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. vwoum
    May 23, 2020
    10
    Excellent “album”...body of work. Diverse, masterful and huge production. So many notable influences summing to beautiful originality. I’ll spend a lot of time with this album
  2. cspencere
    May 24, 2021
    10
    An unbelievably beautiful and transcendent musical experience. It took a few listens to fully grasp but even off of the first one the vibes are immaculate; classic, but evolved, in terms of what we associate with the band's sound. A truly important piece of The 1975's discography and possibly their magnum opus. Only time will tell. I can't wait to see what the rest of their career has inAn unbelievably beautiful and transcendent musical experience. It took a few listens to fully grasp but even off of the first one the vibes are immaculate; classic, but evolved, in terms of what we associate with the band's sound. A truly important piece of The 1975's discography and possibly their magnum opus. Only time will tell. I can't wait to see what the rest of their career has in store because they always seem to one-up themselves.… Expand
  3. Alverte
    Jun 2, 2020
    10
    They excel in any contemporary style. The band of our times and hopefully our future.
  4. georgiawoodley7
    May 25, 2020
    10
    the first listen is a lot, as this album has a lot to say... but damn it only gets better every time
  5. clarasacramento
    May 22, 2020
    10
    Talented. Brilliant. Incredible. Amazing. Show stopping. Spectacular. Never be the same. Totally unique. Completely not ever been done before.
  6. SantiT
    Aug 30, 2020
    10
    Despite everyone else, I believe that this is their best album. NOACF shows us their evolution and their ability to explore different genres of music. It's a perfect body of work. A masterpiece.
  7. xuli
    May 22, 2020
    10
    The "lack of purpose" is the most personal, honest and pure trait of the album. This is about what modernity really is, they know about it and somehow they found a way to "embrace it" through the hole concept of the album. I'm speechless. This is pure art.
  8. francisco10
    May 23, 2020
    10
    The 1975 are not afraid to experiment. Throughout this album, you can hear pop, punk, eletronic, 80s pop-rock, orchestral pieces and everything you can imagine. Expect the unexpected. The 1975 have the best albums out there and this one is no different. Personally, it's my favourite album by the band and one of the best ones ever released. The critics gave it poor numbers because they areThe 1975 are not afraid to experiment. Throughout this album, you can hear pop, punk, eletronic, 80s pop-rock, orchestral pieces and everything you can imagine. Expect the unexpected. The 1975 have the best albums out there and this one is no different. Personally, it's my favourite album by the band and one of the best ones ever released. The critics gave it poor numbers because they are afraid of what's different from mainstream. Really, if you want an album that is all about feelings and not really sounds, there you go! The 1975 did THAT again.… Expand
  9. reviewshere
    May 22, 2020
    10
    The 1975 somehow cover a myriad of genres, and cover them well. Moving through heavy rock, garage, country, dance, and folk music, this eclectic album somehow offers a range of huge ideas without feeling overly cluttered and overwhelming. The enormous track listing may appear over blown and bloated, it's necessary to explore the ideas that rattle around in Healy's head. All of this beforeThe 1975 somehow cover a myriad of genres, and cover them well. Moving through heavy rock, garage, country, dance, and folk music, this eclectic album somehow offers a range of huge ideas without feeling overly cluttered and overwhelming. The enormous track listing may appear over blown and bloated, it's necessary to explore the ideas that rattle around in Healy's head. All of this before the production. Just wow. George Daniel has truly outdone himself, displaying why he's one of the most exciting and versatile producers around.

