How to Be a Human Being
by Glass Animals
  • Record Label: Harvest
  • Release Date: Aug 26, 2016
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 127 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 117 out of 127
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 127
  3. Negative: 7 out of 127
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  1. Molec_ule
    Jan 20, 2023
    10
    This conceptual album, brought me to my knees, as I appreciated GA’s best work yet. Every lyric, every heat reminds me whats it like to be a human being. This album reminds me that only human ingenuity can achieve a massive success like this.
  2. Hscoa
    Jun 27, 2022
    10
    Amazing album, no boring tracks or filler. Every song is just so fun and a different vibe. Best songs are Life Itself, Cane Shuga, TOSOP, and Agnes.
  3. Vanmeegeren
    Jun 26, 2022
    9
    Great production , top tunes and fun poignant lyrics are the ingredients that make up a delightful and eclectic gumbo for pop pickers of all ages
  4. plushcollector
    Feb 9, 2022
    10
    Amazing. All songs except 3 or 4 are amazing. This is a must listen album for anyone.
  5. MyNameIsKeegan
    Dec 24, 2021
    10
    The peak of Glass Animals in my opinion. Exotic and wonder inducing sounds are laid out throughout the album to entrance you. The lyrics, while not too interesting or always coming off as sincere, are fun. And of course the whole package carries GA's ability to be incredibly groovy, funky, and catchy.
  6. anythingbelow
    Dec 11, 2020
    10
    This takes what made Zaba great and refines it. Compared to Dreamland, it’s got more grit, in a good way. It’s a nice point between the rough edges of Zaba and the sanded down Dreamland. It’s wonderfully chill, and it’s been in my top five albums every year since 2017.
  7. sommniac
    Jun 23, 2020
    10
    Honestly, this is my favorite album of all time. I love how they combine a pop rock style of music with various stories from a host of different characters. The music is fun and upbeat over darker lyrics that somehow work together. I love how cohesive all of the songs are, all maintaining a different vibe and sound while also clearly belonging on the same album. The only song I don't likeHonestly, this is my favorite album of all time. I love how they combine a pop rock style of music with various stories from a host of different characters. The music is fun and upbeat over darker lyrics that somehow work together. I love how cohesive all of the songs are, all maintaining a different vibe and sound while also clearly belonging on the same album. The only song I don't like is premade sandwiches because it's freaked me out a few times when I was listening without paying attention.

    The stories are really what captivated me. I've always loved narrative music and this whole album is the pinnacle of the concept, in my opinion. Whether the songs encompass entire stories (like Poplar Street) or just snapshots into a character's mind after something happened (like Mama's Gun), they all contain interesting and engaging narratives in musical form.

    I can't pick a favorite song because I grow random fixations with them at random times. First it was Other Side of Paradise, then Mama's Gun, then Poplar Street, then Take a Slice, and so on. They're all so fantastic in their own rights. This whole review has been all over the place because I have so much uncontainable love for this album that every time I try to talk about it I lose focus because I want to talk about so much. I wanted to write a review so I could channel my thoughts into words but the words that I conceive of just aren't enough. And it's frustrating.

    Also, watch the performance of The Other Side of Paradise on the Glass Animals youtube channel. Coming from someone who likes kpop and regularly has my mind blown with incredible stages, that was one of the best lives I have ever seen. Just fantastic.    … Expand
  8. markosaric
    Nov 2, 2019
    8
    This is a huge, visceral step forward from the moaning and whispering that pervaded the first Glass Animals album.
  9. MacsMusic
    Apr 9, 2018
    8
    How to Be a Human Being tries to be captivating, compelling, interesting, and utterly original. It does all of these things, and does them well thanks to the fantastic, original, captivating music, original lyrics and concept, and eerie hypnotic vocals. The production and music sounds different on every track, and blows me away again and again. "Life" and "Youth" have amazing, hypnoticHow to Be a Human Being tries to be captivating, compelling, interesting, and utterly original. It does all of these things, and does them well thanks to the fantastic, original, captivating music, original lyrics and concept, and eerie hypnotic vocals. The production and music sounds different on every track, and blows me away again and again. "Life" and "Youth" have amazing, hypnotic music that works in every way. "Mama's Gun" has a huge, attention-grabbing chorus that works very well. Even when the music on this album doesn't try to be huge or energetic, it is utterly original and interesting. "Season 2" is a great example of this, having more simple, less energetic, yet super original music. The music on this album never really fails, but does have some less-impressive moments. It is unfailingly original and interesting.

