“Little Freak” might be the most straight-facedly sincere track of the album, although “Daylight” also features achingly romantic lyrics that might be a sign that he still wants to keep a toe in his teen heartthrob era. Harry’s House only really falters when he takes himself a bit too seriously. The little bursts of falsetto are among the many little interventions that add depth and dimension to the album. Luckily, he revisits it on the jazzy “Daydreaming,” a simple yet effective song with a hypnotic groove. Its buzzing synths work well and the harmonies are tight, even its abrupt end leaves you wanting just a little bit more. That confidence allows him to deliver bangers like “Late Night Talking,” a track that embodies a breezy, effortless sex appeal. He could hardly be accused of lacking confidence on his previous outings, but this time he seems to carry himself with the comfort and ease of an artist who has grown into himself and knows it. When Styles’ charm does shine through, it comprises the best parts of the album.
More than being distracting, the real disservice those moments do to the album is in drowning out his voice and personality. While his boisterous pop sensibility works well when he does it right, throwing too much together creates plenty of moments that can feel overproduced and unbalanced. San Francisco Mayor Will Not March in Pride Parade Due to Ban on Police Uniforms His pivot away from pop-rock is a welcome one, although there are moments when it ends up being too much of a good thing. The funk elements that recur throughout the album help Styles channel some of the laid-back coolness of the era, a gimmick that pays off nicely when paired with other production choices like synthpop and jazz elements. That ethos is much more apparent on the album’s opener, “Music for a Sushi Restaurant,” which starts strong with a funky bass line leading into some infectious rhythms paired with lyrics seemingly designed to leave you wondering if he’s in love or just hungry.ĭespite his voice getting lost in the production a handful of times, it’s all just silly enough to work without coming across as overly forced. The single “As It Was,” which dropped in April, is a fun enough track, but doesn’t quite prepare a listener for the playful, even goofy mood Styles finds himself in. If 2019’s Fine Line was all about playing around with different styles and influences to see what clicked for him, Harry’s House feels like the one where Styles turns off cruise control and more deliberately leans into his strengths.