    Stick about. There's more this band have to offer.    … Expand
  10. alee1257
    May 22, 2020
    10
    Its beautiful chaos. Notes on a conditional form is some of the best work that they have done. Each instrumental gives you an opportunity is digest the album as it goes along navigating through genre after genre with that 1975 take.
  11. JuanRH
    May 25, 2020
    10
    the great part of the album is varied, The 1975 shows us that once again they are not only an indie band but they know how to go further than their base genre.
  12. Wink93
    May 25, 2020
    10
    Dope album. Only band putting out new music with anything meaningful or thought provoking.
  13. kevinanso
    Nov 24, 2020
    10
    Una muy buena produccion, aunque cada cancion tiene generos diferentes estan muy bien cuidadas y realizadas y tiene hits como if youre too shy let me know, guys
  14. TheedmondX
    Mar 1, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Un álbum de larga duración, debe ser apreciado como tal, no se dejen llevar por su falta de tiempo o pocas ganas de escuchar música, cada canción es un viaje que se complementa perfecto con la siguiente y el álbum en si.
    Es por mucho el proyecto más complejo de la banda,. Experimenta con sonidos country, dance, electrónica House, pop, rock, punk...no sé cómo lo lograron pero lograron un álbum homogéneo, con un concepto bien planteado, Notes on a Conditional Form es un álbum que refleja a la perfección de manera sonora y lírica temáticas actuales como el cambio climático, esta nueva sociedad, la religión, tecnología., refleja de manera sensata un sentimiento universal...de este planeta    … Expand
  15. Majkloslav
    May 29, 2020
    9
    Most people don't like the diversity of this album. I on the other hand love it.
  16. Lukejst
    May 22, 2020
    9
    Goes off in so many different directions and there really is a song for everybody on this album. Personally for me it features some of the best work they have done, along with some randomness, but thats what you have to expect with The 1975!
  17. Bluejuice123
    May 22, 2020
    9
    Brilliant sonic soundscapes and a huge range. This is a superb album - varied, vibrant and vital!
  18. ohwhatsthis3
    May 22, 2020
    9
    Although it isn’t my favorite album by the 1975, I still think this album is a very good album. I loved every song on the album except the opener and Shiny Collarbone. Although the band has changed a lot stylistically/sound-wise, I still think they are doing it in an enjoyable fashion. If you’re someone that doesn’t enjoy albums that aren’t like their past albums, then I can tell you thatAlthough it isn’t my favorite album by the 1975, I still think this album is a very good album. I loved every song on the album except the opener and Shiny Collarbone. Although the band has changed a lot stylistically/sound-wise, I still think they are doing it in an enjoyable fashion. If you’re someone that doesn’t enjoy albums that aren’t like their past albums, then I can tell you that you might not enjoy a lot of this album. The band took a risky leap, and I think that they landed perfectly with flying colors. I think that this album is the perfect ending to the “Music for Cars” era. I was so excited for this album, despite having 6 delays, there was nothing that could stop me from being as excited as I was. It exceeded my expectations. I like the way the bands sound changed. And to talk about the point about it being “pretentious” and “showing a big ego”, I really don’t see how it is pretentious or egotistical. It is a tiny bit pretentious, but nowhere near as pretentious as a lot of people are acting like it is. And I don’t find it egotistical at all. Overall, I liked the production of the album as a whole. Also listening to The Birthday Party on the actual album made me appreciate the song more. It was my least favorite single, but now I love the song. I don’t really know what else to say besides in my honest opinion this is my favorite album of 2020 so far, and I’m sure it won’t be topped.… Expand
  19. DRTJ
    Jul 24, 2020
    9
    Favorite track: "Don't Worry"
    Least favorite track: "Yeah I Know"
    The 1975's most divisive but also diverse album to date, "Notes On A Conditional Form" gets better with additional listens, emphasis on the plural. It's a mammoth 22-track monster, and while none of the filler is necessarily "bad," it's still filler nonetheless. I appreciate the effort put into this album, as each song    Favorite track: "Don't Worry"
    Least favorite track: "Yeah I Know"

