For those of you who have been living under a rock, I believe it’s time to introduce you all to one Niall Horan; though I’m pretty certain Google can do a pretty damn good job of that. The Mullingar singer-songwriter found fame as a member of One Direction (if you don’t know who they are you are one of the blessed few and I’m not going there) selling millions of copies of multiple albums worldwide and garnering a massive (and extremely dedicated) fan-base globally. After the band’s separation in 2016, Horan, alongside Mark McDonnell and Ian Watts, founded and released golf management company, Modest Golf, which currently manages the likes of Guido Migliozzi and Tyrrell Hatton. Horan then began his solo career, signing with Capitol Records, and released his debut solo album, Flicker, in 2017 touring worldwide with the album in 2018. Flicker debuted on top of the Billboard 200 making him 1 of 4 Irish acts to achieve this feat. His most recent musical offering is Heartbreak Weather which Horan claims looks at multiple aspects of heartbreak and I’m genuinely interested to find out if this will be Heartbreak Weather’s moment or just Heartbreak for Horan. So, time to rip apart one of the most anticipated albums of 2020. No pressure.
Disclaimer: These thoughts are completely my own and in no way represent what Niamh thinks of the album because let’s be real she loves it and she hasn’t even heard it yet (and I’m writing this intro on the 9th of March).
So here it is…
Heartbreak Weather
Song By Song Breakdown
I broke my thoughts on each song into two: the initial thoughts when I first listened to the song and then more information I chose to supply when it wasn’t ridiculous o’clock in the morning. Please do remember that these are solely my thoughts on the songs and album as a whole.
1. Heartbreak Weather
Initial: A very retro vibe to start off the album; this vibe seems to feed through the whole album. I feel like this should have been a single but that is, of course, just my opinion (and, at 4pm, Niall dropped the music video for Heartbreak Weather on YouTube on the album release day i.e. today).
An 80’s pop inspired opening to the album that starts this album right at the beginning of the relationship too. It’s a strong opening and grabs the listener’s attention enough for them to want to continue listening.
2. Black and White
Initial: Here is the soon to be massively overused wedding song. Lovely imagery in the lyrics but I feel like it would have more impact if it was slower.
This is the glimpse into the future where, when a person is the be all and end all of your life, the future is clear and you can’t see life without them. The imagery in this song is beautiful and it will definitely make an appearance at people’s weddings (*cough* Niamh’s *cough*). This is something to aspire to in a relationship and, thanks to Niall, a lot of men will have to live up to this and that’s not a bad thing.
3. Dear Patience
Initial: Anyone can relate to those lyrics. Gorgeous instrumental string ending.
The ending instrumental of this only ever reminds me of the traditional Irish music you can hear way out in the West of Ireland and there’s something very homey about that (but maybe that’s just me).
4. Bend the Rules
Initial: Bryan Adams eat your heart out. It may just be me but the tone of Niall’s singing voice has that quality to it which is not necessarily a bad thing. The tone of voice in this song works pretty well for Niall though.
Certain lines in particular stood out in this song to me :”And I’m not saying you’re guilty//Cause I don’t have any proof” and “Cause on paper you don’t break them//But it hurts so bad the way you bend the rules”. To me, this is the beginning of the end and the cracks are beginning to show.
5. Small Talk
Initial: This is very different to what he’s released before and it feels like a FINALLY moment. Niall Horan has grown up! Can we get more of this and a little less of the cheeky chappy? Just me? Cool cool.
Everything about this is more mature: the beat, the lyrics, the whole sound. Easily one of the easier songs to learn and that’s good for this song. Slick and sexy – never thought I’d say those words about a Niall Horan song but okay. Praise Jesus, it finally happened! But, Niall, do your bros not tell you not to dip your “wick” in crazy?
6. Nice To Meet Ya
Initial: Strong start. Love the riff. Anthem level music but the lyrics were kind of lacklustre. Not the worst song I’ve ever heard but still I feel like it had huge potential.
The line “I want your number tattooed on my arm in ink I swear” is iconic. This song always reminds me of ‘Ruby’ by the Kaiser Chiefs; to me both these songs have that same goal: Have the crowd scream that line back at you in a stadium. Bet you regret it now considering the amount of times people say “Nice to Meet Ya” trying to be funny… you brought it on yourself.
