An A-Z Guide to Harry Styles’ New Album Harry’s House

Mary Siroky and Consequence Staff
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The post An A-Z Guide to Harry Styles’ New Album Harry’s House appeared first on Consequence.

Welcome to Harry’s House, the luminous third album from Harry Styles. We get it: it can be a lot to take in — it’s a thirteen track collection from the beloved Brit, spanning genre and era, but also finds Styles at his most confident musically. The album arrived today (May 20th), and we’ll be spinning it all weekend — and all summer — long.

To help make sense of all the things in this beautiful home Styles constructed for us like Ryan Gosling in The Notebook, we’ve broken down some of the most essential, can’t-miss details in alphabetical order.

A – “As It Was”

Harry describes “As It Was” as a metamorphoses of finding and losing yourself. His lead single sets the dreamy ’80s dance pop tone for a new Harry era. He’s long been fixated on the passage of time, and this track appropriately keeps the trend going, acting as our first window into this new era.

B – Bishopsgate

On “Late Night Talking,” Harry contrasts the peaceful landscape of Bishopsgate, the secluded town in London where he resides, to the glittering fame of Hollywood, professing that his love surpasses any physical location. The contrast here isn’t just between two places with which Styles is closely associated — it’s also a contrast between a place known to be glamorous and upscale, and one much more familiar and attainable.

C – “Cinema”

“Cinema” might be a reference to one of Styles’ other passions: acting. Styles starred in the fantastic Dunkirk back in 2017, and will be making an appearance in Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling, due to hit theaters in September 2022. Styles captures the whimsical scenes that the cinema brings to life in this vibey and sensual track.

D – “Daylight”

What could be better than spending a Sunday afternoon than reading daily horoscopes with Styles? We’re coming up short. “Daylight” is akin to sunbathing on your front porch while longing for a distant lover — why must you be so far, Harry?

E – Eggs

Harry mentions eggs not once but twice throughout the album — unclear if he often wrote while hungry in the making of this record, or if there’s any kind of deeper meaning here. Whereas a lesser man might text you, “You’re hot” at 2:37 a.m., Harry has a little more finesse: “I could cook an egg on you.”

F – Fried Rice

“Music For a Sushi Restaurant” triumphantly opens the door to the eccentric world of Harry’s House. While the track checks off a few sushi restaurant staples — fried rice and green tea — it reassures you that in Harry’s House, anything is possible. Even a universe where the “stars are edible.”

G – Grape Juice

Is “Grapejuice” the fruity spiritual successor to “Watermelon Sugar”? Maybe, maybe not — but the track does bask in a similarly feel-good, summery vibe. This time, however, “Grapejuice” is more of a steady, head-nodding, laid back take on sunny feelings.

H – Harry’s Mustache

It just had to be acknowledged. It is the moment, and we can’t let the moment go unrecognized. Thank you for your time. Carry on!

I – Inverse

Harry has shown a pattern of leaving secret code for his most dedicated listeners. “Boyfriends” isn’t the only time where he’s inverted lyrics in the intro of his song — the first being in “Sunflower, Vol. 6,” perhaps this will be a running easter egg in all of his future releases.

J – Jezebel

Harry calls his “Little Freak” a Jezebel, referencing the Bible’s original “bad girl.” He contrasts the character to the youthful image of “staying green,” reassuring his lover that he wants them to stay the way they are. (“J” can also be for John Mayer, who lends his guitar to several tracks.)

K – “Keep Driving”

Harry just wants to continue moving forward on “Keep Driving.” Objects of sentimentality and warning signs are juxtaposed over a nostalgic synth line before he simply suggests, “Should we just keep driving?”

L – LA Mood

Harry claims that he’s in “an LA mood” on “Satellite,” and appears to stay there for most of the album. He spent the majority of the time creating this album in the California sun, pivoting between his movie star persona and pop star Harry. What’s more of an LA mood than that?

M – “Matilda”

The title character of the beloved children’s book takes on a new life in this song, as Styles sings to a stand-in for who the mischievous, magical, and neglected young girl might’ve grown up to be. It’s a comforting lullaby for anyone who has found themself surrounded by found family.

N – North London

The North London neighborhood might just happen to be where Harry’s literal, actual house is located. This album is more of a metaphorical journey, though.

O – “Out of New York”

Harry stans have already begun speculating a possible Taylor Swift connection on “Daylight,” likely because of the somewhat tumultuous relationship painted in the song and the way this line could be stretched to relate to his ex’s “Welcome to New York.” Harry has already dispelled such rumors, though when has that ever stopped gums from flying?

P – Pancakes for Two

Harry spends “Keep Driving” creating a shopping list of modern life’s signifiers. Taken as a whole it’s an abstract collage of familiar feelings, cute moments, the drive to keep moving forward, and, in the case of “maple syrup, coffee, pancakes for two,” delicious breakfasts, too.

Q – Questions

There’s still plenty of things we were left wondering after the last beats of Harry’s House ring out. How are you actually doing, Harry? Who are many of these songs about? How long are you going to keep the mustache? Is Florence Pugh as wonderful as she seems?

R – Roald Dahl

Like many of us, Harry apparently grew up reading the work of beloved author Roald Dahl. He’s responsible for so many wonderful stories, including The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and, of course, Matilda, which Styles mentioned he had in mind when writing the song on this album of the same name.

S – Satellite

Harry’s crush has him spinning, as his thoughts and actions orbit around the unnamed love interest on “Satellite.” “Spinning out, waiting for you to pull me in,” he sings, wishing to be closer to the object of his attraction. I guess even the most eligible pop-star in the world can feel the powerlessness of an unbalanced love.

T – Tyler Johnson

Harry’s longtime collaborator returned for this outing once again. Known for his work across pop and country spaces, Johnson has proven himself to be a trusted asset in the studio for Styles. Harry kept his circle especially small for this album, and Johnson’s touch was essential to the final product.

U – Underwater

Harry makes multiple references to being underwater on “Keep Driving” — or at least being in close proximity to a body of water. “Black and white film camera, yellow sunglasses/ Ash tray, swimming pool,” he says painting a portrait of domestic bliss. “Choke her with a sea view/ Toothache, bad move,” he continues later.

V – Viewpoint

“I was thinkin’ about who you are/ Your delicate point of view,” Styles croons on “Little Freak.” We most often stay tuned into Styles’ perspective throughout the album, and here he takes a look outward.

W – Wine

This album is filled with more references to food and drink than any of his previous albums. Believe it or not, grape juice might not actually be a reference to Motts; Styles is more likely referring to a nice cabernet when he mentions a bottle.

X – Exes

Harry introduced “Boyfriends” at his 2022 headlining Coachella act with the statement, “To boyfriends everywhere: fuck you,” a moment that will likely go down in Harry history. “Boyfriends” encapsulates the intense and often complex feelings that one has when remembering their exes.

Y – Yoann Bourgeois

Yoann Bourgeois, the director for the “As It Was” music video, drew inspiration from his 2018 art film, Les Grand Fantômes. The “As It Was” visual fights the forces of nature as dancers run around in a circle, testing if anything, even gravity, can hold Harry back.

Z – Zig-Zag

Shoutout to Harry’s suit on The Today Show. You do you, babe.

An A-Z Guide to Harry Styles’ New Album Harry’s House
Mary Siroky and Consequence Staff

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