Welcome to Harry's House
You're going to want to live here for the summer.
Hi.
We made it. After all the coded tweets and slivers of images behind the door, Harry’s House—the third solo album from Harry Styles aka the British fruit man—has arrived in all its vibe-y glory. And yes, there’s lots of food to sing about on this one too.
The vibes are IMMACULATE on this album. I love it so much. (Please read that in the very perfect way Harry says “I love it/you so much” in his more muddled by the day accent. I could practically subsist on hearing him say that sentence alone. I mean, not really, but you know what I mean.)
Harry’s House is jazzy and funky and loose and unfussy and sexy and sometimes sad but filled with so much joy and many, many bops. I dare you not to dance. It’s extremely confident and H’s voice is beautifully breezy. The songs are so easy to listen to, but they are sonically super textured and complex if you want to dive in deeper. A tip of my hat and my heart to Harry and his longtime collaborators, Kid Harpoon (aka Tom Hull) and Tyler Johnson on this wonderful creation. I think this is absolutely his strongest album, sonically speaking. Though I would probably put Fine Line above it, lyrically.
There are some other famous names in the credits too. Dev Hynes shows up on the cello on “Matilda”. Ben Harper brought his slide guitar to “Boyfriends” while John Mayer rips on his electric on “Cinema” and “Daydreaming”. (Dev, aka Blood Orange, will be opening for the mini-residency at MSG later this year, while Ben will join the tour in LA for the 10 shows at The Forum.)
It’s a put it on while you sit on the patio or on the dock at the lake sipping on a cocktail or easing into a gummy (or, um, both) as the sun goes down kind of album. Harry has said that this is the most “him” music he’s made yet and you can feel that comfort in the music—and you could see it during One Night Only. (BTW Apple Music is playing it again today, 5/22, at noon ET.) And I really do think you should just listen to it as designed from “Music For a Sushi Restaurant” to “Love of My Life”. It’s a perfectly crafted, beautiful journey.
While the album shares a title with a Joni Mitchell song (she approves!!) and Harry is a HUGE Joni person, the actual naming inspiration comes from Japanese pop icon Haruonmi Hosono’s 1973 album “Hosono House”. As any Harry fan knows, Japan and Japanese culture and music is extremely special and important to him.
The response to the album has been extremely positive and the streaming numbers are pretty fucking astounding, like more than doubling single day Fine Line numbers. He’s in the uppermost echelon of music elite now. There’s no question. THE PRIDE I FEEL…but also as if it wasn’t fucking hard enough to get tickets before. Sigh. But we cannot gatekeep this witchy, fruit loving, sunshine-y charmer with the voice of an angel. TPWK, always.
I recorded a podcast ep that’s allllllll Harry. Because of course I did. I kept it under an hour, barely…but still.
Before we get into a bit more about the music, Harry was doing the promo rounds all week and sat down with Zane Lowe for Apple Music, Howard Stern, Today, and lots of radio spots, etc.
Zane’s interviews are always so soothing. Also, Harry ofc looks super duper adorbs and I ofc want that Adidas x Gucci sneakers. Frankly, I want every piece from that collab. It’s like, even when he’s not directly taking my money, he’s willing me to spend money.
The sweater is custom Ilana Blumberg and he’s been wearing a bunch them during promo. And a whole new batch of chunky .
Harry + Harry Lambert (his stylist) have never met a playful knit they didn’t like.
We also appear to be in the custom Gucci ringer tee era and I, for one, am extremely here for it.
HS Fashion Archive, who are so excellent and quick with credits on everything he wears both on duty and off, are on it with a tracker. Follow them on IG and Twitter if you like keeping up the Styles’ styles.
I was also extremely here for the rehearsal look at Today, for more reasons than a fern flash at 7 AM 🙃🙃🙃. (The last rehearsal gave us the famous JW Anderson cardigan, so you know he had to bring it again. He also got his Gucci lion ring back via fans, after it flew off at Coachella.)
It’s all tracking with the way the album makes you feel, which is obviously the point but they just do it better than most. And he can literally wear ANYTHING and make it groovy and amazing.
The strawberry tee + green pants (a similar version of which have been stalking me online for weeeeeeeeeks!) were worn on Howard Stern where he talked about his “peen” and “bum bum” in the context of My Policeman, which is says is coming out in October or November. He says he didn’t have to get naked for Don’t Worry Darling but does for MP, but we’re only getting bum bum as the peen was “pre-negotiated to stay his own.” As we know, I may turn to dust watching this movie. It’s very on brand with all the feeling sad and having sex.
