The incredible comeback that is Kiss All The Time, Disco Occasionally is a light. A record that truly brings back the joy and inspiration to music. Blending different genres yet making them so seamless is a real talent of our friend Harry and something I hope never fades. The album addresses a string of internal conflicts, touching on subjects of love, loss, and of course the classic feelings of imposter syndrome. It’s safe to say that this record was worth the wait and thankfully now, it’s all waiting there for you…
Aperture
American Girls
The second track on the album opens with static and a familiar sounding isolated grand piano. The small piece that Harry plays in the “We Belong Together” youtube video in Italy makes an appearance here accompanied by a subtle kick on the drums. The opening line “Right at home, with perfect timing” is a comforting way to welcome fans into the new era that is Kiss All The Time, Disco Occasionally. Giving everyone a sense of belonging in that this home is all of ours. The chorus has an extremely clear short belt from Harry telling us of the new trends of his friends “in love with American Girls” essentially showing us his love and devotion to his fans, giving them the credit they deserve. Screaming out “I’ve known you for ages” feels like a direct callout and gratitude towards the fans that follow him “All over the world” and support him time and time again. He knows them, he appreciates them, and most importantly, they all share a common love: the music.
Ready, Steady, Go!
Another static and a strong kick drum with a faint voice of a baby leads us into the sexy introduction of this track. Harry is in his zone, describing the thrill of not being able to separate from someone. The thrill of togetherness and essentially kissing is what keeps him going. Many people have been mistaking the lyrics of this pre-chorus to be “But you call IT LOVE” when in reality the lyrics happen to be “But you call LEON.” To be honest, after weeks of trying to figure it out I cannot understand who the hell Leon is. Anyways, the chorus following this calls in a vocal effect making the lyrics sound staticy and muffled. The message being that Harry has confusion about whether or not the attraction is real or only physical. He questions whether or not the woman cares about him or not. Once again, we have our top yearner back. He accuses her of constantly playing with his feelings in the second short verse. The question is unanswered and we spiral into a repetition that is opened by the phrase “Pronti, quasi, vai” which essentially means “Ready, steady, go” in Italian. These lyrics are presented in a flowery and feminine light in a higher octave before we feel like we are falling to our doom into the English version. A short instrumental breakdown occurs in the middle of this outro which feels chaotic and exhilarating. Following this is a quicker paced repetition of “Ready, steady, go!”
Are You Listening Yet?
The chanting of a layered hum and a quick triplet takes us into the mind of a present day misogynistic male. Harry’s feminism really shows with this one. He describes a man with a lot of mental issues claiming “Your therapist well fed.” He goes on to talk more about a male perspective that only searches for sex and never connection. It acts like a subtle callout at first. We ride into a chorus with a mean drum buildup that makes it almost like a chant. Harry is speaking to this male figure telling him that he is at the end of the line. He must make a choice to listen to “the voice. The one inside your head.” This voice most likely telling this man what he is doing is not right or fair. Harry screams out “Are you listening yet?” Begging this person to listen to his gut and conscience. Before a person can even begin to process what was just said, we head into the second verse which displays a rush of thoughts and advice which all point to messages that mean the world is loud and unpredictable so you must hold your own. Life can be enjoyable with a good head on your shoulders. Another chorus is followed by more layered instruments as well as a bridge filled with chaotic La La La’s. In the background of these sections are lazer noises and faint xylophone notes creating more and more chaos around this callout. One last chorus is presented followed by over and over repetition of the question “Oh, are you listening yet?” So fast that by the abrupt ending the man’s attention is grabbed but he has no clue why.
