Glass Animals, an indie rock and psychedelic pop band from Oxford, England, recently released their second album titled, “How To Be A Human Being.”
After the success of their debut album “ZABA,” I worried their second album might not live up to expectations or might start pandering to a more mainstream audience in order to maintain their momentum. I could not have been more wrong.
“How To Be A Human Being” not only explores a variety of sounds but also a variety of topics regarding “life itself,” as the first track on the album is called.
The album develops characters like a stoner girlfriend that eats mayonnaise from a jar in “Season 2 Episode 3” and an insane woman in “Mama’s Gun” that killed her husband.
The album also discusses big ideas such as the mindlessness of modern day consumerism in “[Premade Sandwiches].” The album does all of this while exploring diverse sounds as the band utilizes everything from hip-hop beats to flutes to bongos.
Some critics have said the second album’s lack of cohesiveness when compared to “ZABA” is a possible downfall of it. In “ZABA” each song effortlessly flowed from one to the next. The entire album had a similar vibe throughout; it was consistent with calm sounds and slower paced songs. “How To Be A Human Being,” however, jumps around in sounds and in thematic statements.
I think the inconsistency makes their big ideas stand out more. It makes the listener pay attention. The transition from “Cane Shuga” to “[Premade Sandwiches]," for instance, is so jarring that the listener is intrigued and takes the time to retain the lyrics of the odd rap.
“How To Be A Human Being” aspires to convey so much more and in this way it outshines the preceding album.
The four members of Glass Animals have proven their refusal to be confined to a specific genre or sound. They maintained their distinctive eccentric sound while avoiding a formulaic method of making music.
The most essential aspect of “How To Be A Human Being” is its contemplation of bigger ideas. It is immensely apparent that the band as a whole gained valuable life experiences by touring the world for two years.
The album showcases their newly found perspective on life and confidence in themselves as musicians.
Dave Bayley, the lead vocalist, told The AU Review in an interview, “I think making that first record we were pretty shy. We had never made a record before. We’d never been in a band before. We had no clue what we were doing.”
“How To Be A Human Being” in no way plays it safe and, because of this it demonstrates Glass Animals’ full potential.
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