They don’t have the full interview up on Stern’s YouTube yet, but there are some clips over on the show’s channel.
He premiered “Daylight” on Stern and also did “Boyfriends” but sadly we didn’t get another cover a la the genius “Sledgehammer” from the Fine Line/Stern appearance. He is doing BBC Radio 1 on Tuesday and a special cover is promised. He did Joni’s “Big Yellow Taxi” on BBC Radio 1 in the last album cycle so I cannot WAIT to see what he busts out this time.
Also, Mitch and Sarah (his bestie/guitarist and his incredible drummer) confirmed that they did indeed get married. YAY! They also have a babyyyyyyyy (but we knew this) who gets to tour with Harry Styles. While Howard was his gross self commenting on Sarah’s body bouncing back, we get to hear Mitch speak and crack a couple jokes which is a rarity! Love. To. See. It.
Say hi, Daddy! (BTW, if you’re new to the fandom, look no further than @harryflorals as your #1 update account. They must be so tired, but they always have the #Hontent for us all immediately.)
Now, let’s dig into the songs a bit more. I go track by track on the podcast, so I won’t repeat everything I said here. But there are very truly no skips on this beauty. (We haven’t gotten another music video as of yet, but the lyric videos are all up on H’s YouTube channel.)
We kick it off with an absolute fucking banger of a song in “Music For a Sushi Restaurant” which is intentionally musically messy in the most perfect of ways. THE HORNS ARE EVERYTHING! HIS VOICE IS EVERTHING! He wails. He fucking scats. It’s a GD beauty and sets the tone for the rest of the album’s sound and vibe. Prince would be proud, buddy.
Green eyes, fried rice, I could cook an egg on YOU, Harry.
Then we vibe into “Late Night Talking”, which my friend Allie said—when we first heard it at Coachella—is somehow giving Hall and Oates AND Donna Summer. And then Hall and Oates tweeted about it. Boom.
It’s yacht rock but make it modern, with a side of ‘80s Prince. It’s perfect. Harry told Zane this was the first song he and Kid Harpoon wrote when they moved back into the Shangri-La Studios about six weeks into the pandemic to start on this album…which of course begs the question WHO were you late night talking to back then, H, and why wasn’t it me?
No matter what, I promise this song will make you happier, baby.
Slide into the floaty goodness of “Grapejuice” next with all its wine references. Yum to the whispering and the wistfulness of it all.
Next comes “As It Was” which absolutely still bangs, followed by another current favorite, “Daylight”…though my rankings are ever shifting. You probably don’t even want to know how many times I’ve listened to this album already LOL.
This song is so GD dreamy it both hurts and heals. To be the girl reading her horoscope and doing coke in Harry’s kitchen? THE DREAM. Even though it appears this woman low-key blew the man off in a way I could never. (And no, there is no connection to the Taylor Swift song of the same name.)
Here they are doing it on Stern…cursing the Daylight and singing about bluebirds.
Then we head into the Abby starts crying portion of the album with “Little Freak” into “Matilda”. Before release, I thought “Little Freak” was going to be more of a rock song but NO it’s slow and sad and perfect and definitely a Scorpio. This motherfucker even threw in a Halloween reference to haunt me.
Listen to it and start to get misty, as I am known to do.
I love verse a lottttttt.
I disrespected you
Jumped in feet first and I landed too hard
A broken ankle, karma rules
You never saw my birthmark
Then prepare your heart to sob for Matilda, which I think is the most powerfully emotional song on the album. It’s about a friend (disguised as Roald Dahl’s Matilda) who grew up in shitty circumstances and H is singing about how it’s okay to basically put that boundary up for yourself and build your own future with a family that “will always show you love.” It’s going to help so many people feel okay and stronger in that experience. It already has in that magical Harry Styles way. I cannot wait to see it live and cry in a safe space with all my people.
I cried just talking about the words on the podcast. I cry almost every time I listen to it. It’s a special one.
