Former One Direction star releases sophomore album

Millions of people from all over the globe, including myself, have followed English singer, songwriter and actor Harry Styles closely since his debut on X Factor in 2010. After the rise and fall of One Direction, Styles has continued to release solo music while maturing in his style and sound.

I thoroughly enjoyed Harry’s previous self titled album, so my expectations were high going into Fine Line.

While select songs on the track dive into nostalgia and remorse, others are upbeat and feel-good. You’re going to have a whole lot of fun listening to this album.

The majority of the album’s lyrics are about French-American model Camille Rowe who Harry was previously in a relationship with.

The album commences with one of the strongest tracks, Golden. This song gives sound to a sunset on a beach with your best friends. This could have been because he wrote the album in Malibu, which he explains further in his Beats 1 interview with Zane Lowe.

“My favorite memory from making this album was the day we wrote Golden,” Styles said. “We were all sitting in the kitchen at [Rick Rubin’s recording studio] Shangri-La, having dinner, and we played it on one guitar while everyone sang around the table. It just felt really good.”

Watermelon Sugar is an upbeat jam guaranteed to please most audiences. The term ‘watermelon sugar’ has been attempted to have been deciphered by many, but Styles has not confirmed or denied any of these theories, leaving it up to interpretation. I would have expected him to release this song earlier in the year, as it would have been a more popular song for the summer.

To celebrate the release night of Fine Line, Styles put on a concert at The Forum for only $25.

FINE LINE LIVE AT THE FORUM.
DEC 13 2019. pic.twitter.com/DleB884dII

— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) December 15, 2019

The album bounces right along to the next pop track, Adore You. I am a big fan of the production of this tune. The guitars and vocal samples add increased depth, even though you might not hear them upon the first listen. Adore You is accompanied by a seven-minute music video, telling a creative story about wanting to belong.

Lights Up was released as the first single of the album, which happened to be released on National Coming Out Day, Oct. 11. Many fans have speculated this as Styles’s coming out anthem and a confirmation of his bisexuality.

Cherry introduces a new sound to the record, one of just Styles and a guitar. The melody is catchy and the honesty in each word is beautiful. The lyrics are incredibly heartbreaking and very literal. He gets specific about his breakup with Rowe while providing a relatable chorus. At the end of the song, he features a voice memo of Rowe speaking French.

“I think it was because it got added in later on, and it felt so part of the song,” Styles said. “It just felt like it needed it. We’re friends and stuff, so I asked her if it was okay. And she was okay with it. I think she liked it.”

Falling continues the heartbreak, this time with a piano ballad. I see this one becoming popular with the public; it’s a very easy listen. Styles asks some tough questions in his reflective lyrics. He tells Lowe he wrote this song in about 20 minutes and that it came very quickly and naturally.

I am not a huge fan of To Be So Lonely. I think The Notebook reference is clever, but I won’t be listening to this one often.

She is my favorite song on the album. The lyrics could be describing an ideal lover or the side of a person that they don’t often show, but they truly are on the inside. The guitar contributed by Mitch Rowland makes this song standout, with a nearly three-minute instrumental outro.

The heartbroken artist begins to conclude the album with Sunflower, Vol. 6. The song reflects on the good times in his relationship with Rowe, which he desires even more than a melody. I found the melody of the chorus corny at first, but later found myself humming the tune often.

Canyon Moon features a nostalgic sound that sets it apart from the rest of the album. The title comes from Laurel Canyon, a canyon in Los Angeles that Styles lived near. The area was known for the “canyon sound”, established by rock musicians in the ’60s and ’70s. Stevie Nicks calls it her favorite song on the album, and I can definitely see why.

The album resolves with the title track, Fine Line. The song comes in at six minutes long and provides a grand finish for the album. Styles explains the ending to Rolling Stone.

“It started simple,” Styles said. “But I wanted to have this big epic outro thing. And it just took shape as this thing where I thought, ‘That’s just like the music I want to make.’ I love strings, I love horns, I love harmonies — so why don’t we just put all of that in there?”

I love this album. I love to see how Styles’s music has evolved over the years and taken shape in an industry that is constantly producing new tunes. I’m very excited to see what’s next for this artist and I’m sure the tour will be incredible.

For more music reviews, read Golden Hour draws attention with high accolades and Charlie Puth contributes refreshing presence to pop music in Voicenotes.

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Logan Lewis can be contacted via Instagram, Twitter, and email.