Harry Styles’ latest album “Harry’s House,” released on May 20, does not disappoint. It is the perfect summer album to blast in your car with the windows down — until certain tracks hit a little too hard, possibly causing you to sob (I know I did, at least).
The album starts off with “Music For a Sushi Restaurant,” which is sonically insane. The song has a bouncy feel with such smooth harmonies that will have you questioning your entire existence. Styles truly transports us to another dimension with the sweet blend of trumpets, drums, bass and of course his award-winning vocals.
The next track, “Late Night Talking,” is a personal favorite. It has a gentler feel than the first track, scratching your brain in just the right way. The lyrics “We’ve been doing all this late night talking / About anything you want to till the morning” from the chorus are especially catchy, making you want to sing along and bust out those dance moves you’ve been practicing in your room. They also remind you of that special someone that you just can’t get off your mind.
In my opinion, the next track “Grapejuice” takes a few full listens to fully appreciate. Styles’ vocals feel a bit far away, making it the perfect song for zoning out and thinking about life. “As It Was” follows suit with its upbeat and poppy feel to boost your mood once again. Although this single was released earlier this year, the bridge is still an absolute masterpiece no matter how many times you hear it.
“Daylight” helps you come down from your jam session with its more chill vibe. The instrumentals surround you in the best way possible. You can truly feel the electric guitar in your soul.
“Little Freak” deceived me with its title. I thought this would be a song similar to “Kiwi” or “Only Angel” (songs from Styles’ self-titled album “Harry Styles”). I was not ready for a whole crying session, though the track itself is extremely comforting. There is a certain calming factor to it. It helps lessen any anxiety I have while listening. Styles sings about a failed relationship that may have you reminiscing over all your past loves. Definitely a song for that 3 a.m. playlist.
As if Styles did not torture us enough with “Little Freak,” the next track, “Matilda,” will absolutely rip you into shreds. This song is for everyone who is stuck in a toxic environment or who has had to leave one in order to foster self-growth. It’s as if Styles is giving every person who hears this song a warm hug. I have seen people claiming on various media outlets that eldest daughters relate so deeply to “Matilda.” As the eldest daughter myself, I have to agree. I cannot fully express in words how much this song means to me. It is easily in my top three favorites from this album.
Styles brings groovy energy in his next track, “Cinema,” acting like he did not just totally stomp on your heart. The bridge has many fans confused with lyrics that are rearranged several times. It has become a TikTok challenge to use the audio and turn your volume down to see if you can get it right without hearing it.
“Daydreaming” immediately gets your blood pumping again with its upbeat intro and gritty background vocals that make you want to scream along with Styles. This is another track that took a couple of listens for me to get into, but I love it now.
The next track, “Keep Driving,” is another favorite of mine. It sounds straight out of the ’80s, which earns it a very high ranking in my book. It is a quintessential late summer afternoon driving song.
The lyrics to the next track “Satellite” are quite sad if you listen closely, but the song itself gets your head nodding. The lyrics “You got a new life / Am I bothering you? / Do you wanna talk?” are extremely relatable. The song is about that one person in your life who you feel disconnected from, even though you want to be there for them. Towards the end of the song, the instrumentals pick up, with the drum beat getting faster and Styles calling out the person this song is about. For me, “Satellite” represents what overthinking feels like.
Get your tissues ready for this next one. I mean it. The whole box. “Boyfriends” made me tear up the first time that I heard it. It is my favorite track on the entire album. Styles softly sings the story of a broken relationship that you still always come back to no matter how toxic it is. The repeated lyric “You’re back at it again” cuts deep.
The album is capped off with “Love Of My Life,” which I absolutely adore. Styles sings about a love that he thought was the one for him, but it did not quite work out. He captures the experience of being unable to let go of that one person your heart holds on to, no matter what. The gentle piano keys at the end were actually a teaser that Styles put out on his social media before the album was even released. I recognized the clip immediately. Nicely played.
Styles has outdone himself once again with this album. Go give it a listen!