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.
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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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
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