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ALBUM REVIEW: "Harry Styles" by Harry Styles

   I haven't really enjoyed any of the post One Direction solo releases so far, but I tried my best to go into Harry Styles' debut solo album as objectively and without expectations as possible. And for the most part I was mildly surprised by what I heard, in a good way. There's a captivating interplay between intimacy and detachment all the way through the album, which is easily the most interesting thing about this album, allowing for some really strong lyrical moments and a rawness and authenticity that was completely lacking from any of the material One Direction put out. This record also kind of plays like a tribute to classic rock, which proves to be a fantastic way to showcase Styles' voice. My biggest concern here, however, is the way it sounds like the kind of album a band puts out past the halfway mark in their career. I recognise the moody, mature atmosphere Styles obviously is going for (worlds apart from the sugary One Direction sound), and he nails it for the most part, but from a guy still in his early twenties I was kind of hoping for a bit more energy and excitement. This becomes more of a problem on the back end of the record, that becomes sluggish and without a whole lot of direction. The production of this album sounds fantastic, I should add. There are some really strong moments throughout the album, but unfortunately you need to go looking for them a lot more than I would have liked (there are some real stinkers towards the end of the record, too). A generally likeable album on first listen, but not much beyond that, unfortunately.

   Favourite Tracks: Meet Me In The Hallway and Two Ghosts

    Least Favourite Tracks: Only Angel, Kiwi and Woman.

   Rating: 4.5/10

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