Not only has it been a while since I have written an album review from the music I listen to, but it has also been a while since I have listened to an album that has made an impact on me, in its very first listen. I hope you will enjoy reading my review and appreciation of the latest release from Harry Styles, his latest album Harry’s House.
So on the outset, I feel that I need to address the very fact that I haven’t been a One Direction ‘fan’ so to speak. Primarily because I was into different music at the time but Harry first caught my attention with the release of his single Adore You in 2019. As I bopped along to this track every time it played on the radio, I began to notice and wonder who created this perfect pop song, when this kind of sound really didn’t exist much in 2019. It was then that I discovered the Isle of Eroda and Harry and enjoyed the rest of his super hit second album Fine Line and as they say, the rest is history!
I was also happy to see that Harry was so in meditation and promoting the benefits of it for mental health, and that he created a sleep story for the Calm app (you can read my review of this here) and I realised that while I might not necessarily fit the typical age group of Harry’s fans, we actually have quite a lot in common (I also grew up listening to Shania Twain, Stevie Nicks & I love Lizzo!)
So like the rest of Harry’s billions of fans, I eagerly awaited 20th May which would be the release of his third successful album, Harry’s House. The idea behind the album title is that we would be listening to music that Harry has created with his band in one room like in a house and as a music lover, I love the idea of this concept! The album features 13 tracks all of which have a relatively good length around the 4 minutes mark.
Of course, I already loved As It Was. This song is definitely a true representation of the last two years we all suffered as a nation, and how we emerged to the other side. I love the happy sound in the later part of the track too, but for some reason, the bells remind me of Christmas (Harry this could have been a Christmas number 1 in the UK lol!)
Moving on to the rest of the album, my top tracks include Matilda, Daydreaming, As it Was, Cinema, Love of my Life and Late Night Talking. I have to give a special mention to Daydreaming which gives me motown/Michael Jackson vibes because of Harry’s high pitched vocals and the music arrangement is so funky, and his vocals sounds so genuinely happy give me all of your love give me something to dream about…really hope it releases as a single.
I particularly enjoyed the more sensitive, laid-back yet impactful tracks Little Freak, Matilda and Boyfriends. I can relate to Matilda on a much deeper level and Boyfriends is a brave and innovative track to be heard from a male point for view. I also love Music for a Sushi Restaurant (that bassline!) which has the most unusual song title ever, and isn’t reflective of one particular style that music but several) but is a very catchy album opener. Grapejuice (he just has to have a fruity song!), Daylight, Little Freak, Satellite and Love of my Life are all great listens and none of the tracks sound like each other which makes it an even more exciting album. This album does not feature any track skipping! It is also a much more mature sound compared with his previous album Fine Line. I enjoyed the variety of song arrangements and the inclusion in my piano. Harry has truly experimented with his vocals on this album, and we see many variations of his falsetto, deeper voice and even yodelling (Daydreaming) on the album. He has given equal importance to the variations in music on each track, and his singing which is truly commendable.
And there you have it, my review of Harry’s House comes to a close. I thank Harry for inviting me to his humble abode and I hope he knows that I will be paying many visits in the future. I have found my favourite summer album of 2022! Get yourself to Harry’s House pronto, to enjoy some soothing and amazing music. Listen to the album on all the major streaming platforms.
Jem Girl at the Piano 