Harry’s House – Album Review

With Harry’s new album coming in just a month, I wanted to reminisce on his most recent work. Harry’s House was a life changing album for me filled with so much passion and so many important messages. With Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally on the way, I wanted to analyze this to hold us all over for a bit. So for now, read this and stream “Aperture.”

Music For a Sushi Restaurant

The opener of this album is an upbeat and admiring dedication to a new attractive woman that Harry has his eyes on. He is describing her as someone that is as “sweet as ice cream but you could use a flake or two.” This woman is very kind but Harry is interested in more than just “sweets.” He wants drama and he wants personality. Meanwhile, he wants the best for her and for her to know it. He describes the foods that are found in a sushi restaurant while also declaring that this song is “music for whatever you want” telling listeners that they can interpret the song however they would like. The high note horns layered on top of the “Ba-ba-ba-ba” choruses give us a sense of passion and freedom in Harry’s new music. He is feeling like he can yell out and put on a show for whoever is watching. The outro of the song leaves us off with the eternal line “If the stars were edible/ And our hearts were never full/ could we live with just a taste?” Begging the question, could we live without love but only sex?

Late Night Talking

The sharp synth at the beginning sets a dancy tone for this track. Harry describes his daze of waking up and missing a woman. He offers his services to her life reexplaining that all he wants is to make her happy. The chorus reveals the fact that he is in a long distance relationship with this woman. He wishes he could spend more time with her and not be so far away but, at least they have “late night talking” to look forward to. The message of the lyrics are decently simple in that he is devoted to this woman and just wants to make her feel good.

Grapejuice

The sexy countoff and low swing of the music in the start of the track give off a sexy and mysterious feel. The higher tone of Harry’s voice and a fantasy of spending time with the woman but then, it is revealed that he is alone. He drinks at a bar instead of the romantic evening he dreams of. The chorus is an ode to the loss of this woman. He dreams of them being together but now all he can do is drink and reflect about their past experiences. The line in the pre-choruses “I pay for it more than I did back then” is a metaphorical way to tell us that things hurt more now that he is older. The term “grape juice blues” reminds us all that this woman has slipped Harry’s grasp and now drinking wine just pains him because he thinks about her.

As It Was

The voice recording of Harry’s goddaughter is an endearing way to introduce a young and playful vibe. The first verse tells us that Harry is after human connection. He wants to recreate good feelings that he has lost a grip on. He wants to be focused on the people around him and not the physical world. The chorus confirms this in the repetition of “You know it’s not the same as it was.” Admitting that he misses a past feeling. The second verse is a string of heavy thoughts that point to signs of depression. These thoughts focus on loss and loneliness. When people check on him, they assume that he copes by drinking and drugs. The bridge takes us into a racing mind. The string of lyrics show us that so many things can go on in the human mind. Different people prioritize different things and see different things as conflict. The fading outro introduces us to bells and repeats the idea that things are not the same but still we persist through time. 

Daylight 

Something that I imagine for a few songs off this album is the relation of lyrics to the very popular movie Don’t Worry Darling that Harry starred in alongside Florence Pugh. This particular track to me has a direct correlation to the moments in the film where the character Alice begins to become skeptical of the simulation. At the same time, Jack has to continue going back into the real world daily to make enough money for them to stay inside their world. The lyrics “I’m on the roof” and “I was nose-bleeding, looking for life out there” demonstrate scenes that involve Alice witnessing her friend fall off the roof as well as the one where she searches in the desert for the plane crash that she swore she saw. Like the upbeat tone of this track, she wakes up in her house again and Jack acts like none of the things she saw were real and that there are explanations and excuses for each mishap. The pre-chorus demonstrates to us a pure and yearning love that the two are projected to have for one another. The repetition of the line “Daylight, you got me cursing the daylight” refers to the fact that Jack despises waking up for “work” where he has to deal with reality. The crash of all the symbols in the final outro gives us a surge of passion after the calm and quiet of the rest of the song. 

