THROWBACK THURSDAY: REVISITING HARRY STYLES’ SOLO DEBUT

Following the indefinite hiatus of One Direction, the world was left wondering what this split would mean for each member individually. Being at the peak of their career, the five members of the most famous boy-band of this generation had the world at their finger-tips.

Though the band announced their break in 2015, it would not be until two years later that Harry Styles released his debut self-titled solo album. I, along with the rest of the world, was pleasantly shocked at the new genre that the English singer had adapted in his solo music, tapping into a seventies, Fleetwood Mac- infused rock sound that strayed so far from the sound that One Direction had become so successful for.

I didn’t know it at the time, but this album would become much more than a collection of songs to me. It served as the soundtrack of the entirety of my high school career, and was a bridge into a genre of music I’d yet to discover.

The album opens with “Meet Me in the Hallway”, a softer song with an overall melancholic feeling. It starts with an instantly recognizable acoustic riff, with soft vocals that depict that longing for someone despite the fact that they’ve hurt you. By the time the chorus comes, the vocals erupt from that softer tone, to an emotional belt, where Styles sings; “Just let me know I’ll be at the door/ hoping you’ll come around.” Interestingly, the chorus’ are the only sections that are belted, creating a sort of balance to the song that I have not found is captured in many others. 

“Sign of the Times” is the second song on Harry Styles, and was also Styles’ debut single. The singer undoubtedly made a bold choice in choosing this as his first solo song, as it is a five minute rock ballad that veers toward the slower side. However, I think that this choice was calculated brilliantly, and was so far from what the world expected the former boy-bander to release fresh out of One Direction, that no one could be anything other than impressed. Styles had not only shown his vocal and lyrical capabilities on his own, but created something new, fresh and of his own. It was accompanied by a music video that showed Styles flying above water and mountains, and walking on water. “Sign of the Times” was a number one hit in the UK, and peaked at number four in the United States. 

Track three, “Carolina”, opens up with a unique, catchy melody with a quicker tempo than the song preceding. The song takes the listener through a story of a time in Styles’ life where he was inspired to write about someone whom he’d only had one encounter with. In the Apple Music documentary, “Harry Styles: Behind the Album”, the making of “Carolina” is captured as a fun, light-hearted moment in which Styles, along with his collaborators, can be seen banging pots and pans into microphones, creating an authentic sound that is included in the final cut of the track.

The album slows down at the fourth track, “Two Ghosts”, which taps into a country rock-esque sound. The song describes a past relationship in which each person has now grown individually, and Styles reflects on a time where they were together, but there were many things left unsaid left hanging in the void of what once was. “Two Ghosts” was released as the second single of Harry Styles’ debut album. 

“Sweet Creature” is a slow, stripped down track that showcases Styles’ wide vocal range. The song is an emotional tribute to someone who Styles views as an anchor in his life. The sound is simple in itself, which a track of this caliber should be, in my opinion. The simple harmonies and minimal instrumental allow the lyricism and vocal strength to really shine here. Track six is “Only Angel”, and is a great shift from the past few tracks, gearing into a seventies- rock sound. Its lengthy introduction creates the perfect build up, for when the song explodes into an powerful, strong piece. If Styles’ vocals have not been impressive thus far, “Only Angel” will certainly be the song to further cement the singer’s capabilities, when he goes from a lower register to raspy, strong verses. 

Following “Only Angel”, “Kiwi” takes us even further into that rock genre, and in juxtaposition, this song lacks an introduction, exploding right into a strong rock track, where Styles sings “I’m having your baby/ it’s none of your business”. This song is one that when performed live, brings it to life, harboring the energy from the crowd to allow it to turn into the high-energy track it deserves to be.

Track eight, “Ever Since New York” is my favorite song on this album. It’s a slower track that carries an acoustic riff throughout, along with the instrumental in tandem. The song itself is an emotional one, describing a moment in which everything changed, and every fleeting moment after is just that, a moment after. It provides a sense of longing and nostalgia, and its somberness gives the song a haunting, emotional feel. New York, as described in this song, is not so much a place as it is a moment in time in which something so significant happened that it cannot be seen any other way going further.

The penultimate song on Harry Styles, “Woman”, is a bass-driven track, and is the perfect second-to-last song for an album of this caliber. Its sultry, softer vocals with those of more rawness in the background, along with the more intense melody and instrumental, provide a sense of sensuality that describes the feeling of jealousy and infatuation. 

“From the Dining Table” is the tenth and final song off of Styles’ debut album, and is no doubt the saddest. The soft, light vocals are paired with the quiet, finger-plucking of an acoustic guitar, working together to encapsulate the sense of loneliness that Styles sings about in this song. “From the Dining Table” is a song about the lonely, pathetic feeling in the wake of a breakup, and then the shock of the other person having moved on. It is a devastatingly emotional song, and certainly leaves the listener thinking, as a closing track should. 

Harry Styles received raving reviews, and showcased Harry Styles’ abilities as a solo artist. I will go as far as to say that this album was fiercely ahead of its time, and deserves to be looked back on with admiration and continued to be listened to as such.