“Matty” tells the story that the name of the band was scribbled in the back of a Jack Kerouac book. Okay, it’s probably true enough, but the story fits the brilliant marketing of this band, marketing which is at least as artful as the music. First, the link to this song popped up in my YouTube feed over the summer, then the follow-up hit from the album, then the live series, all only hours after the band posted them. I had never heard of The 1975 before that summer, never heard their music, never watched a video, and there they were, all over my reality. And it worked. It absolutely worked. I love The 1975 now. Me, of all people, love a modern pop act. It may be the last one I ever love, every other modern pop act being intolerable drivel.

The songs are upbeat, happy, well-written, thoughtful without being heavy, “Matty” – I really hate the diminutive, I wish he would grow the name up to just Matt – Matt is a fantastic performer, singer, dancer, interviewee. The whole act is rock-solid, no holes, no apologies, no breaks. They have good product and they work hard to sell it. I love the whole package, the whole attitude. So refreshing. And look at that marketing again – they’re singing “I’m in Love With You” on SNL just in time to remind everyone that this is the perfect Spring Break road trip album. It’s so tight. I love it. I’m a fan.

It’s full-on 75 degrees here. Today I saw my nemesis, the Cypress Tree, explode pollen just as I was leaving on my bike. Have you ever seen a tree-pollen explosion? I’d never even heard of one and I’ve seen three in as many weeks. It looks like the trees are smoking. This one today literally exploded right in my path, just in time for me to sail through the cloud as it drifted down. Fallout from mating trees.

My point is that birds are tweeting and bees are buzzing right now, and this selection by Debbie Harry sounds so great peddling through the alleys of Trastevere. Really, I couldn’t help but send up this ancient pop all through Centro this weekend, on repeat. It’s a good companion to The 1975, considering that it was right about then that Blondie released their first album, sending Ms. Harry well on her way to becoming a pop icon herself.

Rome : Spanish Steps, Colosseum, Fontana dell’Acqua Paola, Trastevere | mid-late February 2023