MUSIC V MUSIC: HARRY STYLES - FINE LINE

℗2019 Erskine Records Limited

Harry Styles

Fine Line

Music v Music

Ft. Rachel Priestley
9/02/20

A recurring segment on this blog and the origin of the title name itself; Music v Music takes a fan-favourite album and breaks it down, with the intention of finding the best track on the record.

Harry Styles has firmly established himself as an impressive and important solo artist in the world of music, thriving in life away from the ties One Direction and away from the watch of Simon Cowell. After his self-titled debut album released in the spring of 2017, it was clear that he was making the music that he wanted to make; with his progressive takes on fashion and style already proven, hearing his take on music was exciting for all listeners - not just directioners. Fine Line is an extension of this freedom; the music video for Lights Up proved this, and in an interview with Beats 1's Zane Lowe Styles revealed that psychedelics were involved in some of the album's creation. As far as breakup albums go, Fine Line is pretty lively. The songs feel alive, fuelled by Harry's strong vocal tones, and production from Kid Harpoon, Tyler Johnson and Jeff Bhasker (the last of whom has worked closely with American hip-hop artist Kanye West for much of his career).

Each time, I'll be joined by a friend who loves the album enough to discuss it for this segment instead of listening to it; for Fine Line, it was Rachel who suggested the idea to me. A Harry Styles superfan, and someone who has tickets to see him perform in April, her love of his first album is what inspired me to listen to it in the first place. And I liked it quite a bit.

Rachel FaceTimes me at around 10pm, beaming. 'Can we do Fine Line now please, I'm procrastinating', she sings with a smile. I've asked her to her to immediately discard one song, pick a couple favourites, and then the song she thinks is the best. Over our scribbles, Rachel's mumbling the pre-chorus to Sunflower, Vol. 6; could this be an indicator of what she's writing? Probably not, it's Rachel. After a couple of attempts to stop waffling and begin recording, we manage to finally start talking about the album.

📸 Via Pinterest

JR: OK. What song do you want to just bin off straight away?

RP: (Sighing) Treat People With Kindness. It is just so questionable. The beginning of it reminds me of, like, a school choir.

JR: Oh my god yes! At my primary school we had this teacher who would sing the hymns way too enthusiastically. That song cringes me out in the same way she did.

RP: I like the message behind it, but the beginning bit. . . I just skip it as soon as I hear it. I feel like it's so not Harry Styles if you know what I mean?

JR: He did take a lot of mushrooms when they were writing this album to be fair.

RP: Mushrooms?! I didn't know that, whaaat.

JR: Yeah! I read that it was a big part of the writing process (Laughs). I've made loads of notes on all of the songs, yeah, but for this one I've literally just put a big cross through the title.

RP: (Laughing) It's just not very good, we can get rid of that.

JR: Okay cool. So what's your personal favourite track?

RP: I find it really difficult to choose between Cherry and She. They both just hit different, but I think Cherry is my favourite.

JR: Why's that?

RP: I like the lyrics. Even though they're quite simple, they're effective. It's a song about him processing and assessing his thoughts, it's pretty brave. And then putting his ex-girlfriend  (Camille Rowe)'s voice on the song. . . I don't get how he's done that. Did he ask her to record something or. . .

JR: It could have been from a video or something.

RP: Yeah true, he's very very brave to put that on an album about their breakup. It definitely shows that he was really in love at that moment in time.

JR: I think it's quite a sad song, too.

RP: It is sad, I like it because it's sad. (Laughs) Me and my sad songs. I like that its quite a layered song as well, there's loads of aspects to it.

JR: Yeah, I like the guitar in it so much. We both learnt how to play it which is a pretty good sign.

RP: Its such a beautiful riff - if we both learn it then that says something.

JR: It reminds me a bit of From the Dining Table from his first album.

RP: YES. This and Falling could easily fit on it.

JR: Falling, for me, is his strongest vocal performance on the album - I think that's what the idea of it was. But I think it's just too similar to Sign of the Times. It's just not that original or unique.

RP: Yeah, to me it doesn't stand out on the album. Like, I won't go and listen to it on it's own.

JR: Yeah. I mean, it sells the story of the album quite well but it's just a bit repetitive. It doesn't change that much.

