Harry Styles’ second album “Fine Line” was released on Dec. 13, 2020. The two year wait since his last album was definitely worth it. 

On first listen I was really blown away. Each song had such a different sound. And each song felt personal, like Styles was letting his listeners into his life.  

Harry Styles has been around since 2010 after auditioning for “The X Factor.” Later that year he became part of the biggest boy bands of the decade, One Direction. After releasing four albums with the band, One Direction announced they were taking a hiatus in 2016 and each member went on to have successful solo careers.

May 2017 was when Styles’ solo career really took off. He released his debut self-titled album with the popular songs “Sign of the Times” and “Sweet Creature.” 

His new album “Fine Line” has a whole different sound from his first album. Even though the sound is far, far different, Styles’ lyrics are still very meaningful and well thought out.  

The songs that Styles wrote for “Fine Line” all tell their own story, but share an overall theme. A lot of the songs are of love and losing that love. But, in each of these songs there is an aspect of the self-discovery.  

Lyrically a really powerful song is track seven “Falling.” The entire song has such strong meaning and creates a very melancholy feeling. The lyrics in the first chorus “What am I now? / What am I now? / What if I’m someone I don’t want around? / I’m fallin’ again…” are what really drive home the melancholy feeling. They seem to show a dark place that Styles was in while writing the song. It truly feels like his most personal song on the album and connects with the overall theme of love and loss.  

There are other track stand outs.“Lights Up” (track four) was the first song released from the album and is by far the biggest stand out. For being the first song released and only having his first album to compare it to, it was a very different song and sound.

Styles was asked in an interview with “Capital Breakfast Show” with hosts Roman Kemp, Vick Hope, and Sonny Jay about the song. Styles said, “For me, the song [“Lights Up”] is about freedom. It’s about self-reflection and self-discovery and just, like freedom. It feels like very free to me.”

He added that “Lights Up” highlights “a couple things that I’ve thought about and I guess wrestle with a little bit over the last couple years. It’s kind of like just accepting all of those things. It’s a very positive song to me.” 

Another standout on the album is “Treat People With Kindness” (track eleven). The opening of this song with the lyrics “Maybe we can find a place to feel good/ And we can treat people with kindness/Find a place to feel good” accompanied with the simple piano in the back gives off a whole new vibe. Even though this song is so far down on the track list, it truly sets the bar high for the whole album. The four little words “treat people with kindness” are what embodies Styles’ brand. 

Finally, “Canyon Moon” (track ten) was by far the most unique song on the whole album. This song has a very indie/folk feel and shows how dynamic Styles as musician. “Canyon Moon” is the song that really stands out the most among Styles’ other songs. His other songs have been either a pop rock or slow ballad song, but “Canyon Moon” shows a whole new side. The guitar, bass, and the backing vocals really make the song perfect.  

Each of these songs has such a unique sound. Lyrically they are also beautiful and tell such an amazing story. They show how much of an amazing artist Styles is. 

I would give this album a 5 out of 5 rating because of how diverse the music is and how Styles isn’t afraid to take risks in creating an album. “Fine Line” is so different from most of the music that is around today. It has such a mix of genres and each song tells an amazing story. This album pushed so many boundaries, and I know that Styles in the future will go above and beyond on the next album.

The album has been very well received by the media and his fans. Harry Styles knows how to push boundaries with his songs and the videos that accompanied “Lights Up” and “Adore You.” Through his music he has created a somewhat safe space for his fans. 

Over the months of June-September, Styles will be bringing “Fine Line” on the road with his “Love on Tour.” It starts on June 26, 2020 in Philadelphia at the Wells Fargo Center.

More locally, Styles will have a show in Boston on July 10, 2020 at TD Garden. There will also be three other shows close by, with two shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden on July 7-8, 2020 and one at Mohegan Sun Arena on July 12, 2020.

Tickets are on sale now and with each purchase of a ticket you will receive a copy of “Fine Line.” Or buy “Fine Line” wherever music is sold.