Taste Back
A twinkle introduces the first light and bouncy song on the album. A story about rekindling something with an ex is introduced. Many people believe that this track is a direct correlation to season 3 of the popular show “The Summer I Turned Pretty” and you know what, I totally agree with them. The clever lyric “Not quite here we go again” displays the cautiousness that Harry displays when talking to an ex again. He does not want to say that they are definitely getting on the ride again but knows they probably will. The familiarity of spending time together and getting reintroduced to their friends and remembering little details about each other is comforting. The chorus questions the feeling and asks “Did you get your taste back? Or do you just need a little love?” It creates a debate whether they really love each other again or if they have just fallen victim to loneliness and are seeking out something they can feel sure and secure of. The second verse describes the feeling of confusion as the little things and old feelings start to rush back in. He notices new things about her since moving on to Paris and is impressed by her ability to drink and handle it “like a European.” The second chorus invites a bridge section that is introduced by a background vocal and an open strumming guitar. A drum buildup and a string of Ooos take us into the final chorus and one final try to get an answer to the question “Did you get your taste back? Or do you just need a little love?”
The Waiting Game
A subtle truth that “You can romanticize your shortcomings” leads us into a string of advice and observations that describe a person that second guesses themself. The chorus reveals that this person is a settler. Harry calls them out and points out the fact that they found someone to devote their time to by “playing the waiting game” without a care in the world for being second place in someone’s eyes. He accuses them that they will “always justify” the waiting game all their life. In reality, it is clear that Harry believes that the waiting game is a terrible and sad game to participate in. The lyric “And years go by” tells us that this huge waste of time will take years off your life. A simple message and a judgmental standpoint can make whoever this player of “The Waiting Game” second guess all their life choices as if they have not done enough of that already.
Season 2 Weight Loss
It was announced on the Zane Lowe Interview with Harry Styles that the title of this track refers to a scenario where a show does a season and it does well so the actors all come back for season two looking skinnier and more done up than last season. I find that the themes of that directly correlate with the lyrics of the song in that once fame is achieved, all a person can want is to continue to be loved and accepted for what they bring into the world.
The intriguing title of this track is opened up with a ring of a synthesizer and a question “Aren’t you for sale if you’re cashing in cold?” Followed by a piece of advice that “You gotta sit yourself down sometimes.” This conveys a message that a person that sells themself short has to take a look in the mirror and decide what they’re worth. This point is followed by the line “It’s hard to tell when the thoughts are my own” which is an extremely deep and meaningful statement to make and means to me that Harry has conflict over what the internet says about him and often has confusion between the things people say and actual thoughts he has about himself. The chorus is a cry for help from Harry. The feeling of day to day thought and concern that the things he does aren’t enough. All he wants is the approval of others and he prays that people will “love him now” and hopes that he has not “let them down.” The second verse is a self reassurance. He knows that there are so many things in life to overthink about and if you spend too much time thinking, you will never let in light and happiness. The bridge as well as the outro are repetitions of the lyrics “You could’ve been here in my arms/ But we’re nothing at all/ You want a piece or nothing at all.” These lyrics describe the greed and inhumane treatment that people often give to people that have fame. They want all or nothing and take people for granted.
Coming Up Roses
A full string orchestra plays for a few seconds in the beginning of this one followed by a moment of silence and a few notes of a piano. Adding back in a few string instruments and a concern of breakup season. The time of “turning back the clocks” is revealed along with a fear of a split in this relationship and some seasonal depression. Harry believes that “If we stay the course we can get it right.” By presenting the idea that “Everything seems to be coming up roses” Harry is expressing concern that everything seems to be going too well. He is waiting for that pin to drop that signifies the end of a good relationship. The pre-chorus is a proposal of keeping the good times alive while they can. He wants his companion to agree to commit to making it work together. The second verse is a signal of conflict in the relationship in the lyric “Now I see your tears/ On account of my wants.” He is starting to see that things that are important to him are hurting her. He cannot decide if the fighting and conflict brings them closer or drives them further apart. Yet again, we repeat the chorus where Harry begs once more to ignore all the bad stuff and stick it out together. A symphony is played in the outro with a sad sound that may represent Harry’s delusion and the ending of this questionable relationship despite the fact that he thought everything was going well between them.