    The lyrics on this album are intriguing and interesting, especially on the songs "Life", "Youth", "Paradise", and "Agnes." The sexual lyrics on "Take a Slice" and "Poplar" are the weakest on the album, with less originality. The vocals on this album are truly amazing, captivating me again and again with each listen. They give the lyrics power that they would originally lack. They sound truly amazing on "Agnes." I highly recommend you listen to that song.

    How to be A Human Being is a captivating, original Alt album that doesn't sound like anything else. The production and vocals are amazing.    … Expand
  10. GamerMeioSangue
    Mar 2, 2018
    10
    Is it really possible to say something bad about this album? Seriously, if you, critic or listener found, I want to congrats you.

    Sick. The concept so perfectly portrayed to the Life Itself to Agnes. Good as a music storytelling and quality. The eletronic beats connected with the organic instruments gave me chills. If you want good like REALLY GOOD alternative songs, Glass Animals is    Is it really possible to say something bad about this album? Seriously, if you, critic or listener found, I want to congrats you.

    Sick. The concept so perfectly portrayed to the Life Itself to Agnes. Good as a music storytelling and quality. The eletronic beats connected with the organic instruments gave me chills. If you want good like REALLY GOOD alternative songs, Glass Animals is one of the bests bands to show you the way.    … Expand
  11. WolfLambert
    Nov 25, 2016
    9
    An incredible album from start to finish. Zaba was great, but the songs were somewhat derivative of one another; on this record, the band turn their formula on its head, and it works so damn well! Songs like Poplar St, Pork Soda and Life Itself are what I've always wanted to hear from this band, Youth is a fantastic pop song that is worthy of a place on the charts, Agnes is as perfect as aAn incredible album from start to finish. Zaba was great, but the songs were somewhat derivative of one another; on this record, the band turn their formula on its head, and it works so damn well! Songs like Poplar St, Pork Soda and Life Itself are what I've always wanted to hear from this band, Youth is a fantastic pop song that is worthy of a place on the charts, Agnes is as perfect as a closer can get, and Cane Shuga is a foray into trap and experimental hip hop that works surprisingly well. Go listen to this and cherish it for a long time.… Expand
  12. DefinitelyMayb
    Sep 26, 2016
    9
    This genre of music is not usually my forte but How To Be a Human is a brilliant album that flows from start to end. It is this year's Jungle, except Glass Animals manages to have so much fun and wit whilst doing it. Its got great pop tracks and a bit of little everything for everyone. Great instrumentation and some tight production from this album.

    Its not perfect per say, but anyone    This genre of music is not usually my forte but How To Be a Human is a brilliant album that flows from start to end. It is this year's Jungle, except Glass Animals manages to have so much fun and wit whilst doing it. Its got great pop tracks and a bit of little everything for everyone. Great instrumentation and some tight production from this album.

