Introduction
In early 2021, when half the world was still taking COVID-19 seriously and the other half were pretending it never happened and wasn’t happening, I started listening to One Direction. And 5 Seconds of Summer. And eventually BTS. My mind wanted something fun and simple and easy to consume: the pop/rock boy band.
At this point, along with the pandemic still taking a toll, my life was in a period of extra upheaval, and I figured out a fun way to (not) deal with it was to review the solo and side projects of current and former boy band members. I would get a little tipsier than usual, open up Spotify and Genius lyrics, and start live-tweeting my reactions.
When the transphobic Penis Rocket Man (not to be confused with the one and only Rocketman, Sir Elton John) took over Twitter and I inevitably deleted my account, I archived all of my tweets. Including my boy band “reviews.” Lately, I’ve been missing doing these little one-person listening parties, but not enough to get a new Twitter account (er, X account, I guess).
And here we are. I’ve retrieved my Boy Band Music Critic hat from the back of my closet. Before I can wear it again, however, I need to readjust it to make sure it fits. So before this year is over, I’ll be going over my old tweets and consolidating them here so I don’t have to do repeat reviews.
Just keep in mind that in the second half of 2021, I was deep in the One Direction trenches, albeit a decade too late…
In this post, I’ll be tackling three of the boy band solo projects I reviewed in June 2021, song by song. So buckle up, it’s gonna be a long trip through the (mostly) unedited thoughts of 2021 Ryn.
Harry Styles by Harry Styles (reviewed June 11, 2021)
“Meet Me In the Hallway”: This song has a ghost-walking-the-halls-of-a-hotel vibes mixed with a lil bit of “I Wanna Get Better” by the Bleachers.
“Sign of the Times”: Why did I ever dislike “Sign of the Times“? To quote Kate McKinnon as an old Hispanic man on SNL, “Why is this hitting me so hard?”
“Carolina”: Oh, damn, “Carolina” has a different sound from the first two—kinda beach rock. The lyrics make me think of Hennessy from the Dreamer Trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater.
“Two Ghosts”: 2023 Ryn here. Apparently I only had crying emojis and a direct lyrical quote to convey my feelings for this song: “We’re just two ghosts swimming in a glass half empty.” 😭😭😭
“Sweet Creature”: “Sweet Creature” is melancholy and nostalgia distilled into a song. Catch me learning this on guitar later… I never did learn this one. I learned “Cherry” from Fine Line instead.
“Only Angel”: Okay, okay. I’m ascending into heaven. Where is this taking me, Sir Styles… And BAM! right down into rock ’n’ roll hell. Love me an “angel in the streets, devil in the sheets” bop.
“Kiwi”: “Kiwi” is the song that convinced me to give Harry Styles’ music another chance. It fits the kinda problematic manic pixie dream girl trope from the 2000s that I love against my better judgment. And I’m learning so many slang words for drugs… truly an educational experience.
“Ever Since New York“: “And I’ve been praying, I never did before / Understand I’m talking to the walls / I’ve been praying ever since New York.” This song feels like the frustration that comes with grief. When you’re just desperate for someone to tell you it’ll be okay even if you know it’s a lie.
“Woman”: OKAY, SIR. You did not have to start this song by talking about rom coms. Now I wanna watch Not Another Happy Ending for the thousandth time… Song-wise, “Woman” seems like both lamentation and praise for the woman in question. This how to use repetition effectively, friends. Also, the last word and the abrupt end sent shiverssss down my spine. Stop with the amazing vocals, Mr. Styles. My spine is fragile. (But… I don’t need a spine, right?) Prepare for more cringey humor like this, dear reader.
“At the Dining Table”: “At the Dining Table” would fit right in on the Strokes’ newest album, The New Abnormal. “Maybe one day you’ll call me and tell me that you’re sorry too.” Excuse me with those harmonies. Harry Styles needs to teach a master class in using repetition as a means of emphasis and emotion.
Final Thoughts: Harry Styles’ self-titled album was set up like the plot of a novel, with a beginning that sets the scene, an exciting climax in the middle, etc. It tricks you into thinking it’s winding down on track 8. Then BAM! “Woman” throws you a curveball before the sad, sad ending that makes you want to cry. I’m impressed by the ability to make a song both sexual and emotional without losing the punch to either one. A+ lyrics and vibes. 2021 Ryn looooved talking about “vibes.” Prepare for more of that, too.
Fine Line by Harry Styles (reviewed June 12, 2021)
To conclude my exploration of solo music by Mr. Harry Styles (as of June 2021), it’s time to listen to Fine Line. I know a few more of the songs on this one already, but I’m amusing myself if no one else, so here we go!
