Glass Animals Release New Album with Love Songs

July 15th, 2024

Glass Animals, a British indie-pop group celebrated for their unmistakable and ethereal soundscapes, have once again captivated their audience with their latest work, which delves into the multifaceted nature of love. The band, featuring Dave Bayley as the vocalist and songwriter accompanied by his adept bandmates, presents their fourth studio album, "I Love You So (Expletive) Much," a 10-track odyssey that explores various dimensions of love, far beyond the familiar joy and sorrow. The album opens with "Show Pony," a track that brilliantly captures the ups and downs of a fervent and eventually dimming romance. Bayley's songwriting brilliance shines as he maneuvers the word "love" in imaginative rhymes, while the music mingles experimental beats with traditional instruments. Songs like "Wonderful Nothing" add a different texture with orchestral elements and cosmic synthesizers, painting a vivid portrait of love entangled with antagonism, yet acknowledging an inescapable affection. The record employs grand imagery of the cosmos and the deep ocean to mirror the feelings of being adrift in the vastness of love and existence. In "Lost in the Ocean," Bayley confronts his own solitude despite being adored, expressing a desire to shout out into the void. Each track seems to revisit a melodic pattern that, although repetitive, gains depth with each subsequent listen and allows for a full appreciation of the emotive storytelling woven throughout. Particularly noteworthy is "I Can't Make You Fall in Love Again," a song that at first may seem uneven in its rhythm, but on closer listening reveals itself to be a complex and poignant ode to the push and pull of an old flame. The album invites listeners on a journey that is as chaotic as it is simplistic, reminding us that love, in all its forms, is the common thread that binds us. For enthusiasts eager to delve deeper into the intricacies of recent music offerings, further insights are available.

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💭 Discussion Questions

. How does Glass Animals' fourth studio album 'I Love You So (Expletive) Much' expand upon the traditional themes of love in its lyrical content?

. What musical techniques do Glass Animals employ in their latest album to convey the complexity and depth of emotions related to love?

. In what ways do the tracks on 'I Love You So (Expletive) Much' use repetitive melodic patterns, and how does this affect the listener's experience and interpretation of the album as a whole?

📖 Vocabulary

🌐 Cultural context

The United Kingdom has a diverse music scene, with indie music being a significant genre. British cultural optimism and irony are often reflected in art and music. Glass Animals would be recognized within the UK's rich history of innovative and genre-blending music groups.

🧠 Further reading

Indie music scene

In a diverse world of music, independent music scenes offer a fresh and often rebellious alternative to the mainstream sound. Such scenes are birthed within communities typically focusing on genres like indie rock or indie pop, and they influence the evolution of new and impactful musical styles. A great example is the no wave movement from New York, Madchester from the United Kingdom, and the iconic grunge scene from Seattle. These indie communities emerge as a cultural resistance to dominant musical trends and contribute to the unique identities of those who engage with them. Within Asia, Japan's indie music community garnered major attention towards the end of the 1990s, at times referred to as the "indie boom." Significant artists from this period include Haruomi Hosono, Komoya Tesuya, and Oyamada Keigo, famously known as Cornelius, who played a pivotal role in propelling the Shibuya-kei movement. Internationally appreciated acts like Pizzicato Five and Supercar, whose debut album in 1998 left a lasting mark on Japanese indie rock, emerged from this scene. Nevertheless, Japanese indie music faces challenges from local licensing laws, which limit the distribution of indie music through major media outlets and confine sales to smaller specialty shops that import international records. Yet, despite these limitations, the Japanese indie scene is thriving with artists like the pillows, Asian Kung-Fu Generation, and Beat Crusaders gaining popularity. In South Korea, the independent scene, often known as "K-Indie," echoes the global power of K-pop by carving out its own niche within Korean music culture. The heart of this vibrant scene lies in Seoul's Hongdae area. Thanks to platforms such that YouTube, Korean indie music has found audiences across the globe, creating a space for alternative voices amidst the international music landscape.

Pop music

Pop music, a significant genre within popular music, began its evolution in the United States and the United Kingdom in the 1950s. In its early years, pop music was synonymous with the broad youth culture of rock and roll. However, by the end of the 1960s, pop took on its own identity, defined by its more commercial nature and broader accessibility, distinguishing itself from certain types of rock music that catered more to album-oriented audiences. Characteristics of pop music commonly include catchy choruses, hooks, and a conventional structure of verses and choruses designed for easy listening and dancing. The genre often incorporates elements from various other musical styles including rock, urban, dance, Latin, and country. The terms "popular music" and "pop music" are frequently used as if they are the same; however, "popular music" more accurately labels any music genre that resonates widely with the public, encompassing a diverse range of styles. While pop music does frequently top the music charts, it stands apart from other chart music genres. Music experts and researchers offer varied definitions of pop music. David Hatch and Stephen Millward highlight pop as distinct from popular, jazz, and folk music. Folk musician Pete Seeger sees pop as a professional form of music drawing from both folk and classical traditions. David Boyle regards pop as music popularized through mass media and not just confined to chart-topping hits. The charts reflect a mixture of music, including classical and jazz, but pop is viewed as its own evolving genre with a focus on mass appeal, often characterized by songs intended for quick consumption, primarily targeting younger audiences, in contrast to rock's album-focused approach catering to adults.

Preacher's Daughter

Ethel Cain, an American singer-songwriter, made her striking entrance into the music scene with her first studio album called "Preacher's Daughter," unveiled on May 12th, 2022. This album, released under her own label, weaves an intriguing story inspired by her upbringing as the child of a deacon. Blending various musical styles like folk, Americana, and slowcore, the album comprises a dynamic and unique sound. In preparation for the album's release, Cain shared three singles— "Gibson Girl," "Strangers," and "American Teenager" — which garnered attention in the months of March and April 2022. Critics showered the album with praise, particularly commending its meticulous production, thematic unity, evocative storytelling, and lyrical depth. The album has not only been hailed as one of the best albums of 2022 but has also developed a dedicated fan base. To promote "Preacher's Daughter," Ethel Cain embarked on two concert tours across North America, Europe, and Oceania, namely the Freezer Bride Tour and the Blood Stained Blonde Tour. Ethel Cain's music journey started early during her childhood when she sang in a church choir and started playing classical piano at the age of eight, drawing initially from a broad spectrum of Christian music. At sixteen, she left the church, and two years later she began writing her debut album. Before this, at the young age of 18, she had already started transitioning after moving away from her religious family home in Florida. Her early musical offerings in 2017 were "dreamy bedroom pop" demos under various aliases. The same year, she officially released her music to streaming platforms with an EP called "Colossus," originally under the name Atlas, which she later changed to White Silas. Under the latter, she produced four more EPs between 2018 and early 2019. Finally, she established her presence with "