It’s called “Harry’s House,” but the much-anticipated new album by the most popular male pop star on the planet — that would be, duh, Harry Styles — plays more like “Harry’s boudoir.”
Indeed, the sexy intimacy on Styles’ third solo album makes you feel like you’re peeking through the bedroom door as the former One Direction heartthrob is putting it down with his current flame, actress Olivia Wilde.
Yes, put it down.
1 hit in 2020 and winning Styles his first Grammy, the singer has a ball of falsetto friskiness at the start of “Harry’s House.”
“Green eyes, fried rice, I can cook an egg on you / Late night, game time, coffee on the stove / You’re sweet ice cream, but you can use a layer or two of blue bubblegum folded around your tongue Can,” coos Styles, re-grinding a sleek bass line at his best falsetto at the start of the album opener “Music for a Sushi Restaurant.”
Obviously, trumpet isn’t the only thing that’s horny when it comes to this jazz-kiss. And whatever’s on the menu, you’ll be like, “I have what he has.”
And Styles is making his way with you—and anyone you’ve been landing with in any corner of your house—on his sexiest album of all time.
The next track, “Late Night Talking”, is made for late-night grooving—perhaps of the horizontal kind—as Styles floats over a groove reminiscent of Dua Lipa’s “Levitating”.
And if you thought there were jazz vibes on “Music for a Sushi Restaurant,” the styles spill over here, too. Yes, scats. And he pulls it off.
Although the album’s title is a reference to Joni Mitchell’s song “Harry House/Centerpiece,” Steely Dan and, more recently, Jamiroquai (remember her?)-ready romantic bop, and “Daydream”, a perfect soul-pop soufflé which Adds a dash of the 5th dimension to the mix.
1 single “As It Was” set the glimmering, shimmering stage for the album—with its ’80s pogo pop that made you sabotage your best Molly Ringwald moves—the second half of “Harry’s House” is dreamy. Gone, the woozy balladry that’ll tempt you — or find one — on Tinder.
When the album ends with “Love of My Life”—which could possibly be about none other than Wilde—Stiles is positively smitten. Or better yet, love-stone.
