A vinyl enthusiast shares their honest take on Harry Styles' newest album, finding it stronger than his previous work despite not being a superfan.
I just got this vinyl today and I'm genuinely excited to share my thoughts. I've already listened to the album digitally, but there's something special about dropping the needle on a fresh record. This one's pretty new, and I even broke my usual rule of not caring about special editions. I picked up the red vinyl variant, which is kind of cool. Maybe it's a US exclusive? Not sure, but it looks great.
One thing I should mention right away: the cover art features a naked man, so I'm being careful about what I show. But the cover itself? Beautiful. What really stands out is the shiny sleeve. It's this gorgeous, reflective thing that catches the light. There's also a poster included and nice lettering throughout the packaging. The whole presentation is top notch.
The first track is "Aperture," which was actually the first single. At first, I wasn't sure if it was a good choice for a lead single, but after listening on repeat, I've come around completely. I think it might be my favorite song on the entire album. I was particularly excited to hear this one on vinyl because the production is already quite good on digital, so I knew it would sound even better pressed on wax.
And I was right. The moment the needle hit the groove, I could hear these crisp details that just don't come through on digital. The bass sits perfectly in the mix. She collects the notes. Those little textures and layers? They're all there, clear and present. It's a very strong opener.
The second single is "American Girl." To be honest, I don't love that one. Specifically, I don't like the chorus. But what I do love about vinyl is hearing the different sounds you don't get on digital, those subtle details that make the listening experience richer.
"Ready Set Go" comes next, and there's this one part, literally one specific moment, that I absolutely love. I had to go back and replay it. I think this would have been a very strong choice as the second single, actually. It's got this energy that just hits.
I love hearing the different sounds that you don't get on digital.
The first side is actually quite strong. I don't think there are any skips. I like being able to listen to the whole thing straight through, which is exactly what I want from a vinyl experience.
There's one song I don't personally love, but Fiona, my friend who I work with, says it's her favorite from the album. So I made sure to listen carefully on vinyl. The synth work is actually quite nice. I really, really like the production throughout this record. It sounds beautiful.
Then there's what I think is my second favorite song after "Aperture." I believe it's called "Pop." The lyrics are a bit off or a few years out maybe, but that might be intentional. Either way, I like this song a lot. The way it sounds on vinyl is just gorgeous.
"Dance No More" is the last song I want to highlight. It feels very 80s, and I like it. It reminds me of Peter Gabriel for some reason. There's something about the production choices, the synth work, the atmosphere. It sounds very cool on vinyl.
Here's the thing: I'm not a huge Harry Styles fan. I do have one of his albums, "Fine Line," which I think is the one before the last one. I like it, but there are some skips on that record. Sometimes I just play it in the background when I'm doing something else.
This album is different. This is something I can just play, sing along to, and dance with. Maybe that's the whole "disco occasionally" part of it working its magic. As an album, I actually like it more than his previous ones.
I still think the last one he won a Grammy for Best Album shouldn't have won that award. I think this is a stronger album. It feels more cohesive, more in line with what an album is supposed to be. I know he's getting a bit of hate and some people aren't loving it as much, but again, as a non-Harry Styles fan, I think it's a very strong album. I actually do love most of it.
If I were giving scores (and I don't usually), I'd give this like a seven or eight. It's a strong album. I think it's very good. I like the whole visuals and the whole vibe of it.
I'm going to see him live in May, which I'm excited about. I think it's going to be like a good party.
Look, his vocals are what they are. I've never considered Harry Styles a huge vocalist. I've never considered Harry Styles a huge writer either. But if you don't really think about those things critically, if you just let yourself enjoy the experience, you'll really enjoy this one.
My recommendations: Listen to "Pop." Listen to "Ready Set Go." Listen to "American Girl." Listen to "Dance No More." The ballads are actually quite good. The only one I don't love is "Paint by Numbers." That's the only one I'd say is a skip. Other than that? Good. Solid. Recommended.
