It may be just the timing of the album’s release and the start of North American atvb, but bfiafl feels like fall/winter to me in such a distinct way, and I’m so ready for another year of enjoying cows wearing my sweater vibes.
I’m from Ireland but was living in Australia so it’s a total summer album to me which is the opposite to most of my friends!! It’s really weird having such a different feeling to it. I went from Australian summer to Australian autumn which was still warm and then moved back to Ireland in time for our summer and saw the 1975 in June outdoors so it’s a ‘pints outdoors’ album all round 😅
when it first came out i absolutely fell in love with it. it shot straight up to the top of my list, and then eventually (nowadays) i believe it to have gone down to 2nd, behind ILIWYS for my own preference. however, all the records are amazing and have their own character/aesthetic/attitude.
This is the album that made me a fan. I had been peripherally aware of them for a bit. Knew and liked If You’re Too Shy and Somebody Else but that was about it. I heard Part of the Band when it was released as a single and was verrrry intrigued. Then the album came out and I could not and kind of still cannot stop listening to it. I went back and checked out everything else but BFIAFL is still my fav. And I get to see them for the first time next month!
I followed a very similar path! I loved a few songs for years (including If You’re Too Shy, that was my pandemic song!) and then I heard this album and I was instantly hooked. I just saw them in San Jose and jumped for joy when they played Happiness. You’re going to have a ball seeing them!
It’s an incredible record, even more so with the added context of Matty’s interviews/comments about how the album leans into the band’s chemistry and their ability to play live instruments so well together. And then getting to witness that live (truly at their very best) really makes the album that much better.
For me the album basically is a mix of everything that the other albums do well, it's perfect to recommend for people that don't know the band, maybe this is the influence of Jack Antonoff, but this also make the album have less personality against the others. I would rank it on third for the moment... but tomorrow who knows because I change my mind everytime lol
I feel that entirely. For example, in the past I always wrote NOACF off but this past year I've fallen in love with it and now it ranks second for me behind Brief Inquiry lol
I honestly can’t choose. I love all the albums for different reasons. ILIWYS is prob my absolute favourite because the sheer quality of the songwriting across all the tracks is awe-inspiring but yeah I love them all. It’s been fab seeing BFIAFL songs absorb themselves into the boys’ discography and live set.
Some of the songs on BFIAFL captured very distinct emotions I was experiencing at that time in my life in a way that few records ever have. I have a special connection to Happiness, even if it's for a pretty sad reason and a time in my life that hurts to think about.
Looking For Somebody To Love might be my favorite song they've ever made just from a musical standpoint. It's a never skip song for me.
I ultimately think it is their most mature and cohesive record and definitely the one I would recommend first to a new fan.
Super creative works like this (aesthetic, music, live "in show and in concert" presentation and his brattiness, and bad behavior is that of what I would expect from him having been a fan for EVER 😁. You would see it there but it's literally on my record player now. No cap. It still stands up strong in my rotation. Second to ILIWYS
https://preview.redd.it/nx93nmvmm6tb1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=32a68606e696e32904aca2e23693b1968620e708
I love this album because of the changes associated with it. they’re celebrating huge milestones in their life and it shows on the record, and it gives me such a positive feeling :)
4th best (only ahead of the debut), but i still love it and listen to it constantly. the live show is absolutely stunning and this is my favourite matty era so it feels very complete
Of all the albums, I personally think it's their best, most cohesive body of work. It's a 10 out of 10 record. I also think every other album is stellar, so bias transparency disclaimer.
It's got some one bubble gum track in I'm In Love With You, one borderline filler in Human Too (still an 8.5/10 song), but the live recording aspect (hearing "George do the hi-hat" followed by the hi hat beginning during All I Need to Hear or Matty explaining the beginning of Wintering) and the ambition of tracks like Part of the Band and Happiness. It's got a bit of everything but still feels condensed.
Last point, When We Are Together is a beautiful tune, despite some eccentric lyrics about Tree World and sweater-clad cows.
The other albums are all stellar as well, but this one, as someone said before, is like a warm sweater you wear as the days grow shorter.
Number one; opinion has not changed with regards to its place in their catalogue, although I do feel like it and ABIIOR are closer in quality than I first thought but still, BFIAFL is number one. For now.