Pop
A change of pace occurs in the intro of this track. It sounds like a swagger walk through the streets. A string of lyrics that don’t make much sense lead to the lyric “It’s just me on my knees” telling us that this song is definitely part of the “kiss” half of this album. Harry takes us into his “Squeaky clean fantasy.” The chorus describes a relationship that might not be good for either person yet Harry’s delusions tell him that “This can go anywhere.” He tries to stop it but he knows he will “do it again” simply because he knows it makes him feel good. A reoccurring theme in most of Harry’s music is devotion, in which he displays over and over again by saying “I wanna take up all your time.” Once again he has met someone he cannot get enough of. He wants her all to himself. The rest of the song is more chaotic mixes of new instruments and vocal stems which are an incredibly catchy and enticing blend. Regardless, it all points to the fact that he cannot get enough of this person sexually and wants to keep exploring even if it’s wrong.
Dance No More
A deep bass hook keeps us under the impression that we shouldn’t be here. We are somewhere dangerous, somewhere with scandal, the club. Harry describes a scenario where he meets someone. No thoughts, just attraction. He nods along with her and makes her feel like she has a friend. The chorus line “DJs don’t dance no more, they said” sends us the simple message that the going out scene is boring these days. He wishes that more people would get up and dance and feel music more. The in-between sections of voices and a “bum-bum-bum” rhythm makes for a head nodding feeling. As we go on, Harry convinces us more and more that we should say “fuck it” and just dance on. The randomness of the bridge is a freeing feeling that we haven’t really seen in music since the disco era of the 70s which makes it feel nostalgic yet fresh.
Paint By Numbers
The soft and open guitar and the opening line “oh, what a gift it is to be noticed/ But it’s nothing to do with me” tells us that we are heading into a depressing yet resonating feeling with this one. We are diving deep into the idea that fame and love from fans may not have anything to do with who he is deep inside. Harry references the gift of life and artistry in the first verse and leaves us with the question of whether or not believing is worth it considering the unfortunate things that happen in life. Many fans including myself believe that this track might be a tribute to 1 Directions’s Liam Payne who recently passed away. The second verse takes us through more troubles in life and the difficulty of making decisions and not living up to a potential you create in your head. The line that most resonates with this theme is “You’re the luckiest/ Oh, the irony.” This line reveals to us the struggle of hearing everyone call you so lucky when you’re struggling so much inside. The overall chorus repetition of “It’s a lifetime of learning to paint by numbers” reveals to us a coping mechanism. Understanding in life that things are so difficult when you look at them as one huge problem, but life is about taking one thing at a time and tackling each battle little by little.
Carla’s Song
The closing song on this album is a love letter. The song that brings a tear to my eye and reminds me every single day why everyone should fall in love with music all over again. The slow buildup takes us through a journey. Harry recently revealed on Zane Lowe that this song is about and dedicated to his friend Carla and her discovery of Paul Simon, an iconic musician most famous for his work with Art Garfunkel. For Carla personally, her discovery of her love and satisfaction for Paul Simon is something that made her see “the light and the gold.” Something you feel “from your head to your toes.” Some good fucking music. The feeling described is similar to the way I felt when I first listened to “Never Going Back Again” by Fleetwood Mac. It lights up your soul and opens your eyes to how good music can really make you feel. The chorus of “Carla’s Song” repeats over and over again “It’s all waiting there for you” and “Call it what you wanna.” Two lines that describe an uplifting sense of love for the art that is music and the beauty that it really is just “waiting there for you” across every device. It’s something so beautiful that is so unbelievably accessible to everyone. The break buildup where Harry repeats “I know what you like, I know what you really like/ I know what you like, I don’t have to read your mind” has a stunning vocal layering that sends a chill down my entire spine every time I listen. Beating in the message that music speaks to everyone while simultaneously never addressing anyone specific. Every piece can be different for any person. Different meanings igniting different feelings, but always without fail available and at our fingertips.
lyricritic 
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