    The 1975's most divisive but also diverse album to date, "Notes On A Conditional Form" gets better with additional listens, emphasis on the plural. It's a mammoth 22-track monster, and while none of the filler is necessarily "bad," it's still filler nonetheless. I appreciate the effort put into this album, as each song has its own personality and vibe, whether it's a classic The 1975 sounding track like "If You're Too Shy" or an experimental instrumental like "Having No Head." The band is able to diversify here more than before, as Matty learns to take a backseat for a few tracks and let his contemporaries just do their thing. That's not to say that Matty isn't integral to the album though. His songwriting here is better than ever: "Nothing Revealed/Everything Denied" in particular has some of the best written lyrics of the past decade: both self-referential and critical of the pop music industry. At its few low moments, "Notes On A Conditional Form" is an in-one-ear-out-the-other album. But at its highest peaks, this bold and daring album really soars.    … Expand
  20. Gothwriterboy
    Oct 27, 2020
    9
    Iconic. A completely different experience. A album with the excellent quality of variation. The 1975 know how make music with a lot of genres.
  21. BrushedRed
    May 22, 2020
    8
    Really not understanding what everyone is having a problem with here. I've been listening to these guys since their very first EP, and I've found some of their music enjoyable, but sometimes they were kinda strange. I couldn't say I ever enjoyed a single one of their albums in its entirety, but they always had decent songs scattered about. Strangely, I can say, for once, I actually like aReally not understanding what everyone is having a problem with here. I've been listening to these guys since their very first EP, and I've found some of their music enjoyable, but sometimes they were kinda strange. I couldn't say I ever enjoyed a single one of their albums in its entirety, but they always had decent songs scattered about. Strangely, I can say, for once, I actually like a 1975 album in its entirety now.

    This is a lot more all over the place and eclectic than any of their prior work and that's an aspect that I feel should be respected, and all of their cooky experiments really seem to actually work here. I loved all the future garage tracks (I believe there were 5), as I saw that to be one of the stronger aspects of Online Relationships, which, unfortunately, included only one future garage track. Speaking of which, despite the reviews and scores I've seen, I find this to be WAY better than that album was.

    Maybe I'm strange or whatever, but I really found this to be their best collections of songs yet, and one I think should actually be worthy of praise... and, yet, here with are without any praise    … Expand
  22. Joel_Freecheck
    May 29, 2020
    8
    Overlong but brimming with classic 1975 stylings. Hard to despise and the highlights elevate the project far above the lows. "Roadkill" and "If You're Too Shy" are the songs every artist dreams of making.
  23. DianaCaroline
    May 23, 2020
    8
    I waited so long for it, I've been blessed. Very different from the previous albums but just as good.
  24. JoeyCORNER2001
    Jun 17, 2020
    8
    I do admire The 1975's ambition, experimenting with different genres, and making the album's scope MASSIVE. (The album's length is a whopping 80 MINUTES!)
  25. matty_mealy
    Jun 19, 2020
    8
    A dreamy, at times self-indulgent yet fantastically interesting record.

    Following the critical acclaim of The 1975’s last record “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships” it was clear that mastering that level of musicianship presented previously was not going to be an easy task for the band. Containing their best work to date, the record may have finally showed the world that the    A dreamy, at times self-indulgent yet fantastically interesting record.

    Following the critical acclaim of The 1975’s last record “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships” it was clear that mastering that level of musicianship presented previously was not going to be an easy task for the band. Containing their best work to date, the record may have finally showed the world that the band is incredibly serious and introspective, when they want to be.

    Their latest record, “Notes On A Conditional Form” still feels like an evolution on the sonic arrays that they brought forward a couple of years ago, however – it feels (at times) like they are slipping back into old, perhaps over indulgent habits that may sway the quality of the record.    … Expand
  26. Lorso
    Jun 4, 2020
    7
    I might rate the album a point higher (or more) if it had omitted track one. I am, generally, conflicted re statement-making in child-voice... given that, if the statement is worth making, there should be adults courageous enough to make it. (i.e., Why recruit a child, who’s incomplete personal growth demands the freedom and possibility of change?)

    Otherwise, I confess to a slight bias    I might rate the album a point higher (or more) if it had omitted track one. I am, generally, conflicted re statement-making in child-voice... given that, if the statement is worth making, there should be adults courageous enough to make it. (i.e., Why recruit a child, who’s incomplete personal growth demands the freedom and possibility of change?)