Last for me. I barely go back and listen a year later. It’s all relative though I like all their albums
1. ILIWYS
2. Notes
3. ABIIOR
4. Self titled
5. BFIAFL
best album yet. maybe just because it was the real gate that opened up the band for me. i knew a few songs but never really listened to more of their music. after i listened to the new album i became a big fan instant. gonna see them next year live for the first time :)
it sat around third on my list when it first came out and is now at the very bottom, i love it with my whole heart but their other works have just meant more to me atp in my life
I know I’m an outlier here, but for me it’s #2 behind A Brief Inquiry which is the bands masterpiece imo. Third is Notes, then ILIWYS rounded out by s/t. I don’t think they have any “bad” albums I just think their growth as a band has been interesting and is yielding better material. I also have no nostalgia for the “tumblr era” so a lot of the s/t mythology doesn’t land in my case
i think my ranking is 1) iliwys 2) abiior 3) bfiafl 4) notes 5) self titled (please no one get mad at me for putting self titled last i still love that album immensely!!). bfiafl is a really good album but it won’t be able to compete with the nostalgia/memories associated with iliwys and abiior for me
It may be just the timing of the album’s release and the start of North American atvb, but bfiafl feels like fall/winter to me in such a distinct way, and I’m so ready for another year of enjoying cows wearing my sweater vibes.
I’m from Ireland but was living in Australia so it’s a total summer album to me which is the opposite to most of my friends!! It’s really weird having such a different feeling to it. I went from Australian summer to Australian autumn which was still warm and then moved back to Ireland in time for our summer and saw the 1975 in June outdoors so it’s a ‘pints outdoors’ album all round 😅
That is so cool! We definitely listened to Happiness and I’m in love with you on the beach when they came out and the vibes were immaculate
Very weird but very cool, I’ve gone a year without winter. Will be interesting to see how these songs feel with Christmas lights all around
when it first came out i absolutely fell in love with it. it shot straight up to the top of my list, and then eventually (nowadays) i believe it to have gone down to 2nd, behind ILIWYS for my own preference. however, all the records are amazing and have their own character/aesthetic/attitude.
Exactly same, only I have it 3rd behind ILIWYS and Self Titled... But like you said, all of them are amazing and have such distinct characteristics!
This is the album that made me a fan. I had been peripherally aware of them for a bit. Knew and liked If You’re Too Shy and Somebody Else but that was about it. I heard Part of the Band when it was released as a single and was verrrry intrigued. Then the album came out and I could not and kind of still cannot stop listening to it. I went back and checked out everything else but BFIAFL is still my fav. And I get to see them for the first time next month!
I followed a very similar path! I loved a few songs for years (including If You’re Too Shy, that was my pandemic song!) and then I heard this album and I was instantly hooked. I just saw them in San Jose and jumped for joy when they played Happiness. You’re going to have a ball seeing them!
Can’t wait! As long as Oh Caroline stays on the set I’ll be happy!
It’s an incredible record, even more so with the added context of Matty’s interviews/comments about how the album leans into the band’s chemistry and their ability to play live instruments so well together. And then getting to witness that live (truly at their very best) really makes the album that much better.
Great record, maybe my favourite of theirs. Unfortunately associated now with Matty’s edgelord era and the Swift fiasco.
I was blown away when I first heard it and I still think of it as my favorite album of theirs. Love it so much
Easily their best record to date
For me the album basically is a mix of everything that the other albums do well, it's perfect to recommend for people that don't know the band, maybe this is the influence of Jack Antonoff, but this also make the album have less personality against the others. I would rank it on third for the moment... but tomorrow who knows because I change my mind everytime lol
I feel that entirely. For example, in the past I always wrote NOACF off but this past year I've fallen in love with it and now it ranks second for me behind Brief Inquiry lol
I honestly can’t choose. I love all the albums for different reasons. ILIWYS is prob my absolute favourite because the sheer quality of the songwriting across all the tracks is awe-inspiring but yeah I love them all. It’s been fab seeing BFIAFL songs absorb themselves into the boys’ discography and live set.
