Harry Styles [Gatefold Cover] [180 Gram Vinyl] [Download Card]

by Harry Styles

Overview

When One Direction went on hiatus and its members went their separate ways to work on solo projects, the most anticipated of them was Harry Styles. His charming persona and elastic vocals had him positioned as the Timberlake of the group -- the one who might be able to stake his own claim in the pop landscape. With his self-titled debut album, he does a fine job of delivering a statement of independence while staying true to the One Direction sound. Working with a small handpicked band and producer Jeff Bhasker, Styles crafted an album that ranges from intimate to epic, while always keeping the focus on his vocals and doing a little self-exploration in the lyrics. He and his team don't really stretch past what One D did musically; there are folky acoustic tunes ("Sweet Creature"), lush introspective ballads ("From the Dining Table"), nods to '80 hair metal ("Kiwi"), and silly pop songs ("Carolina") of the sort that could be found on any One D album. The difference is that with just one guy singing all the songs, Harry Styles sounds more focused and personal. And his voice is a thing of beauty, soaring on the big-screen ballads ("Sign of the Times"), reaching emotional depths on the hushed confessionals ("Meet Me in the Hallway"), and snapping with a Jagger-esque strut on the uptempo songs ("Only Angel"). The album really clicks when the arrangements and production combine into something interesting. "Sign of the Times" is the kind of sweeping, heart-stoppingly epic ballad Robbie Williams mastered; "Ever Since New York" borrows the guitar riff from Badfinger's "Baby Blue," builds a lush wall of Styles' vocal harmonies, and comes off like a well-crafted folk-rock update; and the glammy, Elton John-inspired "Woman" adds some welcome '70s-style weirdness to the proceedings, which is something the album could have used more of. Harry Styles works exceedingly well as a modern pop album and an extension of the One D sound and brand. ~ Tim Sendra

Product Details

Release Date:	05/12/2017
Label:	Columbia / Sony Music
UPC:	0889854390310
Rank:	4037

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Meet Me in the Hallway
2. Sign of the Times
3. Carolina
4. Two Ghosts
5. Sweet Creature

Disc 2

6. Only Angel
7. Kiwi
8. Ever Since New York
9. Woman
10. From the Dining Table

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Harry Styles   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Clapping,Omnichord,Lead Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Alvin Chea   Bass (Vocal),Bass Baritone
Clydene Jackson   Alto,Alto (Vocals)
Carmen Carter   Soprano,Soprano (Vocal)
Johnny Britt   Tenor (Vocal)
Julia Waters   Soprano,Soprano (Vocal)
Eyvonne Williams   Alto,Alto (Vocals)
Jeff Bhasker   Piano,Clapping,Keyboards,Moog Bass,Lap Steel Guitar,Moog Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)
Aretha Scruggs   Alto,Alto (Vocals)
Monique Donnelly   Soprano,Soprano (Vocal)
Will Wheaton   Bass (Vocal),Bass Baritone
Caroline Buckman   Viola
Carmen Twillie   Tenor (Vocal)
Jim Gilstrap   Bass (Vocal),Bass Baritone
Oren Waters   Tenor (Vocal)
David Loucks   Tenor (Vocal)
Songa Lee   Violin
Erik Arvinder   Violin
Charlean Carmon   Soprano,Soprano (Vocal)
Ina Veli   Violin
Michael Whitson   Viola
Taylor Graves   Tenor (Vocal)
Reid Bruton   Bass (Vocal),Bass Baritone
Edie Lehmann Boddicker   Alto,Alto (Vocals)
Tyler Johnson   Piano,Clapping,Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Kid Harpoon   Bass,Guitar,Clapping,Vocals (Background)
Diane Freiman Reynolds   Soprano,Soprano (Vocal)
Vanessa Freebairn-Smith   Cello
Ira Glansbeek   Cello
Fletcher Sheridan   Tenor (Vocal)
Steve Aho   Conductor,Orchestra
Kala Balch   Alto,Alto (Vocals)
Keri Larson   Soprano,Soprano (Vocal)
Jeffrey Azoff   Clapping,Vocals (Background)
Baraka Williams   Alto,Alto (Vocals)
Allie Feder   Soprano,Soprano (Vocal)
Ryan Nasci   Bass,Lap Steel Guitar
Laurhan Beato   Alto
Alex Salibian   Piano,Clapping,Keyboards,Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background)
Katie Sloan   Violin
Mitch Rowland   Drums,Guitar,Cowbell,Clapping,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Jamie McCrary   Tenor (Vocal)
Diane Reynolds   Soprano

Technical Credits

Chris Gehringer   Mastering
Mark "Spike" Stent   Mixing,Mixing Engineer
John Ryan   Composer,Composer
Jeff Bhasker   Composer,Producer,Executive Producer,Additional Production
Michael Freeman   Mixing Assistant
Julian Bunetta   Composer
Tyler Johnson   Composer,Producer,Programming,Additional Production
Calvin Aurand   Photography
Kid Harpoon   Engineer,Producer
Steve Aho   Musician,Contractor,Orchestration
Peter Ham   Composer
Harley Weir   Photography
Harry Styles   Composer
Ryan Nasci   Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Alex Salibian   Composer,Producer,Additional Production
Molly Hawkins   Creative Director
Thomas Hull   Composer
Matt Dyson   Assistant Engineer
Jacob Hassett   Graphic Design
Mitch Rowland   Composer