New tunes for your Quarantine soundtrack from The 1975 and Boston Manor

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This quarantine has been difficult, we’re all handling it in our own ways. In the music world, some bands had to cancel a tour that maybe they were already halfway through, and some were putting the finishing touches on their new records. Even a combination of both sometimes around and a lot of bands have pushed back their albums by several months and that’s hundred percent understandable in these very uncertain times. But two bands out there, two UK bands we’ve had our eyes on since Day one, both are putting out their new records as planned next month, The 1975 and Boston Manor. For anyone not living under a rock living in the UK or just a rabid music fan in the US, these bands are clearly bringing something very different to the table but we still felt it was fitting to include both in a post together! 

 

First up is Manchester’s The 1975 who are putting out their fourth album May 22nd, “Notes on A Conditional Form”, and dropped the mouthful of a new single today, “Jesus Christ 2005 God Bless America” featuring guest vocals from Phoebe Bridgers. Bridgers was poised to open as main support on their of course rescheduled North American run which would have featured a Boston Calling performance for Bridgers and the band as well. But for now, they’re definitely holding us over with this soon to be smash from the band. Within the first few bars, I knew this was something I had never heard from the band before and made me feel like I was listening to a folk artist with some seriously ethereal Bridgers vocals layered on top. It’s a gorgeous departure, a true mindfuck from what I’ve become acclimated to hearing from the band in an excellent way. 

The lyric game is so strong on this track with Bridgers taking over on the last verse and ending it up harmonizing the last chorus together with frontman Matty Healy. The lyrics are gorgeous and so revealing. The stand out for me was Matty crooning, ‘I’m in love with a boy I know, but that’s a feeling I can never show’. If this track is any indication of what’s to come with the new album, we’re all in for an unreal treat. The record will be available May 22nd! A bit delayed from the original release date but we’re sure it’s definitely worth the wait!

 

A little bit different then The 1975, Blackpools’ biggest gem Boston Manor also dropped a new tune today and it was a bit of a trippy ride. But it definitely is on point with what we predicted was to come as Boston Manor really got comfortable in what direction they wanted to be. I chatted with vocalist Henry Cox right as the band was dropping their last record, “Welcome to The Neighbourhood”, and it was a serious prequel to what is to come with “Glue”, their latest album dropping May 1st. The track released today, “Plasticine Dreams”, is the fourth single released from their new album, and it brings the band to a whole different level in what they’ve been working towards. The latest track released for the band is a psychedelic wild ride. The tracks released so far are a strong precursor to the album to come. It’s a little less ferocious in the darkness and industrial vibes we saw with their most recent record but still has that heaviness just with a little bit of a mod feel to it and the seventies rock vibes. You definitely can’t put Boston Manor into any kind of box. They’ve continuously created something different every album and we’re here for it.  In chatting with Cox about the former record, he told me they were just starting to figure out what they really wanted Boston Manor to be and that shines through with these new tunes. 

You can pre-order the album’s respectively here: 

 

Notes on A Conditional Form

 

Glue

About Author

Colleen

Colleen has been writing about music since 2009. Interviewing bands since the glory days of Warped and has continued to do so for now over fourteen years. As well as doing freelance for other publications, the love for everything rock continues today.