    Otherwise, I confess to a slight bias against high-tenor/soprano male vocals... if only because I can’t sing along.    … Expand
  27. brockcheese
    Jul 9, 2020
    7
    This is a bit of a lesser follow up to their previous work but Matt Healy once again connects with the youth and millennial culture by cashing in on all of the tropes and anxieties of being young.
  28. Menios
    May 25, 2020
    7
    I was anticipating something even better than their previous album, but I guess that's kinda fun, too. However, Notes on a conditional form has some perfect songs.
  29. RR11
    May 22, 2020
    7
    This album is great but some songs like Roadkill, Shiny Collarbone and Yeah I Know should probably have not been included in the album. I think the pushing back of the album was negative knowing that more songs were going to be in the album. The singles are great. Maybe they should have shorten the album by 12-15 songs, not have 22 songs on it.
  30. alexander0231
    May 7, 2021
    7
    in my opinion, their worst album. that said though it is still a decent and enjoyable record.
  31. Lajaleaa
    Sep 1, 2020
    7
    ( 71/100 )

    The 1975 trabaja sin cansancio y con energía constante para volverse una influencia popular en el consumo musical. Con 4 albums publicados en un lapso de 7 años, la banda se ha impregnado fuertemente en la cultura popular de Estados Unidos y varias partes del mundo. Personalmente considero que su trabajo ha aportado poco valor a la industria de la música, sin embargo su    ( 71/100 )

    The 1975 trabaja sin cansancio y con energía constante para volverse una influencia popular en el consumo musical. Con 4 albums publicados en un lapso de 7 años, la banda se ha impregnado fuertemente en la cultura popular de Estados Unidos y varias partes del mundo. Personalmente considero que su trabajo ha aportado poco valor a la industria de la música, sin embargo su visión y dominio sobre la gran gama de géneros musicales les ha hecho sentir como la "alternativa inteligente" al resto de la música de la radio. Pero realmente la banda está perdida buscando ser un puente emocional entre varios conceptos y termina como una invisible transición entre conceptos más coherentes de otros artistas. Aunque las letras sean crudas, perspicaces y se amoldan a cada canción, es la producción y la falta de cohesión conceptual la que hace a The 1975 una banda pasajera más en el autobús de la popularidad.
    -
    The 1975 works tirelessly and with constant energy to become a popular influence in music consumerism. With 4 albums published in 7 years, the band has managed to permeate strongly in the popular culture of the United States and other parts of the world. Personally, I consider that their work has provided too little value in the music industry, nevertheless, their vision and domain over the wide range of musical genres have made them feel like the "intelligent alternative" to the rest of radio music. But really, the band is lost searching to be the emotional bridge between several concepts and ends up being an invisible transition between more coherent concepts of other artists. Even if the lyrics are raw, insightful, and fit properly in each song, the production and the lack of conceptual cohesion is what makes of The 1975 one more passenger band in the "Popularity" bus.    … Expand
  32. mande77
    Nov 14, 2020
    7
    Definitely a playlist album, not one to be listened to in order.

    High points are: “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)”, “People”, “Frail State of Mind”, “Roadkill”, “Tonight (I Wish I Was Your Boy”, “Having No Head”, “Playing on my Mind”, “Me & You Together Song”, and “Guys.” Low points are: “The 1975”, “Yeah I Know”, “Jesus Christ 2005 God Bless America”, “I Think There’s Something You    Definitely a playlist album, not one to be listened to in order.

    High points are: “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)”, “People”, “Frail State of Mind”, “Roadkill”, “Tonight (I Wish I Was Your Boy”, “Having No Head”, “Playing on my Mind”, “Me & You Together Song”, and “Guys.”

