Last Friday, December 13, Harry Styles released his second LP, titled Fine Line. The record was highly anticipated by fans worldwide, including myself, as his last self-titled album was released over two years ago. Fine Line had three singles released, “Lights Up”, “Watermelon Sugar” and “Adore You”, two of which were followed by a music video. One of the songs, “Adore You”, was even promoted by the creation of fictional island Eroda supposedly in the British Isles. The entirety of the record is based on his experiences with lust, love, and eventually heartbreak.
The album starts with upbeat, catchy “Golden”, which is one of those songs that sounds a lot different than the meaning behind it. The song compares his love to the sun, saying they are golden and brightening. It repeats the line “I don’t want to be alone” in the second verse, which symbolizes how heartbroken he would be and how dark his life would become if he lost his son, the light of his life.
The three released singles are songs 2, 3 and 4 on the record. They, like Golden, are very upbeat. They are all about love and sexual experiences in his life. Unlike his first album, all three of these songs have been on the radio for as long as they have been released, either because of the way they were released or because more people have been streaming them. Many people have been quick to say the singles are the best off of the album, but I have to disagree. Obviously the singles are amazing, but the rest of Fine Line is full of gems and I believe it is wrong to make that sort of assumption so quickly. You do you I guess.
Song number 5 is “Cherry.” Ever since word got out that there is a voice clip from Styles’ ex-girlfriend, French model Camille Rowe, in this song, fans had practically gone crazy waiting for it. In the song, Styles confesses his jealousy in a way, with the line “I can tell that you are at your best, I’m selfish so I’m hating it.” As for the voice clip, it is simply Rowe speaking on the phone in French. It seemed sort of eerie, but Styles included it because she was speaking in key with the song.
Next is “Falling”, a song that made many a fan cry. It is Fine Line’s “sad” song, being sad in both the music and the lyrics. It is a slow piano ballad where Styles sings about a type of breakdown, with lines like “What if I’m someone I don’t want around?”. The song truly shows his pain and anxiety from his past relationship, but it is something he seems to embrace.
“To Be So Lonely” is the seventh song, which showcases a guitalele, a hybrid between a guitar and a ukulele. More of Styles’ jealousy is shown here, with a bit of intimidation on his part. As the title suggests, the song is about being lonely and hating it. He admits his arrogance, and the music behind it is a perfect fit with the lyrics.
“She” is a six-minute song that was influenced by Styles’ mushroom usage while writing the album. To me, the song sounds like The Beatles meets Bowie, with a dash of Prince. The song has a major focus on the guitar, giving it a beautiful two-minute solo. It really shows off the rock star vibe Styles has, and it is an amazing song to have on the record.
One of the biggest mysteries to be was “Sunflower, Vol. 6.” Mostly because my first reaction was “Why 6?”. Regardless, the song is blatantly about lust. He has created yet another catchy song, one that has repetition and interesting noises from Styles himself. It is definitely an interesting song, and definitely worth a listen.
In my opinion, “Canyon Moon” is one of the most upbeat, catchy songs on the record. I know I keep calling all of the songs catchy, but this one is different. The instruments flow perfectly, the lyrics are kind and remind you of home and summertime with someone you love. It is also important to note that this song is Stevie Nicks’ favorite song, which means it must be good.
As any fan of Styles’ work would know, his main message is “Treat People with Kindness”. It is so important that he dedicated an entire song on his album to it. I mean, the man says it everywhere he goes, puts it on sweatshirts and hair ties, and just overall spreads kindness in his daily life. The song gives off a 60s peace and love vibe, with a chorus of background singers helping Styles spread his message. The song is one that would be fun to dance to, with the use of bongos and clapping to make it more fun.
The final song is “Fine Line”, a song that is even longer than “She” and has a sort of folky vibe. The song is a final look back at everything and the acknowledgment that everything will work out and eventually be alright. It is truly inspiring and is another example of Styles’ genuine love for someone in his past. The repetition in the chorus further expresses his point and yearning for happiness in the future.
Since the album came out last week, all 12 songs have made it to the charts in the US, it has debuted at number 1, and it has become the third-highest debut album in 2019. On the night of its release, Styles played a sold-out concert at The Forum in California to kick off the record. He has also announced pop up shops in New York, Los Angeles, and London. Because of the major success of Fine Line, Styles can only expect numerous sold-out shows on his recently released “Love On Tour” shows worldwide.