this record are pleasant and intriguing, and they allow you to disappear a bit into the soundscape while wondering just what the guys had in mind when they were orchestrating them. They bring to mind composers like Hans Zimmer or James Newton Howard, and they demand another layer of attention: this is a record designed to be listened to. Imagine that.

As for the more conventional tracks, the band is back to their proven process of drawing from artists before their time. There are traces of Bowie and Prince here, with hooks for days and electronics that manage to keep from becoming annoying or obtuse (a notable feat in today's music scene). And I, for one, can't wait to see if Adam Hann (the band's guitarist) manages to reintroduce the guitar solo back into popular radio. The guy is a monster player and the band doesn't shy away from showing him off here and there.

I like it when you sleep... has been a great trip for me since its release last Friday. If you like solid, groovy, melodic pop/rock from real musicians who understand their heritage and seem more interested in their art than succumbing to the machine of industry celebrity-ism, be sure to give it your undivided attention. The 1975 are proving they've got plenty to say and, hopefully, are just getting started.

//