Guest blogger Daniel continues his countdown of the year’s top albums…

Best Albums of 2022 – #6
Harry’s House – Harry Styles

Much like the general population, I didn’t think much of Harry Styles when he was one of the five members of the wildly popular boy band One Direction. I mean, it’s easy in retrospect to hear how he stands out from the rest on almost every one of their tracks.

However, it wasn’t until ‘Sign of the Times’ that I perked up my ears and truly listened. This breakout single immediately established that Styles wasn’t going to be conforming to any of the conventions of mainstream pop radio that he had already been casually dominating with 1D. Rather, his journey as a solo artist would be one centered on the art.

I distinctly remember reading around this time that Styles feared the runtime of this single would be too long to be released in its original format and he anticipated that the label would cut it down. In reading his feelings on it being accepted in the form of its initial artistic expression there’s a palpable genuine joy that can be felt. This is a man that cares about music.

That care has been demonstrated throughout his discography so far. Every album he has dropped seems to be stronger than the last. There’s a hunger on his self titled debut and a confidence on his sophomore followup. On this third album release, Harry’s House, the title truly represents an invitation. No longer is Harry coming to our radios and streaming services, but he’s bringing us into his space of artistry where he ruminates on varying topics running through his mind.

‘Music for a Sushi Restaurant’ immediately establishes that this isn’t just a listening session held at his home, but an album release party. This track swells with swagger. Styles has never sounded so silky yet strong. From here he seamlessly shifts into the sultry ‘Late Night Talking.’ What’s impressive is how comfortable he is moving from the more frivolous, fun tracks to the more contemplative, serious tunes. This is a dichotomy he’s always navigated expertly. This album is no different.

The album enters an entirely elevated soundscape when Styles makes the wise decision to enlist some masterclass instrumentalists. Styles turns to Pino Palladino, legendary session musician, who lends his bass chops on ‘Little Freak’ and ‘Daydreaming.’ On ‘Little Freak,’ his inclusion is curious and subtle but it’s in a moment like 2:04 leading into the bridge that demonstrates what makes Palladino one of the best.

On the explosive ‘Daydreaming’ my first internal claim while listening was that this is an embarrassment of riches. Not only is Pino absolutely slappin da bass on this record, but John Mayer comes in and brings the track to a whole other echelon. Prior to this track Style showcased Mayer’s inimitable feel on the guitar in the ‘Cinema’ breakdown. Here the guitarist and bassist who have worked together multiple times before enter a beautiful cohesion alongside this Brothers Johnson interpolation. It only speaks to the strength of next week’s albums that this practically perfect showing from Styles is relegated to 6th place.