The Article below was published in Vol. 136, Issue 3 of the Lake Forest College Stentor on November 13, 2020.
Lia Fiffles ’24
Staff Writer
After the release of his self-titled album, Harry Styles, a former member of the successful boyband One Direction landed on the music charts with his sophomore album Fine Line, released on December 13, 2019, under Erskine/Columbia Records. With a mix of the classic rock sound that we heard in his first album and a more upbeat party-ready sound, the songs on this album come together to tell a story.
The opening song on the album, “Golden,” carries a fast tempo and chill beat making the song an enjoyable listen. The lyrics, on the other hand, carry a weight one would not expect from such a cheerful sounding song. Reminiscing on a past relationship, Styles admits through the song, “I don’t wanna be alone/When it ends” as if indicating he anticipated the end of the relationship.
“Watermelon Sugar” was truly the song of the summer, and Styles embraces the honeymoon stage of a relationship in this high-tempo anthem that hit number one on the Billboard charts.
The catchy “Adore You” is the closest you will get to hearing a pop song on this album. With its layered guitars and percussion, Styles is singing about the early stages of a relationship.
“Lights Up” was the first single to be released before the release of the album, on October 11, 2019. It was the introduction to Styles’ new era and shined a new light on him. “Step into the light/ I’m not ever going back” he sings as he embraces being comfortable in his own skin and stepping out of his comfort zone.
“Cherry” is a more calm and relaxed song compared to the opening four. It addresses Styles’ breakup with his former girlfriend and her new significant other. “Don’t you call him what you used to call me,” he sings, referring to a nickname shared between the former couple.
The song “Falling” is where Styles shares his true vulnerability regarding the breakup. This piano ballad is a moving moment in the album as Styles sings “What if I’m someone I don’t want to be around,” a line that takes on a self-deprecating tone.
After the climax that was “Falling,” the next track, “To Be So Lonely,” resembles the grief that comes after a breakup. The carefree tone that Styles takes on in the song is a cover-up for the loneliness he feels that is signified in the lyrics.
“She” was written by Styles with his guitarist Mitch Rowland and is a slowed-down mellow song with a dreamy tune. The song represents a longing for someone ideal in one’s eyes, but they are always out of reach. This ambiguity is evident in the chorus, where Styles sings, “She (she)/She lives in daydreams with me (she)/She’s the first one that I see/And I don’t know why/I don’t know who she is (she, she)”
“Sunflower Vol. 6” is the turning point of the album. With its upbeat melody and sound, the song represents the reflection of good memories and a positive mindset.
“Canyon Moon” is another song that takes place in the self-reconciliation period of the story being told throughout the album. With its soft ’70s rock sound, Styles reminisces on the nights he would spend under the canyon moon.
“Treat People with Kindness” is the clearest departure from the theme of the rest of the album. Styles lives by the motto treat people with kindness, and this song serves as the embodiment of the phrase that has featured prominently on Styles’ merchandise prior to the release of this album. The upbeat song was made to be danced to, and it serves as a message to others to accept themselves.
The conclusion of the Fine Line album is no other than the song “Fine Line.” Here, Styles brings the story he told to a close with this lengthy six-minute track. Starting out as a soft and basic ballad, it extends into an epic outro with the repeating lyrics, “We’ll be alright,” referencing the pain and self-discovery he has endured.
The negative and positive emotions that were experienced by Styles were processed and brought together to create this album. The story told represents the fine line between what is good and what is bad when it comes to not only love, but the healing that occurs when it is taken away.