Little Freak

Possibly my all time favorite track on this album, “Little Freak” comes in with a layered vocal and the mention of “Jezebel” who is a biblical figure, Harry is admiring a woman. This woman is figuratively and literally being imagined on a pedestal. The line “Somehow you’ve become some paranoia” reveals to us that he has lost this woman and he knows he does not deserve her. The pre-chorus takes us into a blend of harmonies that reiterates the feelings of admiration for this woman and her personality. Describing her thoughts as a “delicate point of view” is a beautiful way to exhibit his applause to the way she lives life. His petty side comes out a bit when he says “I’m not worried about where you are/ Or who you will go home to, I’m/ Just thinking about you.” He knows he has no right to dictate where she goes or who she spends time with, but wants her to know that she is still on his mind. He wonders about the details of her life in the next verse. He makes it clear that he watches her from afar in the lines “Tracksuit and a ponytail/ You hide the body all that yoga gave you.” By saying this, he proves that he knows her very well mentally and physically. Another repetition of the chorus brings us into the confessional bridge. He knows that he hurt her and that he tried to rush things. The line “You never saw my birthmark” is a very personal and poetic way to say that he regrets things ended so abruptly and he wishes she stuck around to see all the different parts of him. The quiet outro of “Just thinkin’ about you” is a charming end to an emotional and revealing message. Giving us a sense of simplicity and closure. 

Matilda

The muted picking creates a delicate introduction to a story of a girl that values independence and maturity. Saying that she is riding her bike to the sound of “It’s no big deal” tells us that she has to let a lot of things roll off her back. Harry reveals that we are discussing some sort of unfair treatment that this person faces. Nobody realized at first but now the treatment has come to light. The chorus gives her validation to leave this treatment behind and never show them kindness. She has the right to surround herself with people that love and care for her instead of the family that “never showed you love.” He encourages her to be unapologetic when it comes to her growth and success in life. The second verse takes us deeper into the details of how Matilda feels internally. He understands her depression and sees her fully. The line “You showed me a power that is strong enough to bring sun to the darkest days” tells us that he knows her personally and is not just looking into her life. It reveals to us that she once helped him during a tough time and that she has light and optimism inside of her. The line change in the chorus “you can see the world, following the seasons” encourages Matilda again to follow her dreams and experience great things despite her rough upbringing. The bridge is a glimpse into her childhood home and how it haunts her but Harry assures her that “you don’t have to go home.” He makes the point that her past and family cannot haunt her as long as she can “let them go.” This means in order to move on she must not dwell on the negative events that shaped her mind. It cannot hurt her but only if she puts it all out of her mind. The quiet last repetition of the chorus is a message that she can move on and start new things. He presents the idea that “You can start a family who will always show you love” meaning that the dynamic and stigma around family can disappear. She has the power to create her own path and make an environment that is supportive and positive. 

Cinema

This track is a very simplistic and sexual message. The series of lyrics describe Harry and a woman that are about to have sex. I say simplistic because instead of getting super descriptive he says “I just think you’re cool/ I dig your cinema.” All he wants to know in return is if the feeling is mutual or maybe he comes on too strong. He wants to give her everything she desires. He wants “you all the time” and no limits to the things that they can do together. There is a grand yell out of a final “Cinema” and the riffy guitar that leads us into the bridge. The bridge makes us want to move in a specific way. Almost like nailing the lyrics and the right movements could be so satisfying. This bridge is one of my favorite moments to experience live in concert. Harry screaming the background “baby, you’re cinema” shows his true passion towards the moment and being present in intimacy.

Daydreaming 

The fierce yell of an “oooooooooh” is a release of energy. The first verse continues on with the theme of yearning for a lover and thinking of them while they’re gone. He craves the feeling of devotion and togetherness. The line “Give me all of your love, give me something to dream about” shows us his desire to be so drawn to someone that they entertain his mind when apart. The horns and background vocals instill a feeling of freedom to just yell out and express your feelings. Lyrically, the track is so simple yet it feels complex when we consider tone and actual meaning behind volume.

