Facedown (EP) explained

Facedown
Type:EP
Artist:the 1975
Cover:The 1975 Facedown EP.jpg
Genre:
Length:14:13
Label:
Producer:
Next Title:Sex
Next Year:2012

Facedown is the debut extended play (EP) by English band the 1975. It was released on 6 August 2012 by Dirty Hit and Interscope. The band produced the EP alongside Jamie Ellis and Ian Grimble. An art rock, indie pop and ambient pop record, it incorporates a diverse range of sounds including indie rock, electronica, dance-pop, gothic and emo.

Background

In January 2012, the 1975 was formed by lead singer Matty Healy, drummer George Daniel, guitarist Adam Hann and bassist Ross MacDonald, who had played music together since 2002. After being rejected by all major record labels, artist manager Jamie Osborne discovered the band and signed them to his label Dirty Hit.[1] [2] The 1975 began a process of releasing three extended plays (EP) leading to their debut album.[3]

Composition

Musically, Facedown is composed in the styles of art rock, indie pop and ambient pop,[4] which Bevis Man of DIY described as "sitting somewhere between the bleak art rock of Joy Division and the indie-pop that might well find its way onto the playlists of mainstream radio".[5] The EP opens with the ballad "Facedown", an ambient torch song.[6] [7] Its production contains "angelic" whispers, twinkling chimes,[8] "icy" and "wintry" bells, fragmented drum beats, a "shadowy" synth line,[6] swirling and "shimmering" ambient guitars, "gloomy" vocals, pianos and low, "patient" and "synth-heavy" harmonics.[4] [5] [7] Man said the track "echoes of the wintry feel" of Sigur Rós,[5] while Jared Cohen of The Journal described the song as "Bon Iver on synths", stating it is evocative of the xx and M83.[4] The following track, "The City", is an upbeat indie rock, electronica and dance-pop song.[5] [4] [9] Composed of "maxed out" drum machines, "buzzing" keyboards and gated percussion, the track's lyrics revolve around the theme of urban loneliness, with Healy singing: "If you wanna find love then you know where the city is".[5] [7] [9] Ian Cohen of Pitchfork said the song "confidently [thumps] like the best Big Pink singles do",[7] while American Songwriters Robert Crawford remarked that it "sounded like anthemic British indie-rock filtered through the neon disco ball of M83's dance-pop".[9]

The third song on Facedown, "Antichrist", was described by Crawford as dark and stoic,[9] a sentiment echoed by Tom Connick of NME, who deemed it "doomy, gloomy and powerful".[10] Containing gothic influences,[10] Consequences Samantha Small said the track's production was akin to "the rise and fall of a wave", built on a hard, "crashing" drum beat, synths,[11] "glittering" guitars and a "powerful" synth organ.[4] [6] Thematically, the song focuses on topics such as such as atheism, enlightenment and the singer's relationship with his mother.[11] [12] The lyrics, which the Alternative Press staff opined "read like a poem", are composed entirely by Healy and discuss his inability to believe in "in something he cannot see", instead choosing to believe in love, singing: "Well, criminals and liars, keep him in your cell as a privilege of mine / Well, I love the house that we live in, I love you all too much".[13] [14] The EP's fourth and final song, "Woman", is a downbeat, quiet and stripped-back ballad.[5] [4] A torch song,[7] its production is devoid of drums, consisting of merely Healy's vocals, "moody" soundscapes, atmospheric synths, simple, "gently" chiming guitar reverb and emo melodies.[5] [4] [9] Lyrically, the song recounts an experience Healy had with a prostitute in Belfast when he was 17 years old, singing that he "fell in love with [her] a little bit" but did not solicit her services.[12] [6]

