Most bands would give their left arm for the type of viral success that Glass Animals experienced on their last LP, Dreamland, that spawned the massive single called “Heat Waves.” In an interview with Clash Music, frontman, songwriter and producer Dave Bayley shared about this experience: “Life can change dramatically, but sometimes you aren’t able to change as quickly on a personal level. You end up feeling like a spectator. And then you are asked and expected to be a certain type of person, a different person. But…I wasn’t sure how. It confused me to the point of not knowing who I was or if anything was real.” What came off of this success is the logical follow-up album that sounds like a band leaning into that rewarding experience with a bit of a swagger, and possibly a chip on their shoulders, to prove that they aren’t a one-trick pony. I Love You So F***ing Much is Glass Animals’ fourth studio album and it vividly explores what it means to be a small part in an enormous universe that is ever-changing. What we’re left with is a smooth collection of ten songs that play off of each other majestically and is the most complete artistic statement that Glass Animals have created to date.
”Show Pony” starts things off on the right foot and sounds like a band understanding their successful formula that they crafted on their previous record, as Bayley smoothly croons over the mix. The chorus of, “Show pony, make it burn / Smile as the knife is turned / Show pony making a return / As we make our way through the universe / Show pony making it burn / That’s how revenge is served / Make it so cold that it hurts / I guess he’s right that you live and learn,” provides a bit of context to Bayley and his bandmates’ collective headspace as they begin to contemplate their place in life.
”Whatthehellishappening” follows the silky smooth opener with a more up-tempo beat, spacey production, and a cool contrast from the verse to the chorus. The second verse of, “True love, what a fucking beautiful shit-storm / But it makes me wonder who’s been driving us / One bump at speed and the trunk pops open / Just as I was getting comfortable / Man, are you serious? / My luck, my luck / Locked eyes with the kid in the car behind us / Put a finger to my lips and I smiled / And I pull it shut,” finds Bayley as an observer and he remarks on how quickly life can throw us a curve ball. It’s a relatable concept that most of us will experience at least one point in our lives, and the band puts this on full display here.
The lead single, “Creatures in Heaven” has just about everything you’d want in an introductory statement for a new record: great production, a solid hook, and a memorable lasting impact. The keyboards from Edmund Irwin-Singer and Andrew MacFarlane combined with Bayley’s vocal performance is top notch, and they do a brilliant job of setting the tone for the track. The bass-heavy “Wonderful Nothing” follows in the sequencing and offers up some variety in the set that is filled with so many breathtaking moments. The song’s lyrics are a scathing response to the people who aren’t worth our time as the final verse laments, “You got big ideas, they’re as shit as you / Tryna self-combust, just for an excuse / Say I might throw up just to leave the room / I’d say, ‘Burn in hell,’ but they’d hate you too.”
The second single to be released from the LP, “A Tear In Space (Airlock)” features a cool opening beat set forth on the keyboards while Bayley commands the song from the get-go. The elemental chorus of, “Water, running down my face / Water, running different ways / Water, like a billion waves / Water, just a tear in space,” sets the tone for the rest of the material that follows, and you have a feeling that the music is just flowing naturally out of the band at this point.
The back half opens with “I Can’t Make You Fall In Love Again,” a bombastic track that opens with a casually strummed guitar before exploding into the chorus with atmospheric sounds and a backing orchestra to round out the full sound the band were going for here. The more simplistic “How I Learned To Love The Bomb” puts emphasis on Bayley’s vocals while the electric guitar chords bounce off of each of his lyrics. It’s a romping good time, and sounds like if Jack White took an attempt at writing a space-rock opus.
”White Roses” brings the sound back to keyboard-based attack, and sounds like the most logical follow-up to “Heat Waves” that exists on the new album. It has a very similar song structure, a memorable chorus, and an overall soothing vibe fit perfectly for today’s radio mix. “On The Run” is a thoughtful song that finds them reflecting on success as Bayley croons, “I swear that I try, swear that I try / Just to get it all the right way / Somehow I find every time / That I shit the bed anyway / The internet said, internet said / It would take a firm commitment / Ooh, but I got a way, definitely / That I can make it painless / I’m thinking this, I’m thinking this / Thinking I should fake my own death.” While Bayley exaggerates what it would take for his band to replicate their success, I’m sure some artists feel like it takes drastic measures to stay on top.
The album closer of “Lost in the Ocean” is a somber way to close out a record filled with so many hit-worthy songs, and it plays out like a song you’d want to play on full blast while watching the summer night sky fill with stars. I Love You So F***ing Much is a daring exploration of what life is all about. Falling in and out of love, being with people that make us feel complete, and finding our purpose in this crazy world is a task that not all of us will be fortunate enough to experience. Glass Animals take all of this in stride and prove they have what it takes to remain at the forefront of the cutthroat music industry.