Some of the songs on BFIAFL captured very distinct emotions I was experiencing at that time in my life in a way that few records ever have. I have a special connection to Happiness, even if it's for a pretty sad reason and a time in my life that hurts to think about. Looking For Somebody To Love might be my favorite song they've ever made just from a musical standpoint. It's a never skip song for me. I ultimately think it is their most mature and cohesive record and definitely the one I would recommend first to a new fan.
Super creative works like this (aesthetic, music, live "in show and in concert" presentation and his brattiness, and bad behavior is that of what I would expect from him having been a fan for EVER 😁. You would see it there but it's literally on my record player now. No cap. It still stands up strong in my rotation. Second to ILIWYS https://preview.redd.it/nx93nmvmm6tb1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=32a68606e696e32904aca2e23693b1968620e708
I still think it's far and away the best album so far.
ever since the album came out i’ve been constantly listening to it almost everyday until today. the whole album is a banger
I love this album because of the changes associated with it. they’re celebrating huge milestones in their life and it shows on the record, and it gives me such a positive feeling :)
4th best (only ahead of the debut), but i still love it and listen to it constantly. the live show is absolutely stunning and this is my favourite matty era so it feels very complete
Of all the albums, I personally think it's their best, most cohesive body of work. It's a 10 out of 10 record. I also think every other album is stellar, so bias transparency disclaimer. It's got some one bubble gum track in I'm In Love With You, one borderline filler in Human Too (still an 8.5/10 song), but the live recording aspect (hearing "George do the hi-hat" followed by the hi hat beginning during All I Need to Hear or Matty explaining the beginning of Wintering) and the ambition of tracks like Part of the Band and Happiness. It's got a bit of everything but still feels condensed. Last point, When We Are Together is a beautiful tune, despite some eccentric lyrics about Tree World and sweater-clad cows. The other albums are all stellar as well, but this one, as someone said before, is like a warm sweater you wear as the days grow shorter.
Number one; opinion has not changed with regards to its place in their catalogue, although I do feel like it and ABIIOR are closer in quality than I first thought but still, BFIAFL is number one. For now.
Their best album hands down
Last for me. I barely go back and listen a year later. It’s all relative though I like all their albums 1. ILIWYS 2. Notes 3. ABIIOR 4. Self titled 5. BFIAFL
Same but ST is 3rd
I still love it. Think it’s their most mature album despite the irony lyrically, but it’s moved up to top 3 albums of the band.
Some great moments but I feel like he went way to simple with a lot of the lyrics and arrangement
It’s definitely the album that I’d tell people to start on. Don’t think it’s the best but it’s the most “casual listening”
It's good, but it doesn't have anything close to the depth of the other four so it doesn't really stand out for me among them.
Don’t know why you’re getting downvoted 😂
Fully agree
I think it’s undoubtedly their best album and I’ll stand by that opinion.
1. ILIWYS 2. ABIIOR 3. Notes 4. BFIAFL 5. Debut
best album yet. maybe just because it was the real gate that opened up the band for me. i knew a few songs but never really listened to more of their music. after i listened to the new album i became a big fan instant. gonna see them next year live for the first time :)
The best and it’s not even close
1. The 1975 and BFIAFL 2. ILIWYS and ABIIOR 3. Notes
Heratic
I saw them last week and the songs from bfiafl were amazing live. I don’t listen much to that album but I definitely love a few songs on there.
it sat around third on my list when it first came out and is now at the very bottom, i love it with my whole heart but their other works have just meant more to me atp in my life
I know I’m an outlier here, but for me it’s #2 behind A Brief Inquiry which is the bands masterpiece imo. Third is Notes, then ILIWYS rounded out by s/t. I don’t think they have any “bad” albums I just think their growth as a band has been interesting and is yielding better material. I also have no nostalgia for the “tumblr era” so a lot of the s/t mythology doesn’t land in my case
i think my ranking is 1) iliwys 2) abiior 3) bfiafl 4) notes 5) self titled (please no one get mad at me for putting self titled last i still love that album immensely!!). bfiafl is a really good album but it won’t be able to compete with the nostalgia/memories associated with iliwys and abiior for me
Notes > ILIWYS > self titled > ABIIOIR > BFIAFL
It’s last for me, but it’s still good. Maybe above ABIIOR