Glass Animals has returned with their fourth studio album, I Love You So F***king Much, a collection of songs detailing different kinds of love.
From the tender nostalgia of past love (“Creatures in Heaven”) to thrilling escapism and reinvention (“On the Run”), this British alternative rock band, led by singer Dave Bayley, has truly showcased their versatility and depth in this new record.
A-Side
“Creatures in Heaven,” the lead single off this album, asks: “What do you think about when you think about love?” The rest of this album is spent answering this question.
The first half of the album is deceivingly upbeat sonically, but the lyrics tell a different story, even from the very first song, “Show Pony.” The peppy ambiance of the sound contrast against lyrics like “Boy, those scars must really run deep / And all that hurt comes out in one scream.”
“whatthehellishappening” is dance-worthy song that has a cheerful chorus that repeats “I’m so happy,” contrasting the darker lyrics that imply that the singer is getting kidnapped. It’s followed by “Creatures in Heaven,” a song more grounded in reminiscing on an ex-love, showing how the band can seamlessly oscillate between absurdity and reality.
“Wonderful Nothing” by far is my personal favorite off the album. It has a grungy, gritty feel, evoked by Bayley’s deep vocals and the crisp percussion. The song has a unique swagger about it, like it’s proud to turn heads whenever it walks into a room.
“A Tear in Space (Airlock)” comes after “Wonderful Nothing” and is a noticeably lighter song, though there’s still heartbreak hidden in the lyrics: “You get all worked up / Loving you, but it’s not enough.” It’s a perfect conclusion to the A-side that leaves listeners wanting to hear more about what the band has to say about the trials and tribulations of love that they’ve managed to capture so skillfully.
B-Side
Compared to the first half, the second half of this album is much quieter but doesn’t pull its punches. The shift from the upbeat, electronic feel of “A Tear in Space (Airlock)” to how heartbreakingly vulnerable “I Can’t Make You Fall In Love Again” is.
This song is hauntingly poignant and nostalgic, reminiscing, “We were never good enough.” It’s a love letter to the emptiness that remains etched into your life, long after someone has gone.
“How I Learned To Love The Bomb” has a more bouncy beat, emulating the feel of the A-side. The lyrics are brutally honest, a lover’s confession to their object of adoration: “When you get home who’ll I get? I don’t know when you’ll explode.” The instrumentals in the chorus are particularly powerful, contrasting against Bayley’s airy vocals.
“White Roses” shines the most in the lyricism of the verses that capture obsession: “You would torture me / Whisper me the reasons that you hated me / Say it in the way that makes my knees go weak.” Like a quintessential Glass Animals song, it packages pain in a sonically beautiful way.
“On the Run” is a more playful song that toys with the idea of faking one’s death. Still, the atmosphere of the song has a sort of hollowness that evokes a vivid feeling of loneliness.
The album concludes with “Lost in the Ocean,” a heartfelt song that could crack open the coldest of hearts. If “On the Run” is about fantasizing about independence, “Lost in the Ocean” is about the fear of being left behind, shining through with lyrics like “How are you so loved and so lonesome?”
The concluding portion of the song, when it’s just the stripped-back vocals and guitar, is bone-chillingly stunning. It’s the perfect concluding song that captures just how enormous the feeling of love can be.
A New Style
What makes Glass Animals’ music so special is their ability to make a record that sounds so quintessentially like the band’s style while also completely brand new.
I Love You So F**king Much proves that the band hasn’t lost their magical ability to explore new sounds. This record is unlike Dreamland‘s nostalgic new-wave tone or How to Be A Human Being‘s quirky beats. Over two decades into their career, the band continues to prove that it has the capacity to grow and evolve in unexpected, exciting directions.
Glass Animals’ music has always included emotional rawness, just hidden behind eccentric lyrics and funky beats. But this album peels back those protective layers even more than Dreamland did by admitting that we’re all guilty of subscribing to the idea of love.
I Love You So F***king Much absolutely lives up to its name by inviting listeners on a journey of exploring one of the most mysterious and overwhelming human emotions in a gorgeous way that’ll resonate with people for years to come.
Glass Animals’ I Love You So F***king Much is available wherever you get your music.
