Glass Animals - How to be a Human Being


Glass Animals
How to be a Human Being
2016
Spotify

Glass Animals' debut album Zaba was a bit of a revelation. It was sexy, awkward, stoned and somewhat slimey but it had a charm that was absolutely undeniable. While lead single "Gooey" was the breakout hit the whole record was populated with songs that could have easily taken it's place. The follow up How to be a Human Being doesn't break far from the mold but offers up another satisfying trip around the psychedelic highway with Glass Animals. The first singles also happen to be the first two tracks "Life Itself" and "Youth" and while "Life Itself" is more raucous than we are used to from Glass Animals "Youth" slides right back in to that slippery groove that they are so very good at. Production is also taken up a notch on this new record, which is actually saying something. Zaba had plenty of layers and pockets of it's own but How to be a Human Being feels like it has no restrictions, no boundaries. That spirit is not where better portrayed than on "Season 2 Episode 3" an 8 bit deep groove track. If you had any doubt which substance is likely the cause of this song you have to look no further than one of it's saucier lyrics "My girl eats mayonnaise from a jar while she's gettin' blazed". Glass Animals never take themselves all that seriously and is that lightness that makes their music so fun to listen to, not in a hollow way but more in an easy type of friendship way.

Peppered throughout the record you will hear little snip its of iPhone audio that singer David Bayley has been recording as the band has been touring. It is a voyeuristic look into the life that Glass Animals have been leading over the past year and a half, and really works well. Their last album felt like it had more weight, darker synthy tones, but a song like "Mama's Gun" is so big and bombastic in a totally different and magical way. The entire record, and Glass Animals vibe in general for that matter, is so slippery sliding here and there with very little structure of idea of a destination. Glass Animals are about taking you on a ride, so you have to let go and fall into the journey with them but How to be a Human Being almost hypnotizes you to follow along.  There really are no bad songs on this record and from start to finish it is a really fun listen. Like I said in my review of their first album my suggestion is to imbibe your favorite substance, sit back and let How to be a Human Being just wash right over you.

8.9 out of 10

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