glassy eyes and glassy hearts; glass animals teach us “How to be a Human Being”

Malorie Wiederkehr, Section editor

As I am tapping my pencil on my laptop repeatedly, trying to focus on the task at hand, I find myself all too distracted by the unique and eccentric sounds flowing through my speaker, so I reach to turn it up.

How to be a Human Being, the second released album put together by Glass Animals was made public at the end of August in 2016. Four people, Dave Bayley (lead vocals), Drew MacFarlane (guitar, keys, backing vocals), Edmund Irwin-Singer (bass, keys, backing vocals), and Joe Seaward (drums) make up the english band originating from Oxford.

How to be a Human Being was especially appealing to my alternative/indie loving soul. However, the eleven tracks on the record strayed away from the typical sounding, taking it to a whole new level. In this album, the band explores diverse and some less commonly used instruments, i.e. the flute, that come together in a beautifully harmonic and smooth way.

One of the noticeably interesting assets of the album, despite the melodious music as a whole, is its artwork. The album cover displays eleven distinct characters grouped together, posing differently for the camera. Behind the work includes a fascinating story: while Glass Animals toured, playing shows all over for their first album, Zaba, they compiled stories from people along the way. The eleven songs portray the stories that band gathered from strangers during their travels, from the ones about love to the ones about death and life and everything in between.

Each song is strange and spreads as it enters through my ears and throughout the rest of my body. The tunes are euphoric, the type that makes you want to sway and break out in song at any place and any time. As I payed more attention to the lyrics when I listened to each song, I could begin to infer the stories that were being told, which kept me even more invested.

Overall, How to be a Human Being is a must listen to, specifically targeted towards the indie and alternative lovers. It is an original and creative piece of work that pleases the ear and touches the soul.