Keep Driving 

I find “Keep Driving” to be a bit of a part two to the themes of “Daylighy.” The synthy clap counts us back into the scene of Don’t Worry Darling. With descriptive words that take us into a scene we are back on “the roof.” The lyric leading into the chorus “A small concern with how the engine sounds” to me refers to Alice’s concern in the simulation that something is off. The following clever lyric “We held darkness in withheld clouds” reveals the ugly piece of what was going on behind the scenes of the simulation and all the baggage the front of happiness came with. When she feels this, Jack’s metaphorical and literal response (in the sense that we are thinking about the scene where they are literally driving together for fun) is “Should we just keep driving” as in ignore everything horrible and deranged and just keep going. The second verse is quite clever and refers to Alice’s cooking and devotion to Jack. A clever “Hashbrown, egg yolk, I will always love you” is simplistic and sweet but demonstrates the routine that happened everyday in the simulation. Alice cooks breakfast, Jack gets ready for work, they say “i love you” and then it happens all over again the next day. The bridge is the most telling part of the entire song, filled with chaos and metaphors for secrets. This section brings in a more realistic view of the world past the movie. The phrase “Passports in footwells/ Kiss her and don’t tells” insinuates the proof of keeping secrets. He brings in a lot of lines about drugs and drinking which made me think of the realistic and gritty side of the world. In the more violent lines “Cocaine, side boob/ Choke her with a sea view/ Toothache, bad move” the build up gets higher and higher until “Just act normal/ Moka pot Monday, it’s all good/ Hey, you” where it calms down and gets to the initial point and question “Should we just keep driving?” despite all of the madness. 

Satellite 

The creaky startup of the synth sounds like we are dusting everything off and coming in with an encore. Harry comes in softly recognizing that the person he is addressing may not have interest in hearing from him. The pre-chorus leads into a plea for some attention. He says “Spinning out, waiting for ya to pull me in.” This tells us that he is waiting on someone to give him the signal of approval to talk to them. Starting from “I’m in an LA mood” he is speaking from the female perspective in this relationship. He helps us see that she needs space from him. For some reason, she needs space but he knows she is lonely without him and he is desperate for her to give into him. All he wants is to cater to her and to express this he yells out “Wishing I could be there for ya.” The slam on the drums and quick snare triplets creates a release of emotion. It screams “Please!” 

Boyfriends 

The intro sounds like a reversed message and the delicate pluck of the guitar gives us an endearing tone. Harry begins with a ballad about the troubles of men that cannot understand the feelings of their significant others. He sings out from the perspective of women, recognizing the faults of a man and how difficult it is to read them. The line “You/ Love a fool who knows just how to get under your skin” is a very intricate way to encapsulate what it feels like to love a man in the sense that they can irritate you so much yet “You still open the door” with forgiveness and love. He demonstrates an understanding that women cater to these men and continue to show up for them but they aren’t sure why they do. Though Harry may be a culprit of these actions, he points out that boyfriends are difficult to understand in the sense that you have no idea where their minds wander. “They don’t tell you where it’s heading/ And you know the game’s never ending” is a way to say that we continue to keep up with confusion and sacrifice mental sanity to feel loved. Though “You/ Feel a fool, you’re back at it again” over and over because we are addicted to love.   

Love Of My Life

The final track on this album to me is not geared towards just one person. It seems to be more directed towards a place or a memory. Starting off with “Take a walk on Sunday through the afternoon” gives me the impression that this is deeper than a singular person. Additionally the line “I take you with me every time I go away” is giving us an understanding that the memory of this place can always stay with him no matter where he goes. Although it is sad that he can never be in this place all the time and he resents that fact that he doesn’t know it “half as well as all his friends.” He wonders if the place will be the same when he returns and admits he never wanted to leave it but dedicates this song to it because “Baby, you were the love of my life.” The short piano bit at the end of the track signifies the end of a chapter and leaves it all up for interpretation. The sharpness of the tone and the fade out leaves us at peace and in the knowledge that Harry may be gone for a while after this.