Essential Albums: Harry Styles - Fine Line

Harry Styles’ second album, Fine Line, is elevated in every possible way in comparison to his debut self-titled album. Whilst the first album was heavily influenced by Styles’ musical inspirations and impacted by an attempt to distance himself from his boyband past, his follow up is brilliantly bizarre and unapologetically Harry Styles. It features a collection of hit tunes, and rather than borrowing the style of his idols, we truly get a sense of his personality and his voice shines through. The album has taken the sense of nostalgia from the music of the past and combined it with elements of soft rock, pop, and a hint of funk.

it gives listeners a glimpse into the most intimate aspects of his life

Many were quick to criticise his debut; it was by no means perfect. However, in his sophomore album, he allows himself to be vulnerable and it shows through his music. As Styles’ hero, Davide Bowie, states when it comes to one’s creativity: ‘Always go a little further into the water than you feel you are capable of. Go a little bit out of your depth. When you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting’. Styles has described this album as being ‘so much more open‘ than anything he has previously released since it gives listeners a glimpse into the most intimate aspects of his life. He allows himself to feel when creating music, and it is the raw emotion that draws listeners in, wanting to hear more. Styles allowed himself freedom when writing his record, no confines, or expectations put upon himself, he indulges his every musical urge. This record showcases his gift for making good music that allows listeners to feel, transporting them to somewhere nostalgic and great.

My favourite track from the album is the punchy opener ‘Golden’. It perfectly sets the tone of the album as it is infectiously energetic, it is indie with a hint of pop, a song you just cannot help but move your body to. The sound of his heroes Fleetwood Mac, is dotted throughout the track, however, this time Styles’ sound is not lost among his idols. One of the greatest aspects of the album is that the tracks tell the story of a relationship from start to finish. ‘Golden’ is an upbeat song about new-found love, it draws attention specifically to the honeymoon phase each relationship experiences, as well as the fear of potential heartbreak to come ‘I know that you’re scared ‘cos hearts get broke’.

The music is a confident step in the right direction, it is these kinds of tunes that the music industry needs right now

‘Watermelon Sugar’ picks up where ‘Golden’ left off, it explores the progression of a relationship, especially the highs of love and physical attraction. This song is sensual in both sound and content; however, the lyrics remain tasteful. ‘Watermelon Sugar’ is an upbeat sound that energises the listener, exciting them for what is yet to come. It shows off Styles’ voice and its ability to stand out amidst the sound of the funky horn and guitar. The song holds the perfect balance between a nostalgic groove and a modern hit single. Following the theme of the first two tracks, ‘Adore You’ is a song about the sense of infatuation that comes with love, feeling like nothing else in the world matters. It is a feel-good song that just makes you want to dance around your room. The chorus is infectious, a tune anyone would feel glad to sing along to. Adore You proves that Styles can create the modern, electronic sound that was absent in his debut album. The music is a confident step in the right direction, it is these kinds of tunes that the music industry needs right now.

At its core, Fine Line is about love and how it does not always end well; it sometimes causes people to do things they regret. The lyrics are shamelessly honest, the album, as Styles has said is ‘all about having sex and feeling sad‘. Fine Line is strongest at its core when tackling the stages of romantic grief. The acoustic track ‘Cherry’ is about the pain of losing a lover to someone else when you have yet to move on. What stands out in this song is that Styles chose to include voice recording of his ex-lover in the outro of this song, it creates a sense of intimacy with not only his art but his listeners. In the gorgeous piano ballad ‘Falling’, Styles laments the loss of a lover by turning to a personal experience in which he realises the love has been lost: ‘The coffee’s out at the Beachwood Café / and it kills me ’cause I know we’ve run out of things we can say’. The track pairs flawlessly with the previous, whilst both discuss the loss of a lover, ‘Falling’ is more of a self-reflection as Styles learns whom he has become after the breakup. Styles is at his most vulnerable during this track and you can truly hear it in his vocals, they are raw and at the centre of attention throughout. Music like this is special because listeners can hear the pain in his voice, making the experience a shared one.

The euphoric sound of the final track ‘Fine Line’ ends the album on a perfect note, after a turbulent wave of emotions regarding past relationships, Styles comes full circle with a new-found hopefulness after his past heartbreak. The lyrics of this song illustrate the juxtaposing themes of the album: love and hate, and the title represent this perfectly. Life is about finding the perfect balance between these emotions. ‘Fine Line’ has become a favourite of mine because it feels like time and consideration has been given to ensure the perfect conclusion to the album, musically and lyrically.

Styles may have taken his time to come into focus, however, the results serve him well and the outcome was truly worth the wait. Whilst his influences are evident, there is a far more cohesive sound that screams Harry Styles within Fine Line. It is an album that is aware of its limitations yet refuses to be constrained by them. Listeners are no longer left wondering who the real Harry Styles is, each track builds a new level of intimacy with listeners as he decides to let them into the deepest parts of his personal history.