    Low points are: “The 1975”, “Yeah I Know”, “Jesus Christ 2005 God Bless America”, “I Think There’s Something You Should Know”, “Nothing Revelaed/Everything Denied”, “Shiny Collarbone”,    … Expand
  33. GabrielPaz
    Jul 12, 2020
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Que isso n é um album ta na cara, ta mais pra mixtape do que uma obra completa, gostei das músicas porém ele é sem personalidade e é sem inspiração.… Expand
  34. NatanAmadio
    May 22, 2020
    7
    Not on Brief Inquiry level but still good.. i feel like the more i hear, the best it turns
  35. abadiaz
    Jul 2, 2020
    7
    It was a nice album, starting between two very coherent songs, but the album continues in different directions between electronic indie rock and 90s even dancehall rhythms, the goal of sound experimentation is remarkable, but I am missing the common one. thread.
  36. GeorgeParris
    Nov 6, 2020
    7
    A weird album where if you put it on shuffle the album flows better. Although everything sounds good and musically sounds unique there is no cohesive sound meaning that the whole album experience isn't as good as picking singles out and listening to them.
  37. Ricko
    Aug 26, 2020
    6
    You can't fault The 1975 for ambition. I have to say, this is a decent enough listen, swinging from spoken word, to light industrial rock, from pseudo classical to straight up electro pop. For all its pomp and grandeur, it is questionable whether the album actually achieves anything and its certainly not as good as the band almost certainly thinks it is. The band spends minimal time onYou can't fault The 1975 for ambition. I have to say, this is a decent enough listen, swinging from spoken word, to light industrial rock, from pseudo classical to straight up electro pop. For all its pomp and grandeur, it is questionable whether the album actually achieves anything and its certainly not as good as the band almost certainly thinks it is. The band spends minimal time on particular ideas without developing them satisfactorily. It isn't bad at all but Coldplay's "Everyday Life" from last year is a superior version of what is attempted here.… Expand
  38. brendan_jwhite
    May 22, 2020
    6
    An interesting blend of the usual 1975 fare with a diversion into garage/house. There's some usual 1975 fare (Roadkill) with instrumentals such as Having No Head which feels like the soundtrack to Uncut Gems, but unfortunately a lot of the instrumentals feel repetitive and lack meaning. Definitely the beautiful mess as many describe with a track listing that is all over the place as it'sAn interesting blend of the usual 1975 fare with a diversion into garage/house. There's some usual 1975 fare (Roadkill) with instrumentals such as Having No Head which feels like the soundtrack to Uncut Gems, but unfortunately a lot of the instrumentals feel repetitive and lack meaning. Definitely the beautiful mess as many describe with a track listing that is all over the place as it's far too long shifting to too many genres and moods at one time but it's still worth a listen.… Expand
  39. gobitoe
    May 22, 2020
    6
    Don't get me wrong; this album is not terrible in any way. I think the main problem with this album is the lack of balance between the tracks. The mixing is uneven, you have a lot of filler instrumental tracks (which again, aren't horrible on their own, they just don't fit the general style).

    This album is all over the place, it takes you from punk to indie, to disco back to    Don't get me wrong; this album is not terrible in any way. I think the main problem with this album is the lack of balance between the tracks. The mixing is uneven, you have a lot of filler instrumental tracks (which again, aren't horrible on their own, they just don't fit the general style).

    This album is all over the place, it takes you from punk to indie, to disco back to alternative, etc. You can't sit down and enjoy the record for more than 2 tracks before it starts throwing your mind around left and right not giving you time to take in whatever is happening, and with the mixing being awkward I found myself changing the volume through the album a lot.

    With their last record, I feel like they had struck a perfect balance of their alt-rock/pop/instrumental formula. The album would pick back up on boring moments, and wasn't so messy. This album is very long, the tracks don't fit well with one another, almost as if they wanted this to be a double album, but they rushed into packing all of these ideas into one.

    I understand they most likely have contracts to respect, but I would have cut about half of the album and released later as an EP or something else, not as a 22 track album.

    Overall, this album will just be a "spawn" for fans to add songs to their playlists, and forget about the rest.

    tl;dr - The songs are good , but the album pretty much serves no purpose and is very messy.    … Expand
  40. petrichor1975
    May 22, 2021
    6
    The fourth full-length release from The 1975 sees them explore house music, orchestral soundtracks, and acoustic ballads. It comes about a-year-and-a-half after their third album, "A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships", which was my second favorite album from the group.

    I personally wasn't too enthralled by the singles that were released to promote the album. I thought "People",    The fourth full-length release from The 1975 sees them explore house music, orchestral soundtracks, and acoustic ballads. It comes about a-year-and-a-half after their third album, "A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships", which was my second favorite album from the group.

    I personally wasn't too enthralled by the singles that were released to promote the album. I thought "People", "Me & You Together Song", and "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know) were great songs, but the singles felt haphazardly released.

    This theme of haphazardness runs through the album. I found the opening ambient "The 1975" to be nice, but perhaps a bit too long. The whole album itself is too long. Twenty-two tracks is way too long for what this album ends up being. "People" is a sudden change of pace to hard-hitting punk. However, I find the two orchestra interludes after the first few tracks are not the most substantive. They sound beautiful, but what purpose do they serve? That isn't clear.

