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. 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.

In this post, I’ll be tackling the rest of the boy band solo projects I reviewed in the summer of 2021, song by song. So buckle up, it’s gonna be a long trip through the (mostly) unedited thoughts of 2021 Ryn.

Mind of Mine by ZAYN (reviewed August 21, 2021)

I’ve got the album Mind of Mine open on Spotify right now, and I’ve gotta say that the random capitalization really reminds me of Margo Roth Spiegelman from Paper Towns (one of my favorite books). All I know about Zayn Malik’s music as of now is the song “PILLOWTALK” and that his sound is a bit R&B. I also saw that he released new music this year, so this is gonna get up. to. date! (As of August 2021.) Let’s goooooo!

“MiNd Of MiNdd (Intro)”: I love a good intro song. If I didn’t have lyrics pulled up, I don’t think I would have a clue what ZM’s saying in “MiNd Of MiNdd (Intro).” The vocals are very ethereal and mixed with R&B instrumental music.

“PILLOWTALK”: It’s the one I know! I forgot how catchy the chorus to “PILLOWTALK” is… I mean, lyrics-wise, it’s obviously about sex and the contradictions of (both physical and emotional) intimacy. I love the phrase, “A place that is so pure, so dirty and raw,” because it just sums up the whole song.

“iT’s YoU”: “iT’s YoU” is very slow. Got a classic R&B beat. And again with the ethereal vocals… They’re so melancholy even without regard to the lyrics. How does he do that? Well, he does it with beautiful high notes and an echo effect. But still, it’s cool!

“BeFour”: Love that “BeFoUr” is the fourth song. This is his “I’m doing my own thing and I’m scared but excited!” song. And honestly, it’s a jam! Love me an “I’m just gonna stay in my lane and do what I enjoy” moment. “Numb on a roof, set it on fire / Just give me proof, I’m living on a wire.” 2021 Ryn is at it again with the whole using phrases as adjectives thing.

“sHe”: Everyone needs a song called “she,” amiright? This one seems like it’s about the unsustainability and loneliness of the manic pixie dream girl persona. Let me just say, “She puts her spirit in a nightcap” is working so much harder than the other lyrics. The layers! The nuance!

“dRuNk”: OKAY, not the smooth transition into the next song! 2023 Ryn here to confirm that this is a compliment. An R&B “love is a drug”/”drunk in love” song right here. I’ve never been in love (romantically), but I understand the emotional vomit that comes with instantly feeling really close to someone. Like, oops, I just poured out all my feelings to this near stranger.

“INTERMISSION: fLoWer”: An intermission??? In Urdu??? Didn’t expect this but I’m enjoying it. “INTERMISSION: fLoWer” is very simple but beautiful. Also, I don’t know how to explain this, but it sounds like an intermission song. I also don’t know what that means, 2021 Ryn.

“rEaR vIeW”: The electronic beat/rhythm in “rEaR vIeW” kinda sounds like a chill version of the electronic beat/rhythm in “The Outside” by twenty one pilots. Oh my god… killin’ me with those minor chords in the bridge. And the lyrics about being a friend first and foremost are deep, man. Apparently 2021 Ryn traveled to the 1980s and stole some slang words. 

“wRoNg (feat. Kehlani)”: Omg, Kehlani is featured on this album? Shout out to Mr. Zayn Malik for featuring a queer artist on his debut album! It’s called “wRoNg,” but this collab feels so right! “wRoNg” is definitely a more pop R&B song. The “tick tock” sound in the background makes me feel a little on edge, which is perfect for this song—a little sexy, a little dangerous. Also, Kehlani’s and ZM’s voices blend super well together.

“fOoL fOr YoU”: “fOoL fOr YoU” is coming in as a piano ballad and we all know that means I’m about to feel some emotions. Okay, maybe I’m not emotional, but the minor chords on piano and occasional minor chords in the vocals have got me feeling something.

“fOoL fOr YoU” sounds like it’s from a different album, kind of like a pop ballad, but the lyrics feel like they distinctly fit into this album and its themes of love, lust, and being in not-so-safe, potentially harmful relationships.

“BoRdErSz”: The blunt start-and-stop of every word in the verses of “BoRdErSz” kinda bothers me for some reason. The lyrics are not groundbreaking, but they talk about emotional and physical intimacy being intertwined by using certain phrases like “I wanna see it all” that have double meanings.

Most of the songs so far sound very similar, but they are always subtly different in the vocals or instrumentals so that the album seems cohesive rather than boring.

“tRuTh”: “I won’t point any fingers, I won’t say it was you / I’ll let life take it’s time, and in time, you’ll see the truth.” Just like in “iT’s YoU” (“I won’t cover the scars, I’ll let ’em bleed / So my silence won’t be mistaken for peace”), “tRuTh” makes it clear that ZM wants his partner to do some of the emotional labor instead of having to lay everything out for them.

“lUcOzAdE”: “lUcOzAdE” (which Google tells me is a UK energy drink brand) is kinda techno, which feels fitting for a song named after an energy drink, right? It gets super intense right before the bridge. Dang. And also the internal rhymes in these lyrics are *chef’s kiss.*

I’m trying to figure out if this song is about getting caught up in the excesses of fame and wealth, substance misuse because of an intense mental state, or a topsy-turvy romantic relationship. Maybe all of the above? Either way, it’s much faster than the other songs, and the lyrics are very clever.

“TiO”: Ah, another song about freaky sex and fierce lust. I didn’t know “TiO” stood for “take it off,” alright? Otherwise I would have expected it! No need to get so defensive, 2021 Ryn. (Yes, freaky, because he sings, “You’re a freak like me,” so I’m not shaming. Have whatever kind of consensual sex you want, my dudes.)

