NOACF is a story of a man, presumably the British alt-pop titan’s lead singer, Mat Healy, grappling with identity, authenticity, and fitting in within the landscape of the information age. At first listen, the album feels a bit erratic and polarizing, both to the listener, and likely to the members of the group, cutting rough edges off the dreamy pallet they have perfected over the past 8 years. The most abrupt the 1975 have presented themselves since their original trio of EPs, NOACF is the most adventurous of their 4 studio album releases. Also of note, this is the first time the group have garnered noteworthy features, racking up appearances from FKA Twigs, Phoebe Bridgers, and the heavy hitting presence of Greta Thurnberg to open the record.

However, the brilliance behind NOACF lies not in the strength of its cast, but in its ability to tell a coherent, personable, and honest story beneath the initial façade of a disjointed hodgepodge of pop ballads and dance tracks. The album draws parallels to how we tend to hide our struggles beneath the noise and chaos of what happens around us. The story of the album follows the day in the life of the protagonist (I’ll refer to him as Mat for sake of ease), and his drifts in and out of introspective daydreams during a week in his life. Within his internal bouts, we see thoughtful and open discussion on queerness, self acceptance, and social identity. 

This album is one that demands a straight listen through, with the nuance of its storytelling lost if you’re only listening to the record’s seven (yup, a few too many) singles. Its jumps back and forth between reality are best understood through a track by track analysis.

Track-by-Track Analysis

Note: subheadings in italics denote Mat’s “location” in the story. To me, these are benchmarks of the physical venue I envision the story taking place, or the role the song serves in the greater plot of the album

The 1975 (NOACF)

Prologue

This track is the first of 1975’s single releases, and a track that speaks to a cause the band takes a very personal stance on- climate change. Nailing down the teen climate crisis advocate powerhouse Greta Thurnberg, this track reserves nearly 5 minutes to expose the perils of our ecological crisis, and the urgent need to mend our broken system. 

As far as its thematic contribution to the overall work, this track acts as the opening dream to Mat’s journey. We hear him called to action at the end of the track, urged to wake up and start his rebellion, to start facing his personal challenges.

“So, everyone out there, it is now time for civil disobedience/ It is time to rebel”.

People

Home

Mat wakes up in a fury, and this song goes straight to the throttle. By far the heaviest track the group’s ever produced, People is a trashing reminder that regressive ideology prevents progressive movements from helping better the world. While it doesn’t feel very “1975-y”, this blending of shout rock and power chords feels like a track from the Hives, leaving nothing about the inherent aggression of its message to chance. 

Mat takes right to the action provoked by the speech in the prologue, feeling emboldened and ready to speak to the fucked up parts of society that hold him back. The track abruptly ends to transition into the next track.

The End (Music For Cars)

Driving to the Party

A melodic orchestral interlude, we can see The End as a moment of transportation for Mat, moving from his home to his next destination.

The track itself is a beautiful piece, with strong rises and falls that almost give you the sense of floating in the ocean, moving with the crests and troughs of the waves. The meaning behind the title leaves some interpretation, but it could refer to an end of an era for “the old” 1975.

Frail State of Mind

Introspecting/Daydreaming

This track, one of my favorite standalone songs on the record, opens us up to Mat’s inner musings, and more importantly his self doubt. The opening lines of the track suggest a battle with self confidence issues, maybe even a depressive state:

“I’m sorry that I missed your call… don’t waste their time/ I’ve always got a (frail state of mind)”. 

As the song goes on, Mat recalls the outreach of his friends, hoping to pull him out of his rut to no avail. The brooding of Mat’s vocals is contrasted by a driving synth beat with high-pitched, echoing vocals that chime in on Mat’s wearisome responses to calls for help. This track sets the scene for Mat’s struggles throughout the album, and establishes elements of the new sonic profile the band hits heavily on throughout the album. 

Streaming

Driving to the Party

Streaming is another transition track with airy string instrumentals, a chance for the listener to soak in the context from the previous track. The end of the song moves perfectly into a pick-heavy set of notes that brings us to The Birthday Party.

The Birthday Party

Party

Mat’s arrived at the party on this track, which sarcastically picks at the more mundane and not-so-glamorous pieces of party culture. Mat moves around the party, jumping from drab conversation to drab conversation

“This ain’t going well/ I thought that I was stuck in Hell/ In a boring conversation with a girl called Mel/ About her friend in Cincinnati called Matty as well”. 

Despite his misgivings about the goings-on, Mat finds he needs to frequent these parties to stay close to friends and show face. As he says, he “depends on his friends to say clean”. 

The track itself is a whimsical take on country music, with some banjo pickings and a more folk-heavy feel to it. As we fade out of this song, we hear a rising pitch of grimy synth as Mat descends into a drug-induced series of daydreams, represented by the music to follow as a Dance club of sorts. 

Yeah I Know

Dance Club

Yeah I Know is all about minimalism. The boys create a disorienting pool of distorted synth played in no clear time signature, with the echoing words of the track repeated as Mat sinks into his drug induced daydreaming. The kick/snare pattern drives the song forward, with repetitions leaving the listener with no clear footing for where the next track will take them.