“Golden”: “Golden” is such a lovely song. I’ve never fallen in love with someone, but I can guess that this song captures the bittersweetness that comes with taking the plunge in a relationship with someone. Also, immaculate vibes. ✨ See? Vibes. Also, I’ve still never fallen in love, and I still enjoy this song.
“Watermelon Sugar”: Ah, “Watermelon Sugar.” We all know what this song is about… But Mr. Styles, is it a watermelon-sugar taste or strawberry taste? Not the same thing, bro. Bro? Really, 2021 Ryn? Though these are two of my favorite fruits.
“Adore You”: Why do singers like strawberry lipstick so much? Is this how to get a man? Is it related to the last song? Either way, I’m loving this no-strings-attached adoration that HS is describing here. ‘Tis a jam.
“Lights Up”: Okay, okay, some weird vocal manipulation going on here. Kinda sounds like his voice is mixed with a laser sound. But I don’t hate it. This song has two different vibes—’80s piano ballad on a crappy tape and ’90s R&B choir song. I also still enjoy this song, mostly because of how loosely it can be interpreted.
“Cherry”: More fruit! Oh, I can tell by the guitar intro that this song is going to make me EMOTIONAL. And I was right… Also these raw vocals followed by the French conversation over gentle guitar almost got me crying over here early on a Saturday evening…
“Falling”: Oh no… “Falling” already makes me emotional, and I’m still fragile from “Cherry.” “And it kills me ’cause I know / We’ve run out of things we can say.” “What am I now? / What am I now? / What if you’re someone I just want around?” Excuse me while I ugly cry. This song still makes me cry sometimes.
“To Be So Lonely”: Beach vibes! I smell some ukulele… and it’s kind of swing-y. Like I wanna snap along to it and sway. Again, I’m blown away by the fact that HS’s lyrics are like mini stories or mini emotions trapped inside a song. Apparently most of the lyrics for this song were from Mitch Rowland, a musician who worked with Styles on all three of his solo albums. Many of my compliments on lyrics should have gone to Rowland.
“She”: “She” sounds like the soundtrack to a family drama that includes some sort of lost love. UMMMMMM THAT FALSETTO? I sometimes dream of just sailing away without telling my mates, too, Harry… Wouldn’t that be nice? And yes, guitar solo!! Still love a good guitar solo.
“Sunflower, Vol. 6”: I already loved “Sunflower, Vol. 6” before this listen, but I’m now reading the lyrics while listening and I like it even more. Also, can we talk about the fact that the harmonies on the “tonights” have major Queen vibes? But why is he trying to be a cuckoo clock at the end of this song?
“Canyon Moon”: Okay, “Canyon Moon” is back to peppy beach vibes. I keep wanting to match these songs to specific emotions and this one is definitely “anticipatory hopefulness.” Like excitement but with a little more nuance.
“Treat People With Kindness”: Right off the bat, “TPWK” has MIKA vibes mixed with a bit of 2000s rock in the instruments and vocals. The lyrics give me “Good Day” by twenty one pilots vibes. Like I’m super cheery and happy even though shitty things happen, are happening, and will happen. Vibes, vibes, vibes. “All together now!” Yes, Harry Styles, I will bop to this with you! I would like to petition for Harry Styles to be the new Be Kind Person since Ellen has shown her true colors.
“Fine Line”: Just like the self-titled, Mr. Styles has lulled me into a false sense of security only to hit me with a sad, soulful final song. “Spreading you open / Is the only way of knowing you” is the perfect example of what I mentioned at the end of the self-titled—HS’s ability to contrast the sexual and emotional aspects of a relationship without losing any complexity. However, this one ends more hopefully than the last album, bringing in those triumphant (for lack of a better word) trumpets and the line “We’ll be alright.” 👏👏👏 Again, an emotional journey here.
Final Thoughts: It’s definitely a natural follow-up to the last album. The lyrics get a bit more abstract and the music is more adventurous, but he deals with the same themes of communication, sex vs. emotion, and nostalgia for a past that can’t come back.
I officially declare the two solo albums of Mr. Harry Styles to be successes! Only two had been released at this time. I’m tied between wanting to just listen and vibe to his music or absolutely analyzing the lyrics like a poetry collection. Styles’ music is as eclectic and wonderful as his fashion. 🍉❤️
Misc. Singles by Louis Tomlinson (reviewed June 19, 2021)
“Just Hold On (feat. Steve Aoki)”: “Just Hold On” (a collab with Steve Aoki) is a motivational, just-keep-going-you’ll-be-okay, you’re-in-charge-of-your-life jam. Have you heard of regular adjectives, 2021 Ryn? A full on dance party bop! “You can be who you were or who you’ll become.” *Snaps for this lyric.*
“Back to You (feat. Bebe Rexha & Digital Farm Animals)”: I didn’t expect Louis Tomlinson’s voice to mesh so well with Bebe Rexha’s, but it really does. My brain is confused but in the best way possible. This song is gonna be in my head for a while. It’s catchy as fuck.
