If “Harry’s House” embodied an actual place, I would imagine it being a vibrantly colored house existing in the 70s.
The album has intimate lyrics exploring the ups and downs of relationships, and reminiscing on past ones you wish you could change. Synthesizers from the 1970s and 1980s make a comeback in this album, and generally speaking keep you dancing throughout the 41 minutes of songs. With the synthesizers, bouncy beats and Styles’s classic pop-sounding voice, “Harry’s House” is a dream for fans of pop music.
“Music For a Sushi Restaurant” perfectly demonstrates the retro influence of the album. In the verses, a bass guitar slides up into a funky rhythm while subtle percussion fills in the background. The lyrics are softly sung, describing different types of food. An occasional chorus of high pitched “ahh’s” adds some variety, and just before the chorus they build to the climax. Horns blast the melody while a synthesizer holds the bass.
The song is almost like a collage, with various aspects combined together. It feels like each section has a pretty abrupt transition (minus the chorus, as he builds into that with vocals). Each section of the song feels noticeably different — like they don’t match up well. The song is missing a unifying thread to connect everything together. Even the lyrics don’t seem to tell any kind of story. He describes food, says “I love you, babe,” and talks about this being “music for a sushi restaurant, music for whatever you want.”
Don’t get me wrong: it’s catchy. My critique is that it feels a little disjointed — it could benefit from something that ties each section together.
“Music For a Sushi Restaurant” stands out from the rest of the album, as it is the only one with a party feel. The rest of the album falls in a more chill, indie pop or retro pop category. It is the kind of album you would throw on the car stereo to simply vibe out on your way home.
“Keep Driving” perfectly embodies that description. It has a laid back, appreciated bass line with what sounds like a keyboard flute softly following that, and a quiet guitar emphasizing certain parts of the riff. Styles sings with a quieter, intimate voice throughout the song, asking a person he loves if they “should just keep driving” past the chaotic world around them.
The song builds to a relatively intense ending with lyrics describing things such as “riot america, science and edibles, life hacks going viral in the bathroom, just act normal” — representing the challenges and controversies and general life of the modern day. All the instruments cut out at the final line: “should we just keep driving?”
It’s a song I would want to play while I’m winding down, or relaxing with my partner or a close friend. “Little Freak,” “Matilda” and “Satelite” can also fall under this description.
There are still some more upbeat songs as well. “As It Was,” the album’s single, has a melodic keyboard intro that reminds me of “Take on Me” by a-ha. This track has an 80s feel to it, with bouncy drums creating the energy for dreamy waves of synthesizer to fill the space. The melodic keys come back in the chorus and leave you bouncing. “As It Was” is simultaneously energetic and mellow — the kind of song you would play at a small party with your friends.
As a whole, “Harry’s House” will take the hearts of the pop music community. It has catchy melodies as well as calmer tracks to sway to. I wouldn’t call it anything special, but it is certainly worth a listen. There will likely be a song or two that you want to add to your regular playlist.
