As a result, Glass Animals’ sophomore effort is both lyrically and musically rich, allowing for listeners to connect to the music and the band on multiple levels. Album closer “ Agnes” has brought me to tears more than once in its poignant plea to a drug-addicted loved one Glass Animals were not previously known for their lyrics, but Dave Bayley approached How to Be a Human Being completely the opposite from how he approached the band’s debut album Zaba, this time crafting vocal lines, vocal melodies and lyrics first and then making sounds around them. “ Life Itself” opens the record with a first-person narration of quasi-destitution I say quasi, because the narrator seems content in this life, exhibiting few (if any) regrets. Our album feature on Glass Animals dubbed their record “ The Musician’s Guide to Human Beings” because of the band’s impressive ability to create such intricately multi-dimensional personas, and then go on to share their stories through music and lyrics in such a way as to evoke strong feelings and connections in the listener. What’s most fascinating about How to Be a Human Being is its exploration of humanity. The genre-defying band employs everything from heavy tribal drums and lilting flutes to odd vocal grunts, computer fans, and even 8-Bit video game sounds in what one might describe as a carefully-constructed series of human vignettes: Each song is a different semi-fictitious, semi-autobiographical story featuring a different character, a concept that came out of the band’s heavy touring and Dave Bayley’s habit of recording everyday conversations and his otherwise innocuous interactions. This notion holds especially true for Glass Animals’ music: How to Be a Human Being is an impressive work of art that combines unique sonic tapestries with diverse storytelling, complex characterization, and clever songwriting. “If you listen to an album from start to finish, then it should be much more powerful than any of the songs on their own,” Glass Animals frontman Dave Bayley told Atwood Magazine in 2016. Released in August 2016 (via Wolf Tone/ Caroline), the record’s colorful, engaging array of sounds and its thoughtful portrayal of humanity (and technology) keep it feeling fresh and new well over a year later. No one could have anticipated the breadth and depth of Glass Animals’ sophomore album, How to Be a Human Being. Glass Animals’ Dave Bayley reflects on the sounds and stories of How to Be a Human Being, diving deep into the album’s recorded and live experience.
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