On December 13, Harry Styles released his new album Fine Line. The songs range from playful pop tracks like “Watermelon Sugar” to acoustic folksy songs like “Cherry.”
It’s obvious that in this album Styles pulls from a lot of sources to experiment with his sound. For instance, something about “Sunflower, Vol. 6” gives me Queen vibes and his admiration of artists such as David Bowie and Stevie Nicks is no secret.
Speaking of retro influences on his music, both the message and the style of “Treat People With Kindness” reminds me somewhat of The Beatles but more flamboyant.
One of the songs that stood out to me the most was “Cherry” because of its soft, sweet tone. Most of the songs on the album have an exciting, technicolor vibe, but “Cherry” is warm and comforting. Similarly to “Cherry,” I enjoyed the warm acoustic vibe of “Canyon Moon.”
Overall, the album is catchy and sweet. Its reminiscent tone manifests through both melancholy songs like “Falling” and “Fine Line” and through more upbeat songs like “Golden.” The lyrics may not be the most complex or unique but they occasionally stand out in songs like “Cherry” and “Sunflower, Vol. 6.” Additionally, Styles creates vivid, beautiful imagery in songs like “Watermelon Sugar.”
Fine Line is drastically different than any of One Direction’s work although I still prefer his last album. As someone who used to love One Direction, I think Styles has gone on to have the best solo career.