Release and reception

Reception

Upon release, Facedown received generally mixed reviews from contemporary music critics, who praised the EP's stylistic diversity but described it as "schizophrenic" and failing to define the 1975's musical identity.[9] [15] Awarding the EP a score of 6.2-out-of-10, Ian Cohen deemed "The City" a highlight and praised the 1975's theatrics. However, the reviewer was critical of the record's uneven presentation and over-reliance on torch songs, ultimately calling it "a muddle, but a promising one".[7] Man gave Facedown three-out-of-five stars, calling it "an inconsistent if beguiling listen" that is ultimately "an effort worth celebrating". He gave specific praise to "Antichrist", stating it contains a sense of urgency and direction not present on the record's other tracks, while criticising the lack of a cohesive sound.[5] In his four-out-of-five star review, Jared Cohen viewed the EP's lack of cohesion in a positive light, stating it showcased the band's ability to produce a variety of styles. He praised the songwriting and production value, declaring it "a beautiful little EP".[4]

Release and promotion

Facedown was released on 6 August 2012 by Dirty Hit and Interscope.[16] [17] On 9 August, "The City" was released as the EP's lead single.[18] To promote the record, the 1975 released a series of black and white music videos directed by James Booth. Working with Booth, the band sought to create simplistic videos on a "really tiny budget" that worked together to form a series, seeking to complement the EP as a whole. Speaking on their collaboration, Booth said the 1975 "really care about their aesthetic and see their videos as an important part of this".[19] "Facedown" was released on 23 June 2012 as the first visual.[20] "The City", released on 18 July. [21]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 10 Minutes with: The 1975. Cook. Beatrice. Glasgow University Guardian. 10 May 2013. 13 June 2021.
  2. Web site: Secrets Of The Mix Engineers: Mike Crossey. Tingen. Paul. Sound on Sound. December 2013. 9 May 2021. 12 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201112010826/https://www.soundonsound.com/people/secrets-mix-engineers-mike-crossey. live.
  3. Web site: Interview w/ The 1975. Blah Blah Blah Science. 15 October 2012. 9 May 2021. 19 July 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130719065822/http://blahblahblahscience.com/interviews/interview-w-the-1975. live.
  4. News: Cohen. Jared. 13 September 2012. The 1975 - Facedown EP. The Journal - Glasgow.
  5. Web site: The 1975 – Facedown. Man. Bevis. DIY. 6 August 2012 . 10 April 2024.
  6. Web site: The 1975: every song ranked in order of greatness. Daly. Rhian. NME. 19 October 2022. 11 April 2023.
  7. Web site: Facedown EP – The 1975. Cohen. Ian. Pitchfork. 9 August 2012. 10 April 2024.
  8. Web site: Introducing The 1975. 1883 Magazine. 20 August 2012. 12 April 2024. 14 January 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130114055547/http://www.1883magazineblog.com/introducing-the-1975/. dead.
  9. Web site: A Tale of 4 EPs: How The 1975 Prepared Us for a Decade of Diversity in Just One Year. Crawford. Robert. American Songwriter. January 2024. 11 April 2023.
  10. Web site: The 1975 – their 10 best songs. Connick. Tom. NME. 20 February 2019. 10 April 2024.
  11. Web site: 10 Matty Healy Lyrics Every 1975 Fan Knows by Heart. Small. Samantha. Irving. Jennifer. Consequence. 23 May 2020. 10 April 2024.
  12. Web site: 20 Essential Songs by The 1975. Johnson II. Jarrod. Paste. 22 May 2020. 10 April 2024.
  13. Web site: Here are 10 essential songs by the 1975. Alternative Press. 3 August 2017. 10 April 2024.
  14. Web site: 20 Essential Songs by The 1975. Johnson II. Jarrod. Paste. 22 May 2020. 10 April 2024.
  15. Web site: New Band Up North. Brinnand. Emily. The Guardian. 3 December 2012. 10 April 2024.
  16. Web site: Facedown - EP. Apple Music. 6 August 2012. 15 April 2024.
  17. Web site: Facedown - EP. Apple Music. 6 August 2012. 15 April 2024.
  18. Web site: The City (Single Version). Apple Music. 9 August 2012. 15 April 2024.
  19. Web site: The 1975 'Facedown EP' by James Booth. Promonews.tv. 12 September 2012. 15 April 2024.
  20. Web site: The 1975 - "Facedown" - Facedown EP - Part 1. YouTube. 23 June 2012. 15 April 2024.
  21. Web site: The 1975 - "The City" - Facedown EP - Part 2. YouTube. 18 July 2012. 15 April 2024.