the Show

Week 24: Niall Horan- Dinner Party

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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

Week 23: Niall Horan- the Show

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The most talented individual from One Direction, but Niall Horan is somewhat in the shade regarding former band members who have excelled. Harry Styles has had the most success as a solo artist, with Niall being the second. They always say the nice guys get overlooked, and that’s the case with Niall. He is more reserved than Harry, and even though he has got another No. 1 album under his belt, it passes without much fanfare. When Niall releases music, it flies under the radar of the media. They are more interested in the extroverted Harry Styles. Seeming to follow his every move.

Although he may not sell out stadiums, Niall is doing enough to carve out a solo career. Rather than attempt to be more rock n roll, Niall has elected to be more pop with synthesisers on this record, which, surprisingly, coming from a love of Indie, is more suited to his songwriting style.

The only time you will hear a guitar in full flow on the album is ‘You Could Start a Cult’, a song about looking through a relationship with rose-tinted glasses. It also features a harmonica solo. I don’t know if Niall is a fan of Johnny Marr (He probably is.), but it reminded me somewhat of the guitar legend. In all honesty, I wasn’t a fan of the track. I don’t know. There appears to be a sense of mediocrity to it. Save for the harmonica solo. On ‘Must be Love’, Niall discusses his insecurities about falling in love but confesses that you cannot hold back love if it feels like it, no matter how hard you try to resist

He cannot let that thought go even on the cheerful ‘Heaven’ where he is expressing feelings of being in love but also fears that everything will go pear-shaped over bouncing piano keys with sultry vocals. There is a reverb effect on ‘If You Leave’, and I was disappointed with ‘Save My Life’ because it sounds like something the 1975 would churn out.

I don’t know if I liked the record because it captures your imagination and then doesn’t. Sometimes it’s the lyrics, and sometimes it’s the instrumentation. I call the album safe and tidy. Niall is more comfortable writing these types of songs. I cannot wait to hear him write Indie to see if he can pull it off.

7/10

Song recommendations: ‘Heaven’, ‘It Must be Love’., ‘If You Leave’