“BLUE”: Ooh, an all caps song title for the ballad “BLUE.” It’s got those same themes of intimacy and love, but this song seems more focused on the “devotion” aspect of a relationship, the emotional side. Like, yeah, obvs it’s also about sex, but this is a more intimate-sounding song.

“BRIGHT”: More all caps with “BRIGHT.” It’s kind of futuristic sounding with the techno background music and the autotune. It builds up to a more upbeat tempo in the chorus. Liking this one a lot. The lyrics of “BRIGHT” are really cute, too (about his love for a partner who has helped him through a lot). Plus, the slant rhyme of “kryptonite” and “crib tonight” is genius. I hope ZM’s former lit teachers are proud of him. I still love a good slant rhyme.

“LIKE I WOULD”: I feel like I could hear “LIKE I WOULD” at a club while sitting at the bar watching everyone else jam out. It’s a very “good riddance” song. Like sarcastically wishing someone well while secretly thinking, “Fuck you. It’s your loss for pushing me out of your life.”

“SHE DON’T LOVE ME”: Dang, there’s never any pause between songs. Give me a second to pull up the lyrics, Sir Malik! Oh, I guess my hurry was unneeded. “SHE DON’T LOVE ME” takes a second to get into the lyrics. ZM loves to just vocalize and hit all those high notes at the beginning of a song. And he does hit them, let me tell ya.

It’s kind of hard to make out the lyrics if I don’t read along, but the lines “I think I know she don’t love me / That’s why I fuck around” are worded in such a perfect way to show that sometimes, even when it’s hopeless, there’s still that small hope that maybe you’re wrong.

Final Thoughts: I’ll admit to the fact that R&B isn’t always my jam, so I didn’t absolutely love this album. However, the lyrics are incredibly well-written and there are definitely a few bops. Plus, it’s undeniable that ZM can SING. So objectively good, subjectively not totally for me.

Misc. Singles by or featuring ZAYN (reviewed August 21, 2021)

“Trampoline (with ZAYN)” by SHAED: HOLD UP, I’ve heard this song before! It’s so eerily dreamlike when you actually listen to the lyrics, with the ethereal background vocals and whistling. Also, for whatever it’s worth, the lyric “When I dream of dyin’ / I never feel so loved” has the same vibes as “The dreams in which I’m dying / Are the best I’ve ever had” from “Mad World” by Tears For Fears. 2023 Ryn is still a TFF fan, now and forever.  

“A Whole New World” Cover by ZAYN and Zhavia Ward: Now I’m listening to ZM and Zhavia Ward’s version of “A Whole New World” from the end titles of the live-action Aladdin movie. To be honest, I didn’t love that movie, but ZM is crushing these vocals! It’s so cool when artists add their own spin to a song they cover.

“Flames (with ZAYN)” by R3HAB & Jungleboi: “Flames” sounds like it could be an Imagine Dragons song. It’s got that apocalyptic anthem atmosphere to it. And it’s also the first song where ZM is singing about a relationship the other person should run from, rather than one he himself should run from.

Final Thoughts: Well, that was fun! “Flames” is an exciting song, “A Whole New World” is Disney with a ZAYN twist, and “Trampoline” is a song I forgot I already enjoyed. Zayn’s got some solid collabs here.

Misc. Singles by Liam Payne (reviewed August 28, 2021)

“Sunshine”: Well that was delightful… It’s so catchy and wholesome (which makes sense because it was written for a PG movie). The movie is Ron’s Gone Wrong. It really does give off sunny vibes and will probably be stuck in my head for a few hours… but I can’t say I’m too mad about it! This is the only Liam Payne song that I listened to after I reviewed it. I added to a summer playlist that year.

“Naughty List (with Dixie)”: Okay, YouTube sent me to “Naughty List” by LP and Dixie D’Amelio, and it’s kinda cute. I apparently want it to be winter holiday time, because I also just rewatched the movie Let It Snow.

“Change” by Louis Tomlinson (reviewed September 4, 2021)

“Change”: Okay, so I just watched Louis Tomlinson’s livestream concert and he sang a new song, so obviously I have to give my thoughts. But first, those guitarists were having the time of their lives and it was so fun to watch them goof around… Concerts were still rare at this point in the pandemic, so a lot of artists did livestreams. twenty one pilots and AJR did livestream concerts, too. They were fun, but no substitute for actual live music.

LT sang a new song called “Change” and it was definitely a COVID-19 song (there can never be too many). This song is on LT’s 2023 album, so I’ll be reviewing the recorded version later! It was in a minor key for some of it, so of course that made it more emotional. So good, though! I can totally relate to the “everything is different but I’m kinda the same” feeling. Also, now I need to listen to more Kings of Leon because I think I might be missing out based on that cover of “Beautiful War.” I also added “7” by Catfish and the Bottlemen to my playlists. I still listen to it, just because of Tomlinson’s cover!

“Oh, Anna” by Harry Styles (reviewed September 18, 2021)

Okay, time to do the other unreleased live song from Harry Styles, which I’ve seen called “Oh, Anna” or just “Anna.” Here we go!

“Oh, Anna”: Well, that was fun! It’s got upbeat vibes somewhere in between “Treat People with Kindness” and “Canyon Moon.” Thoroughly enjoyed it! I have mixed feelings about songs that are only played live, because they usually end up being some of my favorites, but I can’t listen to them regularly by their very nature. So torn!

Conclusion

That’s it for 2021 Ryn’s boy band music critiques! I’ve got to warn you, though, 2022 Ryn is very wordy and gets into K-pop, which is just a whole new can of worms when it comes to boy bands. It’s more like one of those cans where you open it and fake snakes spring out at you. 2022 Ryn and I will see you in the next post!

-Ryn PB