Then Because She Goes

Daydreaming

We find Mat yearning to a past love, recalling the intense love and passion they shared, contrasting with the ultimate disappointment that they must part, marked by the heavier crashing symbols as the song reaches its conclusion.

“I love you, oh, I love you/ When you leave, I cry on the inside”

The song itself is dreamy and reminiscent of a 90’s soft rock ballad, with a certain “sensitive boy” feel to it. The title, in the context of the next two tracks, hints at Mat’s struggles with sexuality, a theme that further tracks will hit on.

Jesus Christ 2005 God Bless America

Daydreaming

Another toned down, guitar dominated ballad, but so, so sweet. Brought a melancholy tear to my eye. This track is where Mat first fully opens up to his audience, aided by the beautiful vocals and vulnerable lyricism of Phoebe Bridger’s verses. First projecting his love to Jesus, here we see Mat grapple with his sexaulity, and feelings of shame around finding love in male partners.

“I’m in love with a boy I know/ But that’s a feeling I can never show”

Bridgers shares this feeling with a girl she knows from home, as the two find comfort in each others’ shared experiences, combining in a floating, sweet harmony in the chorus to end the track, as we feel the door open to Mat’s experiences with queerness and reconciling that with society’s perceptions.

Roadkill

Daydreaming

As Mat delves deeper into his internal dialogue on sexuality, the tone turns less from the dreariness of Jesus Christ to a sassier feel. 

“Man in the gift shop called me a f*g/ I feel up my tucked-up erection/ There’s a pressure all over my head/ And I know this is how I get paid, but/ It’s not really how I wanna get laid”

While Mat more explicitly talks about sexuality, mentioning “needing to make out with people he doesn’t like”, we also get some insight to his struggles with fame, the perception of playing the rock star as a scrawny, queer male in today’s setting. As a final bit of undertone, this track shit-talks Texan rednecks, with pairs well with the country influence and this writer’s feelings on southern culture 🙂 Overall a super fun, lighthearted track that does well for a sunlit drive.

Me & You Together Song

Daydreaming

Here we see Mat recall a past love with one of his old friends, and how deeply he cared for her. The messaging here seems to conflict with the resolve of the past two tracks, as it feels like Mat is trying to use the memories from this to invalidate his sexual orientation, and also to find respite in simpler, happier times where he seemed more self assured. The song feels amazingly nostalgic and happy, with upbeat kick patterns and a flowing, climbing series of chords giving a sense of renewed happiness, fond memories, and love. 

I Think There’s Something You Should Know

Dance Club

As muted pianos kick the track off, Mat snaps back into his current psyche. The words of the title echo during the night club, EDM sounds, as Mat seems like he wants to reach out to others, or perhaps his conscious self, to open up about his struggles with his identity. The track itself has touches of Justin Vernon’s influence, and has a great ambient beat to it. 

“I’d like to meet myself and swap clothes/I think there’s someplace I should go/I think there’s something you should know”

Nothing Revealed/ Everything Denied

Daydreaming

Another beauty of a track. The vintage, smooth keys on the piano create a runway for the amazing choral intro of Mat and accompanying voices, as the track opens up into an auto-tuned series of confessions, the pitch-correcting method a foil to a man who is admitting to his false suggestions of identity. Words can’t describe how pretty I think this track is, and the lyrics are laden with confessions of artistic liberties, like not actually ever fucking in a car like he sings about in Love It If We Made It. Life might feel like a lie at times, but the hopeful tone of the song gives a sense that there’s something out there that’s true or real.

Tonight (I Wish I Was Your Boy)

Daydreaming

Tonight is another track where Mat’s lyricism flips to refer to past female loves, other suggesting a realization that his sexuality is more complex than gay or straight, or perhaps hiding behind the veil of female pronouns to suggest a more palatable male figure, a struggle we’ve seen him grapple with in previous songs.

More interesting than the thoughts here, which don’t progress Mat’s state of mind as much as previous tracks, is the sampling and afro-electronic elements to the song. The track opens up to a pitch shifted sample of The Temptations’ Just My Imagination (Running Away from Me). This is a new territory for the band, whose smooth sampling and production create a soundscape that feels Kanye West-esque.

Shiny Collarbone

Dance Club

As distorted voices in the previous track fade out and horns fade away, we start our return to the club. The afro-influenced beats remain here, but we get a brief snap back into the confusion and swirl of Mat’s conscious thoughts. The track itself feels fit for a nightclub, with many tempo shifts and an ambient background rhythm playing on synth throughout.

If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)

Daydreaming

The best standalone single on the album, we hear the guys take on their nostalgic alt-pop sounds, with dreamy, bouncing guitar and euphoric horns. This song delves into the separation of sex as normal when in person, versus the added weirdness or importance that is placed on it when it’s delivered electronically. Yes, it’s a song about cyber sex. You’d never guess from the 80’s sounding guitar chords, upbeat horns, and the a-Ha inspired key arpeggios in the background. This track shows a more upbeat, confident Mat, perhaps signaling some added self assuredness, but without the context of previous songs, that’s more left to interpretation.

