Notes on a Conditional Form
by The 1975
User Score
7.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 200 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 132 out of 200
  2. Mixed: 37 out of 200
  3. Negative: 31 out of 200
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  1. musicmaniac
    May 22, 2020
    0
    Awful.
    I tried to like it but every other song is an autotuned mess. Matt's completely lost his mind (probably all the drugs and weed he smokes). One of the worst releases in the past 10 years. I'll put it down there with all the other gangster rap.
  2. Skydog
    May 22, 2020
    0
    After being a huge fan of a couple of their singles over their years i expected them to return to their original vibes with this one but what I found was an unbalanced, disoriented mess of an album with very little purpose. There was only maybe two tracks that stood out which is as bad as most of the 80s one hit wonder albums.
  3. SpiritedWine
    May 22, 2020
    3
    There are some good tracks on this album. However, the album lacks purpose and feels very untidy. Whilst a diverse range of genres is most appreciated, this album signifies that The 1975 no longer possesses the unique style they once had. A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships should have been the framework to build off for this album.
  4. Alvo
    May 22, 2020
    0
    What happened to this band? I didn’t like a brief inquire as well as the first 2 albums but this one is by far the worst album they’ve released. An instrumental every other song? The first part of the album sucks and the end of the album sucks. The middle is ok, I feel so let down....
  5. LBthaLedge
    May 22, 2020
    1
    There’s no pacing, there’s no flow, the musical interludes add nothing and are way way way too frequent and on the songs that there’s actual singing the songwriting is bad and the instrumentals are nothing special, the dance tracks don’t fit at all, the album doesn’t flow from track to track at all I feel like I’ve just pressed shuffle on a playlist. And god the interludes every otherThere’s no pacing, there’s no flow, the musical interludes add nothing and are way way way too frequent and on the songs that there’s actual singing the songwriting is bad and the instrumentals are nothing special, the dance tracks don’t fit at all, the album doesn’t flow from track to track at all I feel like I’ve just pressed shuffle on a playlist. And god the interludes every other track theres a **** interlude it’s so **** bloated they are needless I am so disappointed, the production is so **** bare bones and boring it hurts. The best track here is easily nothing revealed/everything denied and even that can’t stand up to the best tracks from their last album like GYAT. The worst track out of the actual vocal tracks here, of which there are about like 11, is don’t worry because it’s slow boring and the production is weak. I would genuinly give this a 1-2/10 and I went in liking the bands pervious music.… Expand
  6. Tahatma
    May 22, 2020
    3
    Disappointing to say the least. As a MASSIVE fan, this album comes across as completely misguided. The guys have been living in the same house with a recording studio, together, for the entire process of this album. And my god, does it feel like it. It feels like it's been overworked and overworked until the record label told them they HAD to get it out. Matty has said in multipleDisappointing to say the least. As a MASSIVE fan, this album comes across as completely misguided. The guys have been living in the same house with a recording studio, together, for the entire process of this album. And my god, does it feel like it. It feels like it's been overworked and overworked until the record label told them they HAD to get it out. Matty has said in multiple interviews that the reason for the delay previous to now (a year from the original release date) was due to "adding more stuff" to the songs. Again--you can tell. I feel like I'm drowning in the production on this album. Like they said "well, the songs are **** but we can just add enough tracks that no one can tell!
    This is the sound of exhausted, overworked, creatively spent, depressed musicians with no one from the record label there to say "Matty, I think you've done enough." There are simply not enough good songs to justify the mass amount of bloated, over-sampled filler on this album.    … Expand
  7. Lucymccourt
    May 22, 2020
    0
    One big fat ego reflecting and boosting release. Jam packed full of instrumental filler and auto tune. All with the goal of sounding deep and motivational but just ends up falling flat on its face, not like that matters because Matty Healy could literally release an album of silence and his cult like fanbase would still call it ‘art’
  8. Eldritchard
    May 22, 2020
    1
    Pretentious, convoluted mess of an album. Could’ve been trimmed to a promising EP.
  9. kint
    May 23, 2020
    3
    a lauded attempt but misses the target massively. at its best, the material here is just passable, at its worst, it's boring. the six minute time fodder 'having no head' is three minutes of nothing, and then a build up into some of the most cliche electronica i've ever sat through, it's the type of thing autechre would be embarrassed to have passed in a bowel movement.

