Niall Horan’s ‘Dinner Party” was not about big pop hits, but rather the main theme of romance and home. It is calmer than “The Show”, but it shows a level of maturity and self-assurance.

The album begins strongly with ‘Tastes So Good’, which is energetic, and then the title track expresses how he met his significant other. The more laidback  yet heartfelt tracks are ‘She Gets It from Her Mother’, ‘Better Man, and ‘Little More Time’, showing that Niall is now comfortable and sincere with his writing.

The only negative I could find was with ‘Monochromatic’, yes, it may match the record’s overall sound, but it lacks the emotional impact and is less catchy than  the others. It simply blends into the background.

The album keeps up that warm fuzzy feeling into the second half with tracks ‘Flowers’, which is easy to enjoy, ‘Boys Are Fun’, which is playful, and ‘Pretty’, which stands out for its great guitar work. The record ends on the melancholic ‘End of an Era’, which was out of the blue.

It’s not his best work, but the writing is great and heartfelt, focusing on raw honesty rather than showboating. It may not be better than ‘The Show’, but it certainly grows on you, and the more you listen, the more beauty is revealed in the songs.

The songwriting is exceptional, and to be honest, I wasn’t expecting such a mature album.

Song recommendations: ‘Tastes So Good’, ‘Dinner Party’, ‘Pretty’

8/10