“Miss You”: I already love “Miss You.” The music just fits the themes so well. It’s got a “we’re having a great time, partying and drinking, woohoo” vibe, and then the music drops off when he says, “Shit, maybe I miss you” because realizations like that can make you stop dead in your tracks. A+++. Apparently, regular adjectives were not in the cards for 2021 Ryn.
Walls by Louis Tomlinson (reviewed June 19, 2021)
Confession: I’ve already listened to this full album and it made me cry so many times so I’ll try to rein it in… but like, this is the music I referenced when I said I’d found the right music at the right time. I was very emotional in June 2021, as I’m sure we all were. I haven’t cried over music this often before or since then.
“Kill My Mind”: “Kill My Mind” totally tricked me into thinking this album was going to have a completely different vibe. But I ain’t even mad because it’s so fun to listen to.
“Don’t Let It Break Your Heart”: “Don’t Let It Break Your Heart” is already making me want to cry. We’ve all lost someone and felt hopeless but then we’ve found out that we can keep living no matter how much it hurts. “When the high’s too high and the low’s too low” just hit me in the damn chest HARD.
“Two of Us”: And “Two of Us” is where I’m gonna lose my battle with the tears… It’s still true. This song is a tearjerker. I don’t say much in 2021, but it hits home because it describes what it’s like to dedicate yourself to someone and something even though the person you’re doing it for is gone. You still want to make them proud, listen to the advice you think they might give, etc.
“We Made It”: I love a good underdog story/song. “We Made It” is that combined with the idea of looking back and appreciating the things you used to be insecure about or that were rough at the time, things with emotional repercussions. I’m not great at succinct thoughts when I don’t edit myself, which has never been clearer than when I had a Twitter account.
“Too Young”: Okay, “Too Young” finally made me realize why this album hits me so hard. The main theme is looking back and feeling both nostalgia and sadness about the past, because it could have been so much better if you knew what you know now. And I feel that like a punch in the gut. Plus, it’s a great look at what parasocial relationships can do to young people.
“Walls”: The title track! I love the chorus of this song. I like this almost literal take on the “I built up walls around myself but you knocked them down” trope. Also, “For every question why, you were my because” always gives me chills. Oh, and the bookending of the lyric, “Nothing wakes you up like waking up alone,” is just… ugh, I love it.
“Habit”: “I took some time ’cause I’ve ran out of energy / Of playing someone I heard I’m supposed to be / But honestly, I don’t have to choose anymore.” Me too, man. 😭😭😭 This review could also be titled “Ryn Realizes Being Queer and Being Famous Have a Lot in Common.”
“Always You”: “Always You” is an adorable love song. Songs with this title usually are. But this one also has a kind of fun, swingy beat to it on guitar.
“Fearless”: The lines in “Fearless” that mention being “strong enough to get it wrong in front of all these people” are so heartbreaking. Because they imply that the “you” of the song is no longer confident enough to make mistakes, potentially because of the judgments of others. Also, LT is a master of closing lines. The ending lyric of every song always packs a punch.
“Perfect Now”: A. I wanna learn “Perfect Now” on the guitar cuz it seems kinda fun and easy-ish. I never learned this one, either. I instead learned “Edelweiss” from The Sound of Music. B. Ooh, we got some violins up in here now! C. This song is so cute.
“Defenceless”: “Defenceless” has no business being about the fear of being honest but doing it anyway, and trying to convince someone you love that they can do the same with you, when I always need people to convince me of that… I stan vulnerability in art, but vulnerability is scary irl. True story, 2021 Ryn.
“Only the Brave”: “Only the Brave” reminds of “Loving Someone” by The 1975 (with the lyrics, not the sound). I can see why my fellow gays love this song. When you’re not performing cis-heteronormativity, love can be scary and seem impractical. So you gotta be brave.
Final Thoughts: LT is the king of closing lines, especially ones that are repeated lyrics from before that have a slightly changed meaning. These songs make me emotional, and because I listened to them for the first time during a bout of horrible depression, I don’t think they’ll ever not make me emotional. They are simple but heartfelt and honest. Plus, LT knows how to write a bangin’ pop song to just jam to.
I kind of wanna go see what other songs LT has written for other artists or from when he was in 1D because I love me some simple yet effective lyrics. Anyways, 1D solo project #2 was also a success for me! My Spotify playlists are happy.
Conclusion
That’s all for now, friends! On my next post, I will continue with some Louis Tomlinson music and Niall Horan’s first two solo albums. I’m not sure how regularly I’ll post these boy band solo project reviews after the New Year, but before then, they’ll be somewhat sporadic in order to get them all on here. So 2021 Ryn and I will see you soon!
-Ryn PB
As Cool As Mint Ice Cream 