Five years ago, you could not hear the name Harry Styles without associating it with British boy band, One Direction.
Five years and three solo albums later, Harry Styles has successfully established himself as a prominent face in the music industry.
On May 20, fans overcame a three-year drought as Styles released his third solo album, Harry’s House. After listening to it a questionable number of times, I can concur that the wait was worth it.
If you are a Styles fanatic, you are keenly aware of the spontaneous reputation that precedes him, and this new album is no exception.
No one really knows what to expect from Styles other than the assurance that it will be one of the best albums to ever grace your ears. I expected the album to be good, and yet I was still flabbergasted when I heard the opening notes of “Music for A Sushi Restaurant,” track number one. The mix between the funky bass and the keys paired with the booming sounds of a French horn is something one would not think to pair together, but Styles makes it sounds so cool. This loud and confident song sets the tone for the entire album.
This is not to say that this album is like nothing we have heard before, but that Styles makes something good and manages to craft something even better than the predecessor.
I am saying that unlike his previous albums, this one feels more vulnerable and intimate. It feels as though Styles has stopped focusing on what other people want to hear and started making music that he likes and is content with.
While the album is mostly comprised of pumped-up beats, one must really focus on what Styles is really saying (or in this case, singing) to understand the deeper meanings behind his harmless and fun lyrics.
In comparison to his sophomore album, Fine Line, Harry’s House feels like a love letter, and he has songs like, “Love of My Life,” “Late Night Talking” and “Daydreaming,” to prove it. It also feels like Styles has overcome obstacles that prevented him from finding joy in life and wants us to be able to do the same.
Harry once again explores with the familiar themes like love, relationships, drugs and more, familiar themes we have heard in his previous albums. This time, he ties it in with the feeling of belonging and being content with one’s true self.
Since May 20, I have not been listening to anything else besides Harry’s House, I wish I were exaggerating. This is an album one can play when doing just about anything.
I cannot express enough the outstanding job Styles did. It is a 10/10 album, and rightfully so.