    Other tracks come and go. The UK garage anthem, "Frail State of Mind" is a peak into singer Matty Healy's psyche as well as the folk-driven tune, "The Birthday Party". Nevertheless, I find some of the next few songs to be not as entertaining. "Then Because She Goes" does not really hold my attention and "Roadkill" has the same effect on me.

    "Jesus Christ 2005 God Bless America" is one of the more accessible songs on the album with Phoebe Bridgers contributing her lush vocals to the track. "I Think There's Something You Should Know"' and "Yeah I Know" are also entertaining with their trippy drum machines and modular synths driving the track.

    But "Notes On A Conditional Form" really falls flat on cohesion. This feels less like an album and more like a playlist, and perhaps that's the point. However, The 1975 have always been known for their cohesion, even in long-winded albums like 2016's "I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It". Songs like "Nothing Revealed / Everything Denied" and "Tonight (I Wish I Was Your Boy) start off promising but end up chasing other ideas than those that were originally introduced.

    "Shiny Collarbone" and "Having No Head" are other examples of the group choosing quantity over quality. The house & garage musical motifs have already made themselves present, but the group knows how to double down on those sounds and make it feel less special than it originally felt.

    Not all is lost, however. There are some highlights in the latter half of "Notes". The 80s synthpop tune, "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" is one of the band's finest moments thus far. It recalls the sounds of their first two records. "What Should I Say" is groovy fun while "Don't Worry" and "Guys" can make you cry and call your friends.

    "Notes On A Conditional Form" is definitely a unique and ambitious album by The 1975. However, its ambition itself is its main downfall. If the album were cut eight songs shorter then there might be more cohesion. Nonetheless, there are some great highlights in this album from the English group.    … Expand
  41. j444cks
    Mar 2, 2023
    6
    Not a bad album, just not for me [as a long time fan]. Felt too detached from their first few albums. I can definitely see the appeal though and enjoyed the tour!
  42. sugarcookie
    Jun 20, 2020
    5
    This album is woof woof compared to every other album they've made. Some songs are straight up unlistenable. The singles were the only decent songs on the album. The only non-single songs that don't sound awful are What Should I say, Yeah I Know, I Think There's Something You Should Know. I can't permasimp for a band that can't make decent new music anymore, so this album sucks.
  43. RageNate
    May 31, 2020
    5
    Worthies (10/22):
    - People
    - Then Because She Goes
    - Me & You Together Song
    - I Think There's Something You Should Know
    - Nothing Revealed / Everything Denied
    - Tonight (I Wish I Was Your Boy)
    - Shiny Collarbone
    - If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)
    - What Should I Say
    - Guys
  44. Projectmayhem
    May 22, 2020
    5
    At this point in time I’ve listened to the entire “The 1975” catalogue, with 2016’s I Like It When You Sleep being one of my all time favorite albums. Notes On A Conditional Form is unlike every other album the band has made in that a quarter of the tracks aren’t needed and it makes the album feel bloated and longer than it needs to be. Songs like “Yeah I know” and “Shiny Collarbone” areAt this point in time I’ve listened to the entire “The 1975” catalogue, with 2016’s I Like It When You Sleep being one of my all time favorite albums. Notes On A Conditional Form is unlike every other album the band has made in that a quarter of the tracks aren’t needed and it makes the album feel bloated and longer than it needs to be. Songs like “Yeah I know” and “Shiny Collarbone” are great beats with lackluster feeing (even by 1975 standards) with one line repeated over and over. Ambient Interludes or instrumentals have been a 1975 staple but, in the past those interludes felt needed to convey feeling or connect 2 songs but on this album most of them feel like they were made just to be made, to fill the album out. The album feels rushed or it leaves you with that feeling because it’s all over the place, lacking direction of what the album wants to be. Most of the singles including “The Birthday Party” (probably my favorite song of theirs on any album) and “If You’re Too Shy” are true hits but the rest of the album doesn’t standout from those initial singles. This leaves me with the feeling that a quarter of the album could of been scrapped and it should of been 13-14 songs. The intro track “The 1975” does not start the album well for me. It’s a speech from Greta Thunberg about the fallout of the global warming crisis we’re all facing. I’m a huge advocate for the environment but it just doesn’t seem to fit the album or feel right to start the album with Greta’s long winded speech. When replaying the album I often skip this track, track 2 “People” and track 3 “The End” It just feels like it’s not the right start, starting the album instead on track 4 “Frail State of Mind”. Some tracks show promise and push the band in a new direction like “Nothing Revealed / Everything Denied” a brutally honest slow rap that has a great gospel-like chorus but again it feels out of place when listening to the 2 or 3 tracks before it and the tracks after it “Tonight” and “Shiny Collarbone” 2 tracks I feel weren't needed at all.

