No.50 - ‘How To Be Human” by The Classic Crime (2017)

“I met God in a velvet Elvis painting that I painted myself, in a bar where I was pulling off the bottom shelf; When I had to quit before I killed myself, I met him there and I was scared; And so I asked God if he could fix my flaws; he said I gave them to you, I know they are killing you; But I'm not done with you yet…”

It is a breath of fresh air when bands with a particular world view or religious ideals are real about the hardships of life and struggles of faith. Although The Classic Crime don’t identify under the Christian rock genre due to differing views on faith amongst the members, themes certainly shine through. They are an honest band and How To Be Human is a wonderful album, both musically and lyrically.

The band were one of my Spotify discoveries throughout a period of finding new (to me) Alternative rock and metal bands. Their sound is not unlike that of Fallout Boy, but devoid of the polished pop feel and not as frantic. Notably, the driving drums and bass twang seem to stand out over the guitars, which gives an interesting and unique sound.

Their earlier albums produced heavy alternative rock anthems. Some songs were absolutely fantastic but I felt there was a certain harshness to their overall sound that began to grate. But their more recent releases have mellowed somewhat. It’s a positive direction and a more mature sound. MacDonald’s vocals still sound great; the songs give space for a wider range of tone, character and emotion, whilst still keeping a wonderful spiky edge to his voice.

I really loved this album on first listen, and it continues to grow on me. I always like a colourful album cover too! The lyrical theme throughout paints a picture of trying to grasp on to the wonder and mystery of God. Recognising that it’s not lost, but muted by religion and an overload of deadening theology. As I mentioned at the beginning, it’s a refreshing theme, which stands out amongst a world of dishonesty and “putting on a face”.

The Classic Crime formed in 2004, Seattle. Their last three albums, including How To Be Human, were all funded through Kick Starter and, in my opinion, are the best of their work. How To Be Human reached no.95 in the US album charts. It has been released on vinyl but, unfortunately, is not in my collection.

Favourite songs - Not Done With You Yet, Driftwood, Black & White, Shades Of Green

Other great albums - Phoenix (2012), Patterns In The Static (2020)





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