Popular musician and public figure Harry Styles released his second solo album titled Fine Line on December 13th, 2019. While this album came out last year and is technically no longer a surprise or big news, I personally enjoyed it immensely and wanted to talk about the genius of it.
The album, described by Apple Music’s Zane Lowe as “a collision of ‘70s rock, swampy alt-country, and world-weary, introspective balladry,” contains 12 songs in total. The singer completed the majority of the album in Malibu, California, but also partly in Japan.
The general theme of the album seems to surround the complicated web of feelings behind love and self-discovery, encompassing Styles’ attitude towards certain aspects of his life through metaphors and symbolism.
Songs like “Treat People With Kindness,” “Adore You,” and “Sunflower Vol. 6” display a happier, more optimistic point of view, with their charming melodies and positive lyrics. These attitudes are not consistent throughout the whole album, however, as we also see songs with the opposite perspective.
“Falling,” “To Be So Lonely,” “Cherry,” and “Fine Line” showcase the darker, sadder parts of love and the singer’s complicated relationship with it. These songs, while less optimistic, certainly have their own share of beautifully written lyrics and hidden messages.
In the “self-discovery” category of the album there is “Lights Up” and “Golden,” which focuses more on Styles’ personal journey through discovering himself and living life to the fullest. This is seen prominently with lines such as “Lights up and they know who you are..do you know who you are?” and “I can feel you take control of who I am and all I’ve ever known.”
The true meanings of these songs were never really revealed by the singer, but many fans love to speculate the inspiration behind them and any subtle messages they might contain.
Overall, Fine Line by Harry Styles is an amazing, intricate, beautifully thought out album that I definitely recommend to anyone wanting to find new music or explore aspects of themselves.