    the essentials    a lauded attempt but misses the target massively. at its best, the material here is just passable, at its worst, it's boring. the six minute time fodder 'having no head' is three minutes of nothing, and then a build up into some of the most cliche electronica i've ever sat through, it's the type of thing autechre would be embarrassed to have passed in a bowel movement.

    the essentials off this album are 'people', 'guys', 'me & you together song', 'if you're too shy (let me know)' and 'playing on my mind': you can skip the rest. frail state of mind' is fine for what it is but an awful foreshadowing of about 40 percent of this record (droning, dull electronica)

    too many directionless instrumentals, too many cul-de sac songs that lead you nowhere and far too self-indulgent. matty healy may think he's rock's new jesus, but this album will leave you twiddling your thumbs, waiting for the crucifixion.    … Expand
  10. MCotsalas
    Jan 7, 2022
    3
    A few decent songs among the bunch, which is too bad because the album is essentially 3/4 filler. They took the sound and concept of TOOTIME, possibly the band's worst song in their entire catalog, and made an album with it. Hopefully if they release a new album in the future they can move away from this computerized mess.
  11. jackaz15
    May 27, 2020
    3
    NOACF is utterly tasteless and incompetently mixed, devoid of creativity or interesting melodies. This half country / half ambient synth-pop record is beyond misguided: it's lazy. The 1975 are a skeleton of what they once were.
  12. McMadness42
    May 29, 2020
    1
    The 1975’s debut self titled album was nothing extraordinary. It was fairly whiney and bland. But it was a very good effort, and the band had serious potential.

    I Like It When You Sleep... (title is too freakin long, seriously) capitalized on the potential they showed, resulting in a powerful, but flawed sophomore record. A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships was the peak. The album    The 1975’s debut self titled album was nothing extraordinary. It was fairly whiney and bland. But it was a very good effort, and the band had serious potential.

    I Like It When You Sleep... (title is too freakin long, seriously) capitalized on the potential they showed, resulting in a powerful, but flawed sophomore record.

    A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships was the peak. The album was long, YES. But most of its time was used well. Through the entire tram list you were taken on an emotional journey which really worked.

    And now this. 22 tracks with little to NO flow from track to track. Any momentum gathered in a single track is killed by the very next one. There is no flow or captivation.

    This is a bloated 80 minute melodramatic mess. Based on what I’ve heard thus far in 2020. This is the worst album of the year...

