Beth Gonzales, Entertainment Editor
Harry Styles. The name we all ‘adore’. See what I did there?
Harry Edward Styles debuted his sophomore album in December titled “Fine Line”. After the release of his first solo album in 2017, Harry went silent on social media and left loyal Directioners and new Harries wondering what next project he would bring to the ‘dining table’. Okay my puns are over. Little did we know he was writing in Malibu, traveling to Japan, and creating his second studio album with Columbia Records.
Coming from the world’s biggest and most successful boyband, there are a lot of spectators on “Hazza’s” new music. Little do they know he came with rapid rock uptempos, warm acoustic mid tempos and some of the most lyrically strong ballads a generation has seen.
When One Direction started their hiatus and Styles’ first song was on the verge of release, people expected him to play it safe. But Harry released a six minute piano ballad known as “Sign of the Times”, a song not fit for radio play, but Styles trusted that those who truly appreciate his art would follow him.
He was correct. “Fine Line” spent weeks at the #1 spot on the Billboard Music charts. Senior Jackie Marquez says, “He uses his music to express himself in unconventional ways, not constrained by social expectations. He is truly himself and you can feel that raw emotion in his songs.” This album is miles different from his first, while still keeping his classic psychedelic rock sound, being compared to artists like Bowie and Queen with tunes sounding straight out of the 70’s such as “Treat People with Kindness.” Marquez speaks on her favorite song, “I love Canyon Moon, a bittersweet song looking back on better times, makes me feel nostalgic.” Nida Haseeb, a senior and fellow original Directioner says, “While listening to this album I was awestruck, I felt such pride. He is one of the leading vocalists in the music industry today, reflecting back into old music and mixing it with the new.” Of course Harry does not do this all alone. His unbelievable band consists of people like his drummer Sarah Jones and guitarist Mitch Rowland who deliver insane instrumentals such as in the song, “She”.
There is a reason this album entered the new decade at that top spot in the charts. Harry’s pop simplicity and mystic image is nothing but ‘Golden”.
The Cat's Eye 