My Favorite 2022 Albums
#3 – Harry’s House – Harry Styles
Has a boy band ever produced a better solo career than that of Harry Styles? Set aside the Jackson Five and The Beatles — those aren’t the sort of boy bands I’m envisioning. I guess an argument can be made for Justin Timberlake, who has released a handful of platinum-selling albums following his NSYNC days. But I’m not much of a fan.
Styles, on the other hands, has consistently impressed me as a solo artist.
To be fair, One Direction wasn’t your run-of-the-mill boy band. They released some truly excellent songs during their five-year run. But that still didn’t prepare me for the variety and consistency of Styles’ solo output.
His 2017 self-titled debut found him mining different musical styles, serving up takes on some of his primary influences. Some Bowie here, some Beatles there, a dash of Pink Floyd and a dollop of The Rolling Stones.
But on Harry’s House, Styles’ third release, he’s occupying the same smooth pop lane he traveled so well on 2019’s Fine Line, and it’s a sound that’s authentically his. I love this blend of airy bops and pretty acoustic ballads.
Just about every track on Harry’s House is a winner. I adore first single ‘As It Was,’ the song of the summer if not the song of the year. The upbeat tracks form a perfect playlist for the world’s most chill and inviting party — I want to live in the warm bath of ‘Music For a Sushi Restaurant,’ ‘Late Night Talking,’ ‘Daylight’ and ‘Daydreaming.’ ‘Boyfriends’ invites Simon & Garfunkel to that party while the gorgeous ‘Matilda’ is the album’s quiet highlight.
Styles is a professed fan of the great 70s singer-songwriters. His first three albums make a persuasive argument that he will someday join their ranks.
You got a new life
Am I bothering you? Do you wanna talk?
We share the last line
Then we drink the wall till we wanna talk
[Pre-Chorus]
I go ’round and ’round
Satellite
[Chorus]
Spinnin’ out, waitin’ for ya to pull me in
I can see you’re lonely down there
Don’t you know that I am right here?
Spinnin’ out, waitin’ for ya to pull me in
I can see you’re lonely down there
Don’t you know that I am right here?
[Post-Chorus]
Spinnin’ out, waitin’ for ya
[Verse 2]
I’m in an L.A. mood
I don’t wanna talk to you
She said, “Give me a day or two”
[Pre-Chorus]
I go ’round and ’round
Satellite
[Chorus]
Spinnin’ out, waitin’ for ya to pull me in
I can see you’re lonely down there
Don’t you know that I am right here?
Spinnin’ out, waitin’ for ya to pull me in
I can see you’re lonely down there
Don’t you know that I am right here?
[Bridge]
Right here, right here
Spinnin’ out, waitin’ for ya
I’m here, right here
Wishin’ I could be there for ya
Be there for ya
Be there for ya, for ya
For ya
Be there for ya
[Chorus]
Spinnin’ out, waitin’ for ya to pull me in (Spinnin’ out, waitin’)
I can see you’re lonely down there
Don’t you know that I am right here? (Spinnin’ out, waitin’ for ya)
Spinnin’ out, waitin’ for ya to pull me in (For ya, for ya, for ya)
I can see you’re lonely down there
Don’t you know that I am right here?
Spinnin’ out, waitin’ for ya to pull me in (For ya, for ya, for ya)
I can see you’re lonely down there (Spinnin’ out, waitin’ for ya)
Don’t you know that I am right here?
Meet Me In Montauk 
You may get some pushback from occasional commenter Daniel on your lackluster appreciation of Justin Timberlake.😉
I too have been impressed with what I have heard from Styles.
Occasional commenter Daniel here to provide some pushback on your lackluster appreciation of Justin Timberlake. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I do think it’s worth noting that there likely wouldn’t be a Harry Styles if not for Timberlake’s trailblazing. On JT’s debut album (cheekily titled “Justified”) he completely subverts expectations working with R&B producers like Pharrell and Timbaland. This was the music that truly spoke to Timberlake’s heart. I see that influence take shape with Styles where he similarly adopted the courage to forge his own path aside from his boyband past rooted in his respective beloved genres that he hadn’t been able to emulate up until this point. No arguments on the quality of this album though. Today’s song is surely one of my favorites off the project.
Fan of both JT and HS, though I typically listen to their song releases rather than their albums. Listening to this album in London earlier this year, I can appreciate your warm bath description, though I’m not a fan of the end of today’s song… too much repetition and noise. Yuck.
Completing the Gallup family comments here lol
I think this album is so wonderful and definitely holds a spot on my top of the year rankings (that I have yet to make). Getting to see him perform and feel the energy in that room was pretty amazing. The man’s going places!
I’m also a JT fan, although I will say that Harry’s work has appealed to me a little more as of late. I can for sure jam to a JT beat and agree with Daniel’s points that he’s helped influence/shape the music landscape. That being said, I find some of his songs too long or lyrics repetitive.
“Grape Juice” is by far my most played song from Harry’s House. I’m not sure what that says about me, feel free to look into it lol but I just love that dang song!