RP: Mmm. It doesn't even build up to anything at the end. But you're right about the story; the lyrics go over him falling in love, and then accepting that he's not anymore, and looking for it in different places. And that's literally what the album follows.

JR: I guess it's called Falling too, which is a giveaway that its a big moment in the album.

RP: There's a lot of Beatles influence on Fine Line. Instantly, when I listened to Canyon Moon I thought that it sounded like a Paul McCartney song.

JR: Yeahhh. It's quite a simple progression, but in its tones - the harmonies, bass-line, the shaker, little acoustic guitar melodies, it sounds very Beatles-y. When I put it on my Mum instantly said, 'Well that's just a Beatles song'.

RP: Yeah, it is very musically good but I'm not a fan of the lyrics. I think that and Falling can both go.

📸 Helene Pambrum

JR: OK, let's talk about the singles? Out of the three, what one is your favourite?

RP: My personal favourite is Adore You, I know you didn't like that one but I really love it so much. It's definitely a classic pop song, I understand that but there's just something about it.

JR: Do you love it in the album, or do you love it by itself?

RP: I think it could be a song by itself, easily.

JR: It's definitely the most poppy song out of them all.

RP: Definitely. If I had to pick a single that represented the album best, it would be Lights Up.

JR: Definitely. And Harry picked that as the lead single too. I really like the bass line on it, and the atmosphere the whole song creates. But lyrically I think it's quite basic; the message  of individuality is nice but it's not told in an interesting way, you get me?

RP: Yeah. I just think, musically, Adore You is the best out of the three.

JR: I picked Watermelon Sugar. Which is strange for me, because usually I lean towards songs that sound better over anything. And Watermelon Sugar definitely doesn't do as much, sonically, as Lights Up. What do you think?

RP: I looove Watermelon Sugar.

JR: It's such a tune, but I don't actually know what it's about though? I guess it's an ode to summer, maybe. I think he just wants some fruit or something.

RP: The lyrics are a bit weird, like, 'I want your belly', what?

JR: Thing is, it's a really strong vocal performance, but it's not that interesting compared to some of the other tunes on this album.

RP: I think this and She are the best ones for his voice.

JR: And Golden! I've got a thing for opening tracks (laughs).

RP: Strong opener there.

JR: I think it is an opening track through-and-through, it sets the pace really well. Lyrically it's a good indication of the rest of the album, 'And I know that you're scared because hearts get broken'.

RP: Yeahhh. It's that 'Hey!' that just gets me, I can imagine that's how he could start his show.

JR: Oh shit you're seeing him aren't you!

RP: When he comes on stage to that I'm literally gonna ball my eyes out. (Laughing) You can imagine- because you've got that little cymbal going 'tsh tsh tsh'- and then he goes 'HEY!'- and then-

JR: (Laughing) You are going to cry.

RP: I am, so much.

JR: I completely forgot you're seeing him.

RP: I did too! I only remembered just then when you mentioned Golden.

JR: Did you have it in your list?

RP: (Sighs) It's definitely a very very worthy opening song, but I didn't but it was very close. though.

📸 Helene Pambrum

JR: Neither did I. No Golden but we both like it. To Be So Lonely?

RP: I love that song, but I didn't have it because it doesn't stand out to me; it's a bit like Falling where it stays the same the whole way through. I like the guitar riff. . .

JR: I wish it committed to that sound he opens it with, but the chorus feels completely different to the song you hear at the start.

RP: I think the chorus is what lets it down, when you first hear it, it's like 'oo, yeah!', but then the chorus comes in and its a bit less interesting. It's a bit of a let down.

JR: You were definitely singing this just before I hit the record button though, so it's definitely catchy. . . 

RP: Oh, yeah, there's no doubt that it's a catchy song. It's just so hard to talk badly about songs that you love, I love all of them but this this one doesn't stand out as much.

JR: Yeah, I think the verse is wayyy better than the chorus though.

RP: I like the pre-chorus; 'And I'm- just- an- aaarogant- son- ooof a bitch.'. . .

JR: It's so you to be fair.

RP: Then it just goes a bit down his after that.

JR: Sunflower, Vol 6?

RP: Yeah. I like it.

JR: I like the weird noises he makes at the end, and the harmonies in the chorus are really nice. I feel like it relieves the tension after She. But only because it sounds like it could be straight from Pop Party 3.

