The 1975’s Liberating New Song Dares You To ‘Give Yourself A Try’
May 31, 2018The 1975's last album was called I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It and dabbled in many genres but largely stuck to a big, glazed, impossibly wiggly sound reminiscent of the '80s (despite the band name). Now, they're back — and they sound ready to like the future again.
On Thursday (May 31), over a shrieking riff and skittering drum beat that somehow sound wonderful together, the group's caffeinated new tune "Give Yourself a Try" unfurls over three minutes and 18 seconds of pure empowerment. Singer Matty Healy assumes the role of Wizened Old Millennial, offering some suggestions about how to live a little easier. After all, he's been through some shit.
Not to play Wizened Old Millennial myself, but I'd call this song self care because of how soothingly it synthesizes generational problems often reduced to overblown bellyaches by folks not affected. The bridge especially showcases Healy's penchant for penning soul-connecting insights that sound like Tumblr pulls.
'And what would you say to your younger self?'
Growing a beard's quite hard
And whiskey never starts to taste nice
And you'll make a lot of money, and it's funny
'Cause you'll move somewhere sunny and get addicted to drugs
And spend obscene amounts on fucking seeds and beans online
"Give Yourself a Try" (a wonderful sentiment, by the way) is our first taste of a new album with the very 21st-century title A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, due out in October. Pitchfork points out that a follow-up called Notes on a Conditional Form is being planned for May 2019 as well.
Listen to "Give Yourself a Try" above, then below, watch the mini-doc MTV News made with the band shortly after their second LP dropped in 2016. And then, you know, give yourself a try already.