When one thinks of a coming of age tale, they thing of romantic comedies, high school sweethearts and records about growing up. And while all of those are accurate depictions of the classic coming of age story, what we don’t usually see is what comes after. What happens when you continue growing and changing and overcoming life’s obstacles as you grow through your twenties and into your thirties? Amber Run are tackling exactly that on their dynamic and vulnerable fourth album, How To Be Human. Throughout the album’s thirteen tracks, the band traverses the difficult terrain of just existing and figuring your life out, and they do so alongside an absolutely stunning soundtrack, which comes as absolutely no surprise.
Those who are familiar with the London-based indie-rock three piece have come to expect and love the band’s uncanny ability to tackle emotional and difficult subject matter, and How To Be Human simply expands on that while also flexing their songwriting abilities. Songs like the powerful “Hurt”, “Funeral” and “I Hope It’s Not Like This Forever” find the band struggling to get through loss and hardship while “Honeylight” and “The Start” celebrate love and life’s highs.
Like previous releases, each song on How To Be Human is driven by personal and relatable lyrics, but what sets the album apart from its predecessors are its diverse sounds. No two songs on How To Be Human sound the same, yet never feel forced. From the more dreamy songs like “Ride” and acoustic-driven “Always Blue” to energetic anthems like “The Start” and “How To Be Human”, Amber Run continuously step out of their comfort zone and push the boundaries of their sound. The crescendo of these dynamic songs comes with the absolutely stunning and timeless final track, “The Last Dance” which arguably marks one of frontman Joe Keogh’s best vocal performances yet.
Not only is How To Be Human an incredibly exciting listen, it’s also very cathartic. It’s a very real account of navigating adulthood and trying to figure out exactly what the title suggests: how to be human. Fans will easily find a piece of themselves in each of these songs – I know I did.