    Its not perfect per say, but anyone that wants a summer banger, this Oxford band has delivered big time.    … Expand
  13. RoyalGhost
    Sep 16, 2016
    9
    How To Be A Human Being is easily my favorite record of the year. Their transition from Zaba feels seamless, inspired, and overall very enjoyable. Glass Animals has a very unique sound and technique with their music that I have yet to find another band that warrants this much replay value. The album has an underlying story that each song represents a different character on thw cover of theHow To Be A Human Being is easily my favorite record of the year. Their transition from Zaba feels seamless, inspired, and overall very enjoyable. Glass Animals has a very unique sound and technique with their music that I have yet to find another band that warrants this much replay value. The album has an underlying story that each song represents a different character on thw cover of the album. That alone has given this album replayability. Each song on the album feels unique.
    Favorite Tracks: Life Itself, Season 2 Episode 3, Pork Soda, The Other Side of Paradise, Take a Slice    … Expand
  14. jesseurbancsik
    Sep 12, 2016
    10
    I am so happy about this album. It's a "make's you feel good" album with catchy lyrics about pineapples being in their heads and unique beats that make this band sound a lot better and different from everyone in their competition! Keep up the good work!
  15. gabrielfobia
    Sep 10, 2016
    10
    I'm gonna be honest, this is a huge surprise for me. They were capable of reinventing themselves into a different band but without losing their essence. Glass Animals is definitely something to keep an eye on and this album is a prove of that.
  16. ToFewViews
    Sep 8, 2016
    9
    So the first thing you notice when listening to this Glass Animals album compared to others is that it's much more catchy and slightly more radio friendly. But that doesn't mean there isn't tracks that let you float away when you put on some good headphones. The blend of more upbeat songs with the very slow and atmospheric ones is wonderful. Multiple times I found myself getting chillsSo the first thing you notice when listening to this Glass Animals album compared to others is that it's much more catchy and slightly more radio friendly. But that doesn't mean there isn't tracks that let you float away when you put on some good headphones. The blend of more upbeat songs with the very slow and atmospheric ones is wonderful. Multiple times I found myself getting chills from some of the songs. Fans of earlier albums may find that the very weird and uniqueness from earlier some songs isn't there but to make up for it is amazing production quality with what feels like lots of work put into each song. The lyrical content of this album is on point as well, I dare you to find a song you can not relate to on some level. This album also has this feeling of progression when listening to it from beginning to end witch I think was a reason I went back to this album so many times.
    To sum this up...I highly recommend this album for pretty much anyone...    … Expand
  17. jtrimster
    Sep 1, 2016
    10
    The important thing to know about this album is that it isn't ZABA. If you had told me that 3 months ago, I would've been upset. But Glass Animals are able to do something special on this album. The band manages to evolve their style into something that still stays unique to them, but also shows their ability to embrace a new sound altogether.

    One of the most impressive developments for    The important thing to know about this album is that it isn't ZABA. If you had told me that 3 months ago, I would've been upset. But Glass Animals are able to do something special on this album. The band manages to evolve their style into something that still stays unique to them, but also shows their ability to embrace a new sound altogether.

    One of the most impressive developments for this installment of Glass Animals is the incredible diversity in the songs. All of the songs on this album are entirely distinct from one another, which is a total 180 from ZABA. ZABA was an awesome album in which every song seemed to flow together, almost like the whole album was a single, yet dynamic track. How to Be a Human Being, however, separates each song between a cast of interesting characters.

    The use of these characters leads to some brilliant songwriting. When Dave is painting the picture for these characters, he blends literal description with metaphor to make for an intriguing experience. The storytelling in the songwriting is definitely one of the highlights of this album.

    Overall the album is emotional, captivating, and catchy. Glass Animals are able to test new boundaries while still keeping their classic, unique, style. There is something on this record for everyone.

    Favorite Tracks: Season 2 Episode 3, Mama's Gun, The Other Side of Paradise, Take a Slice.    … Expand
  18. Traverick
    Aug 30, 2016
    10
    This is a fantastic evolution for Glass Animals, and is something I'll be spinning on repeat for many weeks to come. This album takes some of the dark, spooky vibes from Zaba and thrusts them into the sunlight, and it results in some incredibly fun and upbeat songs (Life Itself and Season 2 Episode 3 come to mind) while other songs retain that Zaba tone (The Other Side of Paradise). TheThis is a fantastic evolution for Glass Animals, and is something I'll be spinning on repeat for many weeks to come. This album takes some of the dark, spooky vibes from Zaba and thrusts them into the sunlight, and it results in some incredibly fun and upbeat songs (Life Itself and Season 2 Episode 3 come to mind) while other songs retain that Zaba tone (The Other Side of Paradise). The album's closer "Agnes" is the high point both musically and emotionally. If you enjoyed ZABA, I don't think you'll be disappointed.… Expand
  19. EMGC
    Aug 29, 2016
    8
    As a fan of their previous album, Zaba, I was really hoping this one would be even gooier and sexier than the last. It is not. But it might be better.
  20. thebassline
    Aug 28, 2016
    8
    People are special. Biologically, no person is exactly identical to another. Even on less biological grounds, personality and emotion are what keep humans from being soulless sacks of bones, muscles, and skin. It can be overwhelming to think about how there are over 7 billion completely unique human beings living on this one planet, and even more if you take the dead into account as formerPeople are special. Biologically, no person is exactly identical to another. Even on less biological grounds, personality and emotion are what keep humans from being soulless sacks of bones, muscles, and skin. It can be overwhelming to think about how there are over 7 billion completely unique human beings living on this one planet, and even more if you take the dead into account as former people who were one-of-a-kind in their lifetime. It’s also a concept that must really pique the interest of Glass Animals frontman, Dave Bayley. During the band’s massive world tour in support of 2014’s Zaba, Bayley recorded hundreds of conversations with people from all walks of life. After using these recordings to build his own set of characters as depicted on the album’s cover, the concept of How To Be A Human Being was formed.

