On May 20, singer, songwriter and global heartthrob Harry Styles dropped his anticipated third album, “Harry’s House.” Stylistically, (no pun intended), he branches out the farthest with this work and continues to merge with different sounds. In its entirety, “Harry’s House” is centered around dealing with changes and overcoming loss; however, he also doesn’t shy away from the occasional amorous track or lyric.
The album starts off with “Music for a Sushi Restaurant.” The track is a weird opener to the album. But, at least it’s full of boisterous horns, an enchanting chorus and lyrics like, “Green eyes, fried rice, I could cook an egg on you.” Per Styles’ taste, his thirsty lyrics bubble throughout the rest of the album. Some TikTokers claim this song channels the likes of China Anne McClain’s “A.N.T. Farm” theme. I have to agree, and it’s comical to say the least.
The second track “Late Night Talking” steals the thunder as perhaps the album’s catchiest tune and echoes Styles’ overarching theme of change. The intro lyrics are “Things haven’t been quite the same,” which are extrapolated further in the second verse as Styles sings, “I’ve never been a fan of change.” It’s hard not to love this track; its upbeat drums and cutesy lyrics combine to make a perfect summer song.
Styles shifts his tone a bit with the third track, “Grapejuice.” With a short guitar intro aided with an achy voice, this song oozes nostalgia and overcoming heartbreak. Of course, the title refers to wine, the literal form of grape juice, which he uses to soothe his pain. The chorus goes, “There’s just no getting through / Without you / A bottle of rouge / Just me and you.” Toward the end of the song, he refers to it as the “grape juice blues,” which tonally reflects his woe. Even so, the song is still incredibly catchy and not entirely glum, this seems to be Styles’ thing — nostalgic and sad, but the beats don’t let him linger on the sadness for too long.
The fourth track, “As It Was,” was released as a single and continues the theme of change and loss — it clearly “won’t be the same as it was.” The lyrics are nostalgic and a bit remorseful, but with a steady upbeat drum, the tone is somehow both cheerful and sad.
The fifth and sixth tracks take on slower paces than their predecessor; “Daylight” outshines “Little Freak.” Both sound similar to a LANY-esque beat, reminiscent of dreamy bedroom pop. “Daylight” details a yearning for a partner, but they are constantly out of reach. The soft guitar chorus combined with the drums create a sound that feels like you’re in the clouds. The latter, “Little Freak,” keeps the dream-like and soft beats instead of what I expected (which was a horny “Kiwi” 2.0). The lyrics are full of regret and longing for someone who you can’t have anymore.
With a gentle guitar intro, I knew the seventh track, “Matilda” would be the tearjerker. The lyrics detail growing up and leaving behind the toxic environment or family you grew up in. Styles speaks from an outside perspective and emphasizes that she can do whatever she wants; he’s proud of her growth. Tears were in my eyes as I listened.
In a whiplashing shift, “Cinema” comes in hot and sizzling as the eighth track. The seductive lyrics and beat keep Styles’ flow steamy. Literally and metaphorically, Styles wants all of this person: “Tell me what you want and you got it, love / I want all of you, gimme all you got.” He brings a new meaning to the word, cinema. I’m not sure how that makes me feel, but I think I’m into it.
Coming in with wistful horns and enticing choruses, “Daydreaming” is bubbly and cute. Styles belts out powerful vocals in this as well — which was surprising — up until this point he kept his voice calm and collected. The 10th track “Keep Driving” is a stream of consciousness type tune which is aided by a steady and quicker beat than its former. In the second verse, Styles interrupts his breakfast descriptions with a brief, “I will always love you.” It doesn’t fit in with the rest of the lyrics — it’s meant to stand out. The song continues on as an amalgamation of craziness, but he tells us to just keep driving.
“Satellite” is perhaps the most vulnerable of the thirteen tracks. Styles pens, “You got a new life / Am I bothering you? Do you wanna talk?” as the chorus echoes an airy “Ooh / Ooh” in the background. Like a satellite, the echoing beat spins around you dreamily. Styles urges the person to let them in but gives them space — metaphorically and literally. The bridge builds up with the powerful guitar and drum beat together aiding Styles’ strong vocals. It seems he remains out of their orbit, however.
The penultimate track, “Boyfriends,” is lackluster when compared to the rest. It’s a bit ballad-y and feels boring with its counterparts. Yes, it’s a great song for people with boyfriends! That might be it, though.
The 13th track, “Love Of My Life,” is an ode to a lost lover and dealing with the change this brings. “Maybe you don’t know it’s lost ’til you find it,” Styles echoes in his sorrow. He constantly speaks of the lover in the past tense, they were the love of his life. The lost lover is clearly on a different path, and Styles details how he doesn’t know where they’ll end up. Finishing with a simple yet graceful piano outro, this track solidifies Styles’ overarching theme of change and that nothing will ever be the same again.
Listen to “Harry’s House” now.
