Ask anyone I know – I’ve loved One Direction for years and I have always been a Harry girl. I was obviously over the moon when I saw the advertising for his debut single solo Sign Of The Times and played it almost constantly when it was released. But what did I think of his album? Track by track, I will be sharing my thought of his solo debut.
The album begins with Meet Me In The Hallway, a mellow ballad with Harry’s echoed vocals accompanied by an acoustic guitar. It’s not my favourite and I don’t think it’s as powerful or exciting enough to be the first track of the album. But nonetheless, it sounds great and it’s a good start, just not one I’m always replaying.
Meet Me In The Hallway is followed by Sign Of The Times, the five minute forty, wonderful debut solo single which I feel is such a masterpiece of a song. It’s a contrast to everything else in the chart at the moment – in a very good way. It’s so beautiful, even though I’d be rich by now if I got a pound for every time someone came up to me and said “Erin, why do you like Harry’s new song? It’s so depressing!” There is nothing ‘depressing’ about it, only perhaps the fact there aren’t many songs like this making the charts at the moment.
Track three, Carolina, became my favourite on the whole album and it has stayed that way ever since. It’s got a chorus I want to turn up really loud and blast out while singing along (badly) to the “La la la”s. Two Ghosts, the fourth track, is a nice tune with lovely guitar rythms; maybe feels a bit boring after the energetic Carolina but I really like the lyrics (and I like the rumours it’s about Taylor Swift a lot).
Sweet Creature is another of my favourites. Again, the lyrics are lovely, the guitar accompaniment is simple and track feels effortless and beautiful. Only Angel, another mammoth track at almost five minutes long, is one of the exciting surprises of the album. Beginning with a heavenly intro which fits well with Sign Of The Times (I really wish it was after it on the tracklisting) is cut after a minute by exciting guitar riffs and Harry’s vocals. It’s exciting and echoes the rocky sound of Carolina.
You know when there’s that one song on the album that you just know in a concert, it’s the song where everyone goes absolutely crazy? That is Kiwi. Its uncontrolled, rock-influenced sound actually kind of shocked me at first, I found it to be the most unexpected track on the album and one that has certainly grown on me.
Ever Since New York is up in my favourites – probably my most played because I never get bored of it. It’s perfectly chilled after the excitement of Only Angel and Kiwi and one of the standout tracks of the album.
Woman follows, if I’m honest, it’s possibly my least favourite track of the album. It’s not one I actively choose to play if I’m not listening to the full album, unlike the rest. The ‘La La La’s of its chorus are a little on the dreary side when you compare them to that of Carolina. That being said, the guitar riffs are good and I think I’ll just have to listen to it a bit more and see if it grows on me.
Finally, we finish the album with From The Dining Room Table – I like this one a lot. It feels almost delicate, quiet and the perfect way to wind down the album. His debut solo only features ten tracks; some may feel that is too few, but I think it’s better to have ten quality tracks to have fifteen with a few not the standard of the rest.
Owning the deluxe edition of the album with the photo booklet was definitely worth it – the booklet feels like a proper book and more special than your average album. The photos inside are a lovely bonus and an insight to the recording of his album.
A lot of reviewers across the press have compared Harry’s album to many artists from different eras, and have mentioned it was very different from anything they were expecting from a boyband member. Since I am listening to Harry’s album as a fan since the beginning and not been an avid music follower for decades, my thoughts on his album are simply based on how he sounds, not who he sounds like.
I haven’t actually found the sound of the album (apart from Kiwi perhaps) much of a surprise, I think because it echoes One Direction’s later music like Stockholm Syndrome and Olivia which you can tell these ‘music buffs’ haven’t spent time looking into.
Harry performed Stockholm Syndrome on The Today Show and I was so happy because it shows he is still sticking to his One Direction roots a little. In his Behind The Album documentary, he spoke of his time in the band, saying he “loved it” and got him to where he is today. As a fan I think this is so amazing to hear and really makes me respect Harry, especially compared to how other members have acted lately.
I would love to hear what your favourite tracks are from Harry’s album in the comments! Also, let me know if you’re seeing him on tour, I managed to get tickets to his arena tour next April yesterday and I’m so excited!