RP: There's a couple of songs on here that sound like Simon Cowell's swooped back in and told him what to do again. . . To Be So Lonely sounds like it could be a song from One Direction's later albums.

JR: I believe you (Laughs).

RP: I like Harry Styles when he's a bit edgy, that's why I like Cherry and She so much. If the whole album was like, She-esque, it would have been the most phenomenal album ever.

JR: Fine Line, the song?

RP: You know what, I haven't listened to it that much. There's probably a reason for that.

JR: It drags on. I think for a six-and-a-half minute song there's so much more you can do with it.

RP: I think it's good for it's lyrics.

JR: Yeah, I like the repetition of 'We'll be alright'. It's a cool song, but it doesn't do as much as some of the other songs. It's definitely written for the end.

RP: Yeah, for me it's him saying 'I'm at this point, and I'm drifting away'.

JR: And it communicates that pretty well. Musically it's just a bit meh. All that's left to talk about now is She. . .

RP: . . A.k.a. the most amazing song ever. But- OK here's the thing (Laughs). Cherry is my favourite song but She is the best song on the album.

JR: Okay that's interesting! She is my favourite but I think Cherry is the best.

RP: Oh okay!

📸 Isabel Infantes/Getty

JR: And as much as we both like the two singles we spoke about earlier, these two are way better, yeah?

RP: Yeah, once again they are great songs but they're too poppy. I don't think they're a good representation of Harry Styles. Actually they are. But they're not a representation of the Harry Style I want to hear. 

JR: Definitely. I love seeing pop-stars experiment with interesting sounds, it's refreshing.

RP: That's why I like She and Cherry so much. I want to hear more than the pop star he used to be. Seeing him move away from the genre of music he came from is really what I want to see.

JR: Out of the two, I reckon the most work has been put into Cherry.

RP: Yeah, definitely.

JR: But that's not taking anything away from She. It's easily one of the best songs of 2019, it's just sick.

RP: That beginning. It sounds like Two Ghosts, I reckon intentionally.

JR: I guess it wouldn't be an accident. I really like how cool and slow it is- it's hard to describe without just playing the song. It's impressive. It feels really confident.

RP: Yes. I can literally picture him performing this song; what he's gonna wear, everything.

JR: You're going to.

RP: Aaah! don't.

JR: The fact that he's put a two-and-a-half minute guitar solo on this album is incredible. It doesn't sound improvised either, I think they've written every note of that.

RP: I'm not normally the sort of person to prefer electric guitar to acoustic, but I love the electric guitar on this. There's just something about it.

JR: It's really heavy, and intense. I think the progression is made of all minor chords except for one. I like the lyrics because they're quite observational but they are too short. There's not enough of them.

RP: Yes. That's the only thing I'd say that I can fault about the song.

JR: That's why I've picked Cherry, because I feel like they've thought a whole song, a proper complete song.

RP: I get what you mean, it's full but not too full; it's just the perfect amount of everything you need in a song.

JR: Yeah, because the song really ends at like four minutes in. 

RP: And then you've got that little bit of Camille talking.

JR: (Laughing) Wait. Hang about. We're talking about different songs. I thought you were talking about She?

RP: (Laughing) Wait, OK. Cherry feels full and has just the right amount of everything. But it stops early as well.

JR: Too early?

RP: No. Whereas I think She stops too early.

JR: It's six minutes long!

RP: No no he stops singing too early. I love the guitar solo but I'd rather hear him sing.

JR: I think I'd rather hear the guitar solo than him singing.

RP: Really, I love his voice on this. It's those high notes, I think that might be the most impressive vocal display on the whole album.

JR: So what's the best song on Fine Line?

RP: . . . Cherry.

JR: Cherry.

RP: Yeah.

JR: I can't believe we haven't picked She.

RP: She's an impressive song, Cherry is the best song.

JR: I think the fact that you learnt it on guitar is a pretty good indicator, it's not often you do that.

RP: That's so true actually, yeah.

JR: I love the french accent, so having Camille at the end makes it that little bit better too (laughs).

RP: Yeah same, and obviously 'Cherry' means 'Chérie' which means 'Darling' in French.

JR: Ohhh yeah! I didn't realise that. Even better.

9/02/20

James Berner-Roe

jroe1@hotmail.co.uk