I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It

I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It

by The 1975
I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It

I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It

by The 1975

CD

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Overview

As well as having a mouthful of a title, the 1975's sophomore album, 2016's I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It, is the kind of ambitious, self-indulgent album that either marks a grand misstep by a fledgling band, or the start of something big. Produced by Mike Crossey, I Like It When You Sleep finds the 1975 picking up on many of the stylistic threads running through their Crossey-helmed, self-titled 2013 debut: synthy new wave, kinetic dance-rock, and atmospheric balladry. The difference this time around is Crossey, and the band's pristine studio execution, marked by a distinctive '80s adult contemporary aesthetic. While bands like MGMT and Vampire Weekend have long mined the VH-1 vaults for stylistic inspiration, there's nothing mannered about the 1975's retro-leanings. Despite their name and their ear for '80s synthesizers, the British outfit sound much more flamboyant than their contemporaries. This is primarily due to the contributions of lead singer Matthew Healy, whose overly wordy lyrics and weird, playfully dark persona -- sort of like a sexual Fraggle -- can sometimes put listeners off the pop scent. As he sings on "The Sound," "It's not about reciprocation, it's just all about me/A sycophantic, prophetic, Socratic, junkie wannabe." In that sense, the 1975 are more in line with the swagger of artists like INXS, U2, or even Madonna for that matter, whose early hits clearly had an impact on the group's approach here. Cuts like "UGH!," and the cheeky, plastic funk single "Love Me," sound delightfully like something Madonna might have made in collaboration with Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers and art-pop duo Yello. Similarly, "The Sound" and the sparkling anthem "She's American," feature brightly infectious hooks that wouldn't be out of place on a Prince album. In fact, there's a palpable R&B inclination running through much of I Like It When You Sleep. It's a vibe that reaches an apex on the yearning, mid-album slow-jam, "If I Believe You," which also happens to feature a gorgeously rendered fluegelhorn solo from jazz star and longtime D'Angelo collaborator Roy Hargrove. Elsewhere, in keeping with the overall '80s adult contemporary sound, tracks like the shimmeringly moody "Somebody Else" and the sweetly romantic "Paris," bring to mind Tango in the Night-era Fleetwood Mac. Admittedly, at 17 tracks, I Like It When You Sleep is long. And given the poetic, atmospheric nature of many of the songs, it's somewhat unwieldy in one sitting. Ultimately, however, it's that uncompromising mix of POP (in capitalize letters) and inventive, exploratory musicianship that help make it such a rewarding listen. As the title implies, it may take the 1975 a while to get to the point on I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It, but when they do, the results are revelatory. ~ Matt Collar

Product Details

Release Date: 02/26/2016
Label: Dirty Hit / Interscope
UPC: 0602547677396
Rank: 4438

Tracks

  1. The 1975
  2. Love Me
  3. UGH!
  4. A Change of Heart
  5. She's American
  6. If I Believe You
  7. Please Be Naked
  8. Lostmyhead
  9. The Ballad of Me and My Brain
  10. Somebody Else
  11. Loving Someone
  12. I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It
  13. The Sound
  14. This Must Be My Dream
  15. Paris
  16. Nana
  17. She Lays Down

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The 1975   Primary Artist
Roy Hargrove   Flugelhorn
Miguel Atwood-Ferguson   Cello,Viola,Violin,Strings
George Daniel   Drums,Keyboards,Percussion,Synthesizer
Vernon Burris   Choir/Chorus
Nicole "Nykki" King-Morgan   Choir/Chorus
Carisa Moore   Choir/Chorus
Anika Weibe   Choir/Chorus
Derrick Evans   Choir/Chorus
Fallynn Oliver   Choir/Chorus
Jamie Squire   Synthesizer
John Waugh   Saxophone
Monique Sullivan   Choir/Chorus
Quishima Dixon   Choir/Chorus
Sharetta Morgan-Harmon   Choir/Chorus
James Connor   Choir/Chorus
Crystal Butler   Choir/Chorus
Edward Lawson   Choir/Chorus
Marquee Perkins   Choir/Chorus
Cassandra Grigsby-Chism   Choir/Chorus
Matthew Healy   Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards
Adam Hann   Guitar
Ross MacDonald   Guitar (Bass),Bass (Upright),Electric Upright Bass
Crystal Lewis   Choir/Chorus

Technical Credits

Samuel Burgess-Johnson   Photography,Art Direction,Design
Jonathan Gilmore   Engineer,Programming
Mike Crossey   Mixing,Producer,Programming
David Drake   Photography
Miguel Atwood-Ferguson   Arranger
George Daniel   Composer,Producer,Programming
Edward Emberson   Inlay Photography
Matthew Healy   Composer,Lyricist,Producer,Art Direction
Adam Hann   Composer
Ross MacDonald   Composer
Jammie Oborne   A&R
Chris Gehringer   Mastering
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