Lostmyheadĭistorted guitars gently ascend through swathes of noise as Matty sets things up for the next track, singing softly “And you say I’ve lost my head/Can you see it, can you see it?” The phrase, and concept of having “lost my head” is a recurring motif on the record, too, popping up in songs like ‘If I Believe You’. Towards the start of its fourth minute, it swells then suddenly ditches everything to leave only its piano roots. The same few piano notes ring out slowly and sadly, going round in small circles as hissing and twinkling sounds gradually build, fall and then build again over the top. The title might suggest something louche and sexy, but it’s actually very sombre and expansive. The first instrumental track on the album. ![]() There are plenty of cutting remarks aimed at her ( “And you were coming across as clever/Then you lit the wrong end of your cigarette”), and himself ( “I’ll quote On The Road like a twat”), plus the return of ‘Love Me”s slave-to-technology observations ( “And then you took a picture of your salad/And put it on the internet”). ‘A Change Of Heart’ also depicts a girl Matty’s been seeing who he’s changing his mind about, realising that her looks aren’t enough of a reason to stay with her. The line “You used to have a face straight out of a magazine” circles back to their debut’s ‘Robbers’ “I wasn’t told you’d be this cold” is probably a reference to ‘Settle Down”s “You’re cold and I burn” line “I feel as though I was deceived/I never found love in the city” is his admittance that what he sang in ‘The City’ hasn’t come true. ‘A Change Of Heart’ is also the most self-referential song on the record, in terms of casting its ear back to what Matty sang on the band’s self-titled debut. It’s as pastel-hued as the album artwork, or the colours that light up the band from behind and below at their recent gigs. This bubbling ballad matches meandering synth lines and jittering guitars with George Daniel’s 808 beats. It’s such an accurate portrayal of narcissistic 3am conversations when everyone’s got a bit too stuck into the gear, it’s a wonder ‘UGH!’ wasn’t made the office Christmas party for the whole of the country last year. This is second verse: “This conversation’s not about reciprocation no more/But I’m gonna wait until you’ve finished so I can talk some more/About me and my things, my car, my living/And how I’m giving it up, giving it up again”. Instead, it’s very clever, darkly funny and tells it as it is – albeit with some flowery language thrown in for good effect. It could be self-indulgent or self-pitying, but it’s not. Never one to shy away from talking about serious or deeply personal problems (just go read any interview with Matty), ‘UGH!’ details the frontman’s struggles with cocaine. It’s him taking the piss out of the world and himself, while his bandmates show off licks inspired by ‘Fame’-era Bowie and INXS. ![]() Matty says it was inspired by him strutting around on stage with his shirt undone, arms outstretched, with hordes of teenage girls screaming up at him. The first song to be revealed from the album is a “post-ironic” comment on selfie culture and the 21st century’s vacuous obsession with celebrity. That’s nothing compared to what follows, though… 2. Even with the song’s bitesize length, Matty still finds time to play around and try to confuse, switching words around so you get lyrics like “playing with the air/Breathing in your hair”. Matty’s left singing, backed by a choir whose intrinsic purpose seems to be making him sound like he’s surrounded by a glistening halo of light. This minute-and-a-half self-titled track is what you might call a gentle intro to the bizarre and baffling world of ‘I Like It When You Sleep…’ – shimmering sounds fade into focus before halting abruptly. The 17 tracks’ 75 minutes are no easy listen, but the album is hugely eclectic – there’s everything from semi-rapping to post-rock instrumentals and acoustic tearjerkers. But the whole album – ludicrously titled ‘I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It’ – will make you think and reassess even more than that song did. Who would have guessed that an early frontrunner for 2016’s most unpredictable album would be by The 1975? When lead single ‘Love Me’ was unveiled late last year, it challenged all preconceptions about the band led by Matty Healy.
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