Here are all the lyrics:
You were riding your bike
To the sound of it's no big deal
And you're trying to lift off the ground
On those old two wheelsNothing 'bout the way
That you were treated
Ever seemed especially alarming till now
So you tie up your hair
And you smile like it's no big dealYou can let it go
You can throw a party
Full of everyone you know
And not invite your family
'Cause they never showed you love
You don't have to be sorry for
Leaving and growing up, mmmMatilda, you talk of the pain
Like it's all alright
But I know that you feel
Like a piece of you is dead inside
You showed me a power
That is strong enough to
Bring sun to the darkest days
It's none of my business
But its just been on my mindYou can let it go
You can throw a party
Full of everyone you know
And not invite your family
'Cause they never showed you love
You don't have to be sorry
For leaving and growing upYou can see the world
Followin' the seasons
Anywhere you go
You don't need a reason
'Cause they never showed you love
You don't have to be sorry
For doing it on your ownYou're just in time
Make your tea and your toast
I framed all your posters
And dyed your clothes, ooh
You don't have to go
You don't have to go home
Oh there's a long way to goI don't believe that time
Will change your mind
In other words I know
They won't hurt you anymore
As long as you can let them goYou can let it go
You can throw a party
Full of everyone you know
You can start a family
Who will always show you love
You don't have to be sorry
For doing it on your ownYou can let it go
You can throw a party
Full of everyone you know
You can start a family
Who will always show you love
You don't have to be sorry, no
In true Styles fashion, we go from feeling sad to having sex on “Cinema”. This is the song that Howard used to try to get Harry to talk about his relationship, which he ducked through some mumbles and pivoted back to being directed by her on Don’t Worry Darling. But, H, if you call a song Cinema and sing about how you bring the pop to the cinema and say “she’s getting herself wet” for you and sleeping in your bed and you think she’s so cool and popping when you get intimate...uh, someone like Howard will have some thoughts LOL. It’s a catchy bop though, for sure. John Mayer’s guitar is dope on this one too.
“Daydreaming” is just an easy summer jammmmmmmmm. It samples The Brothers Johnon’s 1978 song “Ain’t We Funkin’ Now”, so that should tell you the vibe. And Quincy Jones approves.
“Livin’ in a daydream…she said love me like you pay me…”
“Keep Driving” is a whole mood and I love it so much. It’s very Cali to me what with the driving and the puff puff pass and edibles and coke and swimming pools and Raya.
“Satellite” is also a total grower, not that I didn’t absolutely dig it from the start. There’s a vulnerability to it with him asking this person “am I bothering you….do you wanna talk?” and “spinning out waiting for you to pull me in” with a side of knowing you’re lonely but don’t you see I’m right here.
Now we head into the final two tracks, starting with “Boyfriends” and all of its Peter, Paul & Mary and Simon and Garfunkel and “Helplessly Hoping” and Tracy Chapman energy. It’s a stunner and also makes the crowd go silent every time they have done it live so far. The harmonies in those performances pierce my soul. (Ben Harper plays on the studio version which feels deeply right.)
Harry loves to end an album with a lottttttt of emotion and Harry’s House is no different. He finished his solo debut with “From the Dining Table” which is a song full of lament: “Woke up alone in this hotel room, played with myself where were you. Fell back to sleep, I got drunk by noon. I’ve never felt less cool…We haven’t spoke since you went away, comfortable silence is so overrated…why won’t you ever be the first one to break…even my phone misses your call, by the way.”
The title track closes “Fine Line” and that song continues to gut me in the best way. “Put a price on emotion, I'm looking for something to buy. You've got my devotion. But man, I can hate you sometimes.” But we’ll be alright, everyone. We’ll be a fine line.
Now we have “Love of My Life” which Harry told Zane Lowe is a song about home and England in many ways—though of course it’s can also be a past relationship and something so universal I don’t know anyone who can’t see something of their own past in it. Take a walk on Sunday through the afternoon
We can always find somethin' for us to do
We don't really like what's on the news, but it's on all the time
I take you with me everytime I go away
In a hotel usin' someone else's name
I remember back at Jonny's place, it's not the same anymore
[Chorus]
Baby, you were the love of my life
Woah, maybe you don't know it's lost 'til you find it
It's not what I wantеd, to leave you behind
Don't know whеre you'll land when you fly
But, baby, you were the love of my life
It makes me so sad to think about how much he’s missed his home and his family and his friends since he was a lil teen auditioning for X Factor only to then not come home for like five years. But he seems like he’s in such a good head and life space now (though we know I have a COUPLE of notes 😉)
And there you have it, our WHN tour of Harry’s House is complete. It’s a perfect summer gift for us all and I hope you love it as much as I do. Let me know what your faves are and how it’s making you feel! It’s really all I want to talk about. Duh.
Until next week, here’s this angel/witch/sex demon/rock god doing his famous whale at ONO. As always, thanks for everything H.
(📸: Nikki Marie)
xA