    In an interview with Vinyl Me, Please, Bayley went into just how intricately these characters are written: “For each character, I have everything about them written down. Basically these huge poster size sheets with what their furniture is, what their house looks like, what clothes they wear, how they act, what they think about, what they do on their spare time.” The band even went to the length to design personal websites for the two characters that star separately in the first two singles. The effort put into creating these personalities shows; Human Being is a lyrical intrigue from front to back. Some tracks may have some vaguely similar major themes, but each track shows off its protagonists own eccentricities in their ~4 minute runtime. Case in point, “Life Itself”, which centers on a socially inept, nerdy man (who according to his personal website is named Chuck Rogers) living in his parents’ basement, uses the line “Thought that I was northern Camden's own Flash Gordon” to express hopes of becoming bigger than oneself. Wonderful indirect characterization is used throughout “Season 2 Episode 3”, as great lyrics about having cereal for lunch, eating mayo from the jar, and checking your phone in three-day-old clothes being delivered in Bayley’s wispy vocals perfectly paint a picture of a lazy, couch potato pothead, and how her behavior affects her relationship with her significant other. The laid back beat that incorporates synths and sound effects reminiscent of ‘80s-era video games strengthens the mood of this album highlight even more. It’s the prime example of how well Glass Animals craft characters through the power of music on Human Being.

    Just like the cast of characters that inhabit this record, the music accompanying their stories is extremely animated. “Life Itself” is driven by hard-hitting tribal beat that pulls just as much inspiration from world music as it does from hip-hop, and is the closest this album gets to sounding like Zaba. How To Be A Human Being is vastly more varied than its predecessor, and for the better. But if there was one reoccurring musical theme, it’d be the more pronounced influence hip-hop has on the production, a change of pace that goes over incredibly well. Human Being is filled with colorful, creative, and sometimes nutty beats. The exception to this is “Take a Slice”, a mess of a track that’s too bombastic for its own good. The following track pulls off the inclusion of bluesy guitar with much more success. On the other side of the spectrum is “Mama’s Gun”, a beautifully climactic song that elevates the somber story of a woman with schizophrenia forced by her disorder to kill the ones she loves to an tear-jerking emotional experience with the wonderful blend of flute, choral vocals, and one of Bayley’s best performances behind the mic.

    Unlike any typical concept album, How To Be Human Being doesn’t stick to a single story or theme. In fact, it does the exact opposite. A song about a mother lamenting her son’s young death and all the memories he could’ve made later in life is followed by a track dedicated to lazy stoners. But this lack of solidarity answers a question very similar to the album’s title: what’s it like to be a human being? It’s funny, sad, sexy, and gleeful. It’s filled with mental illness, social awkwardness, standing in lines, and cookie coasters. It's all of these things at the same time. This is why How To Be A Human Being might understand life more than most albums in 2016. Life isn’t all pain and suffering, nor is it always a blessing. It’s a mixed bag, and you're going to have to deal with the good and the bad.    … Expand
  21. ininja200
    Aug 26, 2016
    4
    WARNING: Weirdly personal review incoming.

