The 1975’s new single,
“Give Yourself a Try”
encourages fans to bet
on themselves.
The 1975
released a highly anticipated music video for their new single “Give Yourself a Try” on Thursday, May 31st.
The single is the first peak at the band’s forthcoming studio album, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships.
The hype surrounding this song’s release has been so powerful that only minutes after its publication, Youtube is littered with reaction and review videos. Fans of the lo-fi pop band have been hungry for new music since the band’s latest original work; the 2016 album I like it when you sleep…
Now, the band is back with a simple but catchy track that makes you want to get up and dance, with a fun music video to boot.
The video opens with a distorted guitar intro while lead singer Matty Healy opens up to an unseen therapist in a black-and-white room. “You couldn’t be more wrong actually”, Healy asserts through a breath of smoke, “I’m unbelievably sentimental.”
Healy is the epitome of the cool, misunderstood artist with cigarette in hand, as the camera pans to reveal his shrink to be a giant, under qualified teddy bear. Most of the video is in color, with split-screen images of the band, Healy, and blooming flowers.
The 1975 play grey instruments in grey suits in front of an array of fun house mirrors. Healy’s makeup and shock of bright orange hair pop out against the dull background.
It’s hard not to have fun listening to this song. It has that shiny summer pop beat that’s hard to ignore. Though a bit repetitive and screechy, the unique buzz of Adam Hann’s guitar helps hold everything together once it is muffled a bit by Ross Macdonald’s bass.
“Give Yourself a Try” is nothing groundbreaking, but if all bands were judged based on their latest single we’d be stuck listening to Dexy’s Midnight Runners forever. “Give Yourself a Try” may not be the best song on the upcoming album, scheduled for release this October, but it is optimistic.
The chorus is an encouragement to take a chance and venture outside your comfort zone. Healy sings, “So just give yourself a try. Won’t you give yourself a try?”
Healy is no stranger to the party life.
His previous albums explored themes of sex, drugs, and the emptiness that follows them at length. On “Colors,” a song likely written about Healy, a concerned Halsey sings, “I hope you’ll make it to the day you’re 28 years old.” The now-29-year-old has had his fair share of melancholy lows and has always tapped into this sadness for his music.
On this track, Healy admits he’s made mistakes, but has learned from them. Now, a newfound wisdom guides him as he assures us that “The only apparatus for happiness is your pain and fucking going outside.” A simple song with a simple message, the latest work from The 1975 comes at a time when so many young people are searching for something to believe in, and urges them to believe in themselves.