    And very easily one of the worst albums I’ve ever heard. If this band comes back for a 5th record. If it’s like this, I’m officially declaring this band a lost cause in my eyes.    … Expand
  13. moonpie1979
    May 29, 2020
    3
    One might be tempted to compare Notes... to certain canonical albums which are similarly sprawling and disjointed. Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk springs immediately to mind - an opus that left many listeners scratching their heads and which polarised fans. Whilst that particular example has aged well and remains a wonderful mess, it’s so hard to picture this offering’s status as a classic beingOne might be tempted to compare Notes... to certain canonical albums which are similarly sprawling and disjointed. Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk springs immediately to mind - an opus that left many listeners scratching their heads and which polarised fans. Whilst that particular example has aged well and remains a wonderful mess, it’s so hard to picture this offering’s status as a classic being debated in 40 years’ time. It’s simply flabby. There are some wonderful moments here for sure - moments of sweetness, moments of warmth and melody. But equally there are moments - far too many of them - that feel cold, robotic and unwelcome. I’d say it could have used some editing but even trimmed of the weaker tracks, you’d have a single album of less merit than any of its predecessors. Maybe it rewards repeated listening - but it certainly doesn’t invite it.… Expand
  14. Temporary03
    May 28, 2020
    3
    I'd call myself a fan of the 1975, I've been to a live show I watch their music videos, have all their albums on CD. So I feel I'm quite familiar with their stuff but Jesus what a waste of time this album is. We saw glimpses of Matty's pretentious side from the second LP and even more with their second latest album 'A brief enquiry into online relationships' but this latest album isI'd call myself a fan of the 1975, I've been to a live show I watch their music videos, have all their albums on CD. So I feel I'm quite familiar with their stuff but Jesus what a waste of time this album is. We saw glimpses of Matty's pretentious side from the second LP and even more with their second latest album 'A brief enquiry into online relationships' but this latest album is something else. An uncohesive mess of songs that mean nothing, say nothing but think they are. It's clear they just wanted to make a massive LP without giving it any thought as there are many songs on the album which are just nothing, just noise. Don't get me wrong I can appreciate interludes and breaks within long albums, like Paramore did with their self titled album, but the difference is. The interludes in that album were short and sweet and matched the tone and style of the album, with this album however these instrumental songs just feel like filler as some are over 6 minutes long! It's clear they just put it in here to give it an excuse to be longer. Tonally the album is also a mess, with a hugely misleading single 'People' which is punk with hints of heavy rock (Best song on the album) and nothing on the album sounds even remotely similar, you have electronic, autotunes messes and only ONE song on the album which sounds even remotely like their first album 'If your to shy' this song is a highlight of the album as it reminds you which band your listening to, which believe me when you listen to this, you need to be reminded of it.
    Having said all of this there are some kinda good things about the album, the more 1975 sounding songs are genuinely entertaining and fun to listen to. Songs like 'If your to shy' and even 'Me and you together song' But this does not excuse the self indulgent, cocky, ego fuelled awful songs that appear on this album. What a mess, would recommend to listen to if you want to fall asleep, or give an example of a band that are having an identity crisis.    … Expand
  15. bjhh
    Jun 17, 2020
    1
    So obsessed with attempting to be 'deep' and being the voice of a generation, Healy's egotistical complex takes over on Notes. This tone is set from the first track; a 5 minute extract of Greta Thunberg, not a particularly good public speaker, talking over ambient, disconnected bleeps. Even if for some reason you like the sound of that, you still probably won't like what follows. The albumSo obsessed with attempting to be 'deep' and being the voice of a generation, Healy's egotistical complex takes over on Notes. This tone is set from the first track; a 5 minute extract of Greta Thunberg, not a particularly good public speaker, talking over ambient, disconnected bleeps. Even if for some reason you like the sound of that, you still probably won't like what follows. The album is a completely garbled mess. Tracks 3 and 5 are both orchestral interludes, so you would expect this to be a recurring theme throughout the album, but it is never returned to again. Healy rants about things he is guilty of himself (e.g. on Nothing Revealed... he blasts artists for charging for meet and greets for their fans when The 1975's shows are regularly overpriced for their fanbase and their merchandise is $$$). Critics have often chosen Me & You Together Song as a highlight, but even this sounds like a B-TEC Stone Roses cover band's attempt at writing their own material. It's not normal for me to dislike every minute of an album, but it's very hard not to with this thing. UGH!!!… Expand
  16. venusprincess
    Aug 2, 2020
    0
    PAREM DE FAZER MÚSICA EU TO IMPLORANDO PAREM DE FAZER MUSICA PRA ADOLESCENTES REVOLTADOS DE 16 ANOS VOCÊS JÁ TEM 30 ANOS PELO AMOR DE DEUS

Awards & Rankings

43
#43 Most Discussed Album of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 28
  3. Negative: 2 out of 28
  1. The Observer (UK)
    Aug 3, 2020
    60
    A Brief Inquiry is a hard album to top, and Notes is, perhaps, the most disjointed and unclassifiable of the 1975’s works. It serves best, perhaps, as a long and intermittently lovely outro to that defining record.
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  2. No Ripcord
    Jun 16, 2020
    60
    Notes on a Conditional Form is a fantastic 12 track, 45-minute album. It’s just a shame that The 1975 decided to make it into a 22 track, 80 minute one. There’s certainly enough going on to recommend repeat listens, but the quality level waxes and wanes so much throughout that it won’t take you too long to find your favorites and start returning to just those.
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  3. Beats Per Minute
    May 27, 2020
    77
    The diversity is so vast and so well done that it’s almost commendable. Mainly though, it’s just a bit much for one sitting, and instead feels more like you’re listening to The 1975 radio on Spotify.
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