If you love music you would of heard of the curse of the third album. It usually results from a good or great debut album then followed by an amazing second album. Lots of artists go through this phase in their careers because it's usually easier to top their first album as when they start to write and produce for the second album they would of had more experiences to write about and also they learn how to refine their own particular sound however it's difficult to beat that success which is where the struggle comes in. One artist who I feel has recently beaten the curse of the third album is Harry Styles. In late May Harry released his third album called Harry's House which is the album I feel like we've all been waiting for! You can't deny that even if you're not a fan of Harry's music he possess sheer power and magnetism both on the music industry and on the whole world. If you're young, good looking, can sing and can write songs then you are sure to do well however Harry's on another level and has been for years since the One Direction days. When he sings live in front of 80,000 people at Wembley Stadium (I was there at the Capital Summertime Ball!) he commands the stage like no one else, even making the crowd shush until As It Was started! Now that he's a little older and more experienced I feel that he's really come into his own and this album shows that and I'll tell you why.
As you expect Harry’s House is one hell of a treat. After 3 years apart from his second album, he’s had a lot of time to explore different musical styles which is why this album sounds so great! Music For A Sushi Restaurant starts out as an electro instrumental for a good 15 seconds of the song until that echo of Harry’s voice enters the record. With an 80s sound that’s followed by a catchy chorus (which is now used for the new Apple Air Pods ad) it’s a great introduction to the album that sticks in your head for the rest of the day (or week!).
Late Night Talking is my favourite song on the album! This one has been on repeat the most and there are many reasons for this. As soon as the track starts you can tell that there is a retro feel to this song as it sounds like it’s from the 1970s as it has real soul to it that not many songs have nowadays. Harry’s voice gradually gets louder until it reaches the chorus when you get the full impact of the song, particularly when he sings ‘Now you’re in my life, I can’t get you off my mind’, that line resonates with literally everyone on this planet, whether you just have a crush on someone or you’re in love this them. I also love the title of the track as it really does represent a deep connection you have with someone so much that you can't stop talking to them until the early hours, whether that is a lover or even a friend.
Grapejuice takes the record into chilled summer vibes with it's mid tempo beat and Harry's relaxed use of his vocals. I love the relaxed sounding synth section near the end of the track which does sound like it comes straight out of 1982, which is actually the year that Harry mentions in the song, so this track is definitely inspired by 80s music.
AS It Was which you could argue is the biggest song of the year so far (and rightly so!) was Harry's debut song released from Harry's House and what a breakout song it is. Everyone I've talked to loves this song and whenever I tell them it's by Harry they are shocked to say the least! This is the most Pop sounding song on the album as it's your typical upbeat summer anthem with lyrics that anyone can learn in the same day. I love that the message can be interpret in different ways, either in regards to changes in a relationship or changes to the world in general as the world is definitely not the same as it was years ago for many different reasons. If he doesn't win any awards for this song in particular next year I'll be shocked to say the least!
Daylight is another song that fits into the chilled summer vibes section of the album however this one has more of a dreamy quality to it than Grapefruit. Fun fact about this video, it was actually directed by his friend James Corden while Harry was on the Late Late Show and they knocked on people's doors in New York asking if they could borrow their flat to film the video. Imagine finding out that both you and your apartment are going to be in a Harry Styles video, to say I'd be excited would be a huge understatement! One of my favourite parts of the behind the scenes video for the music video is when James Corden is holding up these fake blue birds that Harry's meant to pretend are not there however he keeps laughing every time they play the line 'If I was a blue bird I would fly to you' . It's very funny and I recommend you watch the making of it as well as the video itself.
Little Freak is where the album gets slower and more sentimental in meaning as Harry mentions that he keeps thinking about someone, which now we know is Olivia Wilde as that fits to the time frame of when he wrote this album and when they first got together. This is a great track to play when you just need to unwind from the busy world around you and those relaxing notes played on the acoustic guitar will surely help you do that.
Cinema brings the album back up to an upbeat sound and it's one of the coolest songs on the album for sure. It's got that funk genre sound to it again taking references from the 1970s. I love the electric guitar solo as it really brings soul to the track that the previous songs don't have as much of as they have more of a Pop sound in general.
Daydreaming like As It Was is a very summery pop song filled with a great use of harmonies going on from just taking different elements of Harry's vocals and putting them together, it's a clever trick which works well in this song. I also love the piano solo at the end which fades away towards to end of the song.
Keep Driving is another one of my favourites on the album as it sounds one of the most sophisticated songs on it which makes sense as Harry's maturing, so he'll want to show more of this side to him. I love the use of the metaphor of Keep Driving used to portray a relationship to ask should we keep this thing going or stop?
Satellite starts with a space age intro turning into a poptastic dance track which then turns into a rock song, so it's definitely the most eclectic song on the album. The lyrics in this one are a tad on the repetitive side as it's mostly him saying that he's waiting for someone over and over however it's still good to play in the background.
Boyfriends has a very relatable message unfortunately as it talks about them taking advantage of their girlfriends which many people have experienced. It's a relaxing ballad played mostly on an acoustic guitar and backing vocals which adds to how raw and poignant the meaning of the song actually is.
Love Of My Life opens to a haunted base sound getting faster as the song progresses. I'm not sure if the haunted aspect of this song is meant to represent a past love as that's what the lyrics suggest however it gives the song a strong instrumental punch. It then ends with a few keys played on the piano before the album is then completed.
I think this is Harry's best album to date which as I previously mentioned for a third album to be the best one is very rare indeed, but what can I say, he's a talented man! What are your thoughts on Harry's House, I'd love to know!
Thanks for reading
Chantal x
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