    Glass Animal's debut album, Zaba, spoke to me in a way that very little other music ever has. I've listened to that CD thousands of times, it's been the soundtrack to my life for two years. With that in mind, How to Be a Human Being is a crushing disappointment for me, and I'll explain why as best I can. Zaba, and all the music released    WARNING: Weirdly personal review incoming.

    Glass Animal's debut album, Zaba, spoke to me in a way that very little other music ever has. I've listened to that CD thousands of times, it's been the soundtrack to my life for two years. With that in mind, How to Be a Human Being is a crushing disappointment for me, and I'll explain why as best I can.

    Zaba, and all the music released before it (and after for a bit, GA's Joey Badass collaboration was fantastic), was special because it really was unique. The "samey" problem seems to be recurring when people talk about Zaba, but I believe there's a difference between all the songs being the same and having a distinct sound. All the songs sound similar because that was just the style of Glass Animals, period. That's the way they sounded, and that sound was explored to no end across that album, which is amazing. They mined every last drop out of that well, and yet I still wanted MORE. It was atmospheric trip-hop at its VERY BEST.
    I eagerly waited two years for Glass Animals' sophomore effort, HTBAHB, only to find that Glass Animals... doesn't sound like Glass Animals anymore. The sounds they had from the very beginning are fairly nonexistent this time around, replaced by a bombastic, indie/pop/hip-hop twist that buries all the subtlety that Zaba was absolutely drenched in. It's lighter, it's louder, it's happier, it's more mainstream. I **** hate that that word lands in my review of this album, but it feels appropriate. If you're into that, you'll probably like How to Be a Human Being. As a fan of Glass Animals' earlier works, I'm just not into that.
    This album is billed as a concept album of sorts, with each song revolving around a character created from the ground up based around experiences that Dave and the band had on the road, with fans and random people. I think the key difference may lie somewhere in here; I listened to Glass Animals for Dave Bayley's thoughts, words and stories, not other people's thoughts, words and stories. All the lyrics this time around lack that fun, esoteric mystery that all GA lyrics used to hold. An example:
    "Cocoa Hooves" - off Zaba, released possibly years earlier as an EARLY single from GA

    Let's all go with bitter Grey
    He turns his leather gripped cane,
    Those times you clapped and called for, "Quiet."
    They've come to hold you in the nights
    He packs a fight, "un partu"
    Japan make home-made perfume
    Sip froth from soft, warm joe
    It's no guide or down bake close

    And now, lyrics from Life Itself, the first look that the public and the fans got at HTBAHB:

    Daddy was dumb, said that I'd be something special
    Brought me up tough but I was a gentle human
    Said that he loved each of my two million freckles
    When I grew up, was gonna be a superstar
    I can't get a job so I live with my mom
    I take her money but not quite enough
    I sit in the car and I listen to static
    She said I look fat but I look fantastic

    You can see the difference right there. The lyrics from Life Itself are blunt, in-your-face. You understand exactly what's happening, who this person is, and why they're this way. There's no mystery, it feels like you're having someone or something explained to you second-hand. The emotions aren't felt by Dave, they're felt by the fake characters that have never felt anything, so they never feel truly genuine. HTBAHB feels so intensely like Glass Animals is trying to be something that they aren't. The lyrics "when I was a boy" or "when I was young" or some twist on those shows up in this album (not counting the times they're repeated within their respective songs) at least 4 times. The lack of creativity here is astounding.
    Maybe they're happier as people now. Maybe Dave and the band used to be miserable, and getting hugely popular in the States changed that. If so, that's amazing, and I'm so happy for them. But whatever has happened these past two years has changed their music; the bass is less prevalent, the constantly slow, deliberate, real-sounding drumbeats have been replaced by whatever setting the drum machine landed on when they picked a random number, Dave's voice doesn't lead the songs as much, the hooks are truly less unique and creepy, the tone in general is drastically different than their previous works... I could go on for hours, I really could.
    I know this shouldn't matter to me, personally. It shouldn't upset me that a band put out an album I don't care for. But this band meant so **** much to me, in my heart and my brain. They inspired me, and now it feels like after two years of radio-silence, they're turning their back on me. That sounds dramatic and stupid, but it really hurts for some reason. As a wrap-up, HTBAHB isn't all bad. I like Season 2 Episode 3 and Take A Slice, although not as much as anything on Zaba. Those two tracks carry that same classic GA swagger, with a bit of newly-found excess.