    I feel like this album either should of been worked on longer with more thought put into the direction and the message they wanted to convey or I could also see the album being released earlier with 7-9 less songs with what happened being that they just kept adding songs because they made them. The album has some great songs but it’s just not cohesive with the others. In the past, The 1975 have created albums that everyone should listen to because of how well they produce, how great they are at stringing songs together track to track and their ability to convey important messages. Whether it be about coming of age or the social anxieties we all face including ones with technology. I don’t feel like this album is good enough to say that about. 5/10    … Expand
  45. Ben_Ross
    May 22, 2020
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The singles were so good! What happened?!?!? There is a lot of filler (which is unnecessary because there are 22 songs, which means that there is room scrap some things) I was kinda bored while listening to the album. And NOTHING IS COHESIVE!! don’t get me wrong! I really enjoy about half of the album, I just think they should’ve spent a little bit more time on this project because there are some really good songs... like all of the singles. So yeah, 5/10.… Expand
  46. itsallindie
    May 31, 2020
    5
    urgh - it feels like they literally put everything they wrote in the sessions for this album, into the album itself. 22 tracks is far too much, if it was more towards the style of "Frail State of Mind" / "Yeah I Know" / "I Think There's Something You Should Know" and so on... then it would actually be one of my top 5 albums of the past two years.

    There's now flow here, the genres chop    urgh - it feels like they literally put everything they wrote in the sessions for this album, into the album itself. 22 tracks is far too much, if it was more towards the style of "Frail State of Mind" / "Yeah I Know" / "I Think There's Something You Should Know" and so on... then it would actually be one of my top 5 albums of the past two years.

    There's now flow here, the genres chop and chop too much for my liking, if they released 12 tracks, then another 10 as a 'bonus edition' fans would love it, but 22 for me was overkill.    … Expand
  47. Chris182
    Apr 25, 2021
    4
    Very disappointing and is easily the most pretentious, bloated and mindless album they have released to date. While this is their worst album, it is far from unredeemable since there are some decent songs on this thing (also a whole lotta bad). You and Me is easily one of the best songs of the year and People is a total blast to listen to. Almost all of thier interlude/ instrumental songsVery disappointing and is easily the most pretentious, bloated and mindless album they have released to date. While this is their worst album, it is far from unredeemable since there are some decent songs on this thing (also a whole lotta bad). You and Me is easily one of the best songs of the year and People is a total blast to listen to. Almost all of thier interlude/ instrumental songs are completely boring and unecessary. They try out so many different ideas on this album but never nurture them, leaving us with 80 minutes of songs that feel like after thoughts to the band. Hopefully they can follow through with a cohesive album for their next release.
    Best Songs: People, Then because she goes, Me and You (Together Song), I Think There is Ssomething You Should Know, Roadkill
    Worst Songs: Yeah I Know (Their Worst Songs), The Birthday Party, Jesus Christ 2005 God Bless America, Frail State of Mind, Shiny Collerbone, You're Too Shy Let Me Know, What Should I Say, Bagsy Not in Net    … Expand
  48. 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.
  49. 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.
  50. 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.
  51. 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
  52. 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
  53. 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
  54. 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
  55. 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
  56. 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
  57. Eldritchard
    May 22, 2020
    1
    Pretentious, convoluted mess of an album. Could’ve been trimmed to a promising EP.
  58. 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
  59. 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.
  60. 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.
  61. 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....
  62. 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’
  63. 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

All reviews »
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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