Playing On My Mind

Daydreaming

A sweet, melancholy solo between Mat, his guitar, and all the questions he’s wanted to ask throughout the story, but has only recently felt brave enough to ask.

“Will I live and die in a band?/Will I get divorced when I’m old?”

Beyond that, we see a Mat that’s less looking into himself for answers, but more towards the society that seems to judge, scrutinize, and influence the decisions he can make, whether it be what he wears, who he loves, or how he acts. 

Having No Head

Dance Club

While clunky at times, in this 6 minute journey, Having No Head is a transition from our final glimpse into Mat’s dream world as we re-enter the club. Starting off with muted, faint, and distant piano chords, the listener almost gets the sense that Mat is lost, or perhaps asleep. As the song progresses, harp and other angelic strings are added to gain a sense of awakening and light. However, at the 2:40 mark, some grimy synth comes in as the song switches over to an industrial house interlude, establishing Mat’s return to the club. While not as gripping as the other instrumentals on the album, the transition this track provides thematically is vital.

What Should I Say

Dance Club

This track itself is a fun, subdued dance track, as the group takes another foray into EDM. Mat has returned to the club, but the angelic background vocals and pitch-shifted main vocals give us a sense that something is different. The tone of this song is resolute, almost, if not vindictive. 

“What should I say? (What should I say?)/ Disorder, hate, and fame/ Making sure that people won’t change”

The main refrain of the song repeats, but the dark, blaring bass and synth begins to fade out as a more string dominant profile takes prominence, giving us a sense of clarity and readiness as we part with the track. 

Bagsy Not In Net

Leaving the Club

“Bagsy not in net” is a phrase for children playing pickup football to call dibs on not being the goalkeeper. In this sound, we get the sense that the track’s title refers less to the literal interpretation, and more of him trying to avoid leaving his daydreams and returning to his reality. The track features more distorted synth and afro-influenced beats, with the rising pitch of the strings in the background giving a sense of Mat being lifted upwards to reality, riding away from the club as the stripped down drum and bass beat slowly fades out, leaving only beautiful strings as we move into Don’t Worry.

“I’m dealing in death and being lonely… / Do you wanna leave at the same time?”

Don’t Worry

Bedtime

Here we see the end of Mat’s journey, a respite where he leans back on the sources of strength that remind him that everything will be okay.

“When you feel no one knows just what you’re going through… / Don’t worry, darling, ‘cause I’m here with you”. 

Tim Healy, Mat’s father, created this song, and sang it to Mat growing up. As an homage, Tim and his son sing this song together, sharing and alternating verses, creating an effect of a sweet, supportive conversation. Mat finishes the album with “I’ll always love you… You”. The second “you” gives a hint towards the self love that Mat has been able to build throughout the album, and a sense of resolve in the love he shares with others. 

Guys

Epilogue

This track is more of a credit song to Mat’s story, which has already concluded. Guys is a heartfelt, warm, and sincere thank you to the rest of the members of the band. For an album that was so heavily centered on Mat’s personal experiences and trials, we see him open up here, acknowledging the platform they gave(give) him to reach people and share his world with others. Through all the struggles he faced through the years, the guys in the band are the ones who support him and see him through it, and he wants to make sure they’re fully aware of how much that means to him. Similar to the last track,the song’s pleasant chords and keys leave the listener ending the album with a sense of closure, resolve, and serenity. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, this album shows us The 1975, namely Mat Healy, at the most vulnerable we’ve seen, and tells a story unrivaled by any other top-line alt act in the current scene. As a group that already perfected a modern take on nostalgic 80’s pop rock, it’s great to see them take a foray away from more one-dimensional storytelling and genre. Gone are the days of the crew only singing about pretty girls, breakups, and drug use. Moreover, as a group known for its lack of collaboration, seeing them take the brave leap to open up their story to the voice of other artists shows amazing progress. In NOACF, we see personable storytelling through a wide soundscape of crashing guitars (People), chipmunk reggae(Tonight), ethereal synth(Yeah I Know), pseudo-country chord work(The Birthday Party, Roadkill), as well as their tried and true nostalgic pop sensibilities.

The album’s main weakness is its pacing, which feels a bit bogged down at 80 minutes. If you consider the Prologue-Epilogue approach from the track-by-track section, run time of the “story” rounds out at 70 minutes.Cleaning up the six minute Having No head could do well to liven the pace of the work as a whole. Tighten the six minute transition track to around half of its runtime, and Mat’s journey sits around 65 minutes, which feels much more manageable. Other than that, maybe a reshuffling of If You’re Too Shy might’ve helped the theme of the album come across more clearly, as its positioning at the 16 spot confuses some of the later daydreams. 

Regardless, it’s hard to listen to this album and not feel for Mat, or see ourselves in some of his struggles. Holding true to yourself and being able to win the love of others seem mutually exclusive at times, and Mat illustrates that struggle out beautifully. Ultimately, we can find solace in the ones we love, the times where things seemed safe, or even a mantra that might mean more than just the words it contains. Make some tea, light a candle, and spend a night with it.