    It sucks that GA probably won't ever see this. But **** guys, please come back to me. Please.    … Expand
  22. Furta_do
    Aug 26, 2016
    10
    A massive step up from their previous effort. ZABA felt "samey" at times with it's groovy yet sombre tone through out. On their sophomore, they've given us much more variety, a brighter collection of tracks and almost all of them are better than the one before it. Definitely one of the top 10 releases this year so far, it's refreshing to see a band capitalize and exceed their debut.A massive step up from their previous effort. ZABA felt "samey" at times with it's groovy yet sombre tone through out. On their sophomore, they've given us much more variety, a brighter collection of tracks and almost all of them are better than the one before it. Definitely one of the top 10 releases this year so far, it's refreshing to see a band capitalize and exceed their debut.

    Alt-J and Django Django, both comparable bands, neither delivered a better second studio album. Glass Animals have proved themselves to be a definite force in musical imagination.    … Expand
  23. andrewpall18
    Aug 26, 2016
    10
    Wow. What a fantastic album. If you think ZABA is a good album, you're in for a treat. This is the perfect way to tell a story.

    10/10

    Fave Tracks: Youth, Mama's Gun, Poplar St, The Other Side of Paradise
  24. macmazan
    Aug 26, 2016
    9
    The album is nearly perfect! I'm in love with the new tunes since the release of 'Life Itself' but today I was really pleased to find out that it isn't event better song of the album. 'Take a Slice', 'Mama's Gun', 'Anges' are great and should be played live. The cover is also great. Can't wait to see them live in November!
  25. moonman1994
    Aug 26, 2016
    10
    Rarely is there an album that can be so diverse and still have every track be amazing. This is one of those albums. Also behind the great tunes is the fact that each is based on an album cover character which give the songs extra depth. I'm still not sure what my favorite track is and I'm not sure if I'll be able to pick one!
  26. Zatharel
    Aug 26, 2016
    10
    Despite the fact that it only came out yesterday, How To Be A Human Being is practically my favorite album this year. And that really means something, considering the fact that this year we've had new records from artists like Radiohead, Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean and even the late David Bowie.

    How To Be A Human Being really is something special. Glass Animals debut album, ZABA, was an    Despite the fact that it only came out yesterday, How To Be A Human Being is practically my favorite album this year. And that really means something, considering the fact that this year we've had new records from artists like Radiohead, Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean and even the late David Bowie.

    How To Be A Human Being really is something special. Glass Animals debut album, ZABA, was an album where you felt immersed in nature. This sophomore album is an album where you feel immersed in...well people. It tells the stories of fictional characters created by the frontman, inspired by stories the band has heard from everyday people.

    It feels so different from ZABA yet it still has their recognizable style/sound, something that I'm glad they've managed to find during their short and promising career. A wonderful album, and definitely something you should check out, regardless of if you were a fan of ZABA or not.

    Personal Highlight Tracks: Youth, Pork Soda, Mama's Gun, The Other Side of Paradise.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

45
#45 Most Discussed Album of 2016
63
#63 Most Shared Album of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. Sputnikmusic
    Aug 7, 2017
    90
    Less eccentric and exciting than its predecessor, perhaps, but only by choice. Glass Animals are at their peak in 2016, and perfectly content to be slower and quieter, worming their way into your head by inches but settling in for the long haul once they're in there.
    Read full review
  2. Q Magazine
    Sep 23, 2016
    40
    How To Be A Human Being shows a band who know how to Frankenstein a song together, but can't bring it to life. [Nov 2016, p.107]
  3. The 405
    Sep 21, 2016
    80
    Although elements remain, the core of humanity and character drive this collection to an equally intriguing effect and leaves a far more immediate impression.
    Read full review
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