Fine Line: Review
COURTESY IMAGE // HARRY STYLES
It’s summer 2015, August to be exact, in the scorching Baltimore sun, within the walls of M&T Bank Stadium thousands of people wait for One Direction to take the stage. I was one of those lucky people who was given floor seats to see the iconic men— Louis, Harry, Niall, and Liam (you are missed, Zayn) — and I could not wait to get my groove on. During this life-changing experience, Harry Styles did his infamous spit take with some of his spit landing on my own forehead. Since that day I was baptized— reborn if you will — a new woman. Harry’s second solo studio album “Fine Line” is his spit landing on the foreheads of the entire population, their own baptism. Beginning to end, this album is a beautiful piece of art, sung by a beautiful soul carrying a beautiful message.
“Golden” is the first song on the tracklist. Styles himself said it is a great song to remind you of driving around Malibu. I agree, it is the perfect song for driving down the PCH in a convertible with wind flowing through your hair. The music is upbeat and exciting, but the lyrics carry a deeper meaning about a relationship between two people perfect for each other but at the wrong time. The second song on the album is “Watermelon Sugar,” a song about being in the midst of the euphoria stage of a blooming relationship. This is also a very exciting song that is perfect to jam out to, remind you of the summertime, and great to play to make you feel like everything is okay.
Next up is “Adore You” which is easily the most successful song off of the album. This is one of my favourites that is also about a new relationship and adoring your partner, if you will. Or maybe it’s just about a fish. Nonetheless, a cute song that always puts a smile on my face and can cheer you up in less than a second.
“Lights Up” was the first single released from the album. It was a perfect choice to introduce us to this new era of Harry Styles. A song about self-acceptance and being in a good place with yourself, it set the tone for the album overall about being okay with who you are. It was a completely different sound from his first album, and it did take me a second to get used to, but it is a banger nonetheless and did not leave me disappointed.
Following the pop vibes of the first four songs is “Cherry.” This song is great at displaying the emotions following a relationship where your former partner has moved on and is seemingly doing better. Jealousy is what sticks out the most, being upset that you couldn’t make them as happy as they deserve but wanting them to be happy even if it’s at the hands of someone else. It is a powerfully emotional song that even includes a voice memo of Styles’s ex. “Falling” is next which is actually a song that Harry said he wrote in just about 20 minutes. After listening to this song, which straight up is great to cry to, it’s incredible it only took that long. It has big sad vibes filled with raw emotion and I feel it is a great song to follow “Cherry” to kick you when you’re already down. These two songs are important for other reasons because they show it’s okay to be vulnerable, it’s healthy to address and process your emotions, and music is a great outlet for when you don’t know when or where to start.
“To Be So Lonely” brightens the mood a little bit. The message is sort of like you either want to be with this person or you don’t want anything to do with them. It’s addressing that you know you’re not perfect, that you have your issues and living with the consequences as a result of that. The beat is killer and is my second favourite off the album. Next up is “She,” a universal favourite. I have seen many different interpretations of this song and I think it’s amazing that songs can have different meanings for different people — a love that got away, Styles being in touch with his feminine side, or someone random you saw on your way to work. I have listened to this song many times with the different interpretations in mind and the song truly sounds different if you think of it with a different point of view. Musically, it is dark and mysterious, includes a stellar guitar solo, and gives off the sense of ‘70s classic rock. One of the most unique songs on the album is “Sunflower, Vol. 6.” This entire song is unpredictable both lyrically and musically. I really haven’t heard a song similar to it. Being infatuated with your partner and enjoying all the small things of a relationship whether it’s brushing your teeth or sharing an innocent kiss in the kitchen, but never getting bored of them and wanting to know everything about them is what makes this song so cute, adorable even.
“Canyon Moon” is one of those songs that you can’t help but smile and snap your fingers to. It features a bit of whistling which adds to the overall happiness of this song and makes you want to join in. It helps you think of a happier time and prompts a sense of optimism when dealing with an uncertain future. It definitely is underrated, and the album would simply be incomplete without it. Following that is “Treat People with Kindness,” a song named after Styles’s most popular phrase and an overall important thing to keep in mind. It talks about being happy with yourself and living in a world where we all can be kind to one another despite the situations that arise. A friend described it better than I could when she said, “it sounds like it belongs at the end of a kids movie” and I wholeheartedly agree.
“Fine Line” is what you’d hope would end this cultural reset of an album. It crescendos and reaches a climax that involves string instruments and a repeating line of “we’ll be alright” that is so powerful I get chills every time. This song deals with being in a relationship with both parties knowing they shouldn’t be together. They try and hold on for as long as they can by brushing off their problems and focusing on mending their relationship through other outlets. They both, however, remain unsatisfied and distant. I’ll say it again, this song is powerful for the impact the music gives the listener, how you can hear the emotion in Styles’s voice, and how genuine it feels.
Overall, I believe “Fine Line” deserves to be in everyone’s music library because there is a song for everyone. It gives us an insight into Styles’s mind, and I appreciate his vulnerability and him being comfortable sharing his emotions with the world. This album is great to catalyse some self-reflecting and is a piece of art that will transcend time for generations to come.