7. Put A Little Love On Me
Initial: A heavy, emotional song that lacks a lot of the emotion. Beautiful orchestration.
For some reason, this song never sat right with me as a single. I felt like I was missing a bigger picture or grand scheme surrounding this song. This song has the right emotion and tone live (see James Corden performance) and I wish I could see more of it in the recording but with it being such an emotional song to sing I can understand the distance put between Niall’s emotions and the emotions in the song.
8. Arms of a Stranger
Initial: Who hurt you? Also that chorus has serious old school rock vibes – um, Niall, your influences are showing.
To me, this song is the realization that even though both people have gone their separate ways, the relationship still holds one of them back. There is a great tone in Niall’s voice in the almost growls he uses in certain phrases that really lends itself to the emotion of the song.
9. Everywhere
Initial: The lyrics to this one, I understand. That maintained note though – I’ll be looking for that live. Honestly, it reminds me of a Eurovision entry….. Irlande douze points!
Oh, the feeling of being haunted. I think the Eurovision quality comes from the multiple layers of vocals in the chorus and the heavy beat in the back. The maintained note over the chorus doesn’t help either. Overall, it’s catchy enough to get major radio play though.
10. Cross Your Mind
Initial: Firstly, ow – those lyrics. Secondly, that old school guitar ❤
A song that’s all about dedication and devotion even if it’s a lost cause and does nothing but hurt. There’s a stark contrast between the music and lyrics. It falls neatly into that upbeat sad song category and if you listen closely you can hear those old school rock guitar tones in the background (which I count as a win in case you can’t tell).
11. New Angel
Initial: Riff is not my favourite, personally I would have toned back the riff or made it a little less prominent. I would like an acoustic of this to get a real sense for the feeling of the song.
This song wouldn’t seem out of place on a Harry Styles album and it suits the more mature tone of the album as a whole.
12. No Judgement
Initial: Lyrics, lovely. Great rhythm to the lyrics.
Some lyrics particularly “even though we don’t talk for a couple of months yeah, it’s like we didn’t lose any time//I could be your lover or your shoulder to cry on you can be whoever you like” have such a great rhythm. I prefer the stripped back version of this song, no frills just the words and a guitar – What this song needs to appreciate the lyrics.
13. San Francisco
Initial: Lyrically beautiful. I don’t feel like I need to say more. Lucky number 13. Beautiful piano start for what is, easily, my favourite song on the album.
From the get go, this song stood out though the fact that Ruthanne Cunningham probably helped write this song or influenced it might explain why I love the song. I see you girl ❤
14. Still
Initial: This is a throwback to power ballads if I ever heard one! It’s simple with an emphasis on the lyrics. There’s a very strong underlying emotion in this song and a very nice blend between lead and backing vocals.
Honestly, the closest thing fans are going to get to a Flicker song on Heartbreak Weather. This is what real heartbreak sounds like, when you trying to fix everything as it crumbles around you. This song tends to leave me both hopeful and hopeless. The whistle at the end makes it seem positive but those strings in the background don’t seem nearly as positive. This song is the epitome of baring your soul and hoping.
Final Thoughts
Going into this, I genuinely didn’t know what to expect from the album but, whatever I was expecting, it wasn’t this. Heartbreak Weather is a big departure from the almost folksy-rock of Flicker. All of the songs, bar one (which depends on my mood), are safe from the skip button but I could easily play through all of them without getting the need to crank up the volume for a bop. I can see him trying to bring back the best bits of the old school rock that made his influences (who he identified himself) great and, to a degree, he won me over with that (I’m from a house where the likes of The Police, Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles are worshiped). Just stating a fact right now: one thing I noticed was the repeated notion of ‘running wild’ and, I’m not stating this bit as fact but, it seems like the cause of all this ‘Heartbreak Weather’ (You okay there, Niall?). All that aside, let’s just jump right into the thick of it.
To me, this album seems to be about the whole course of the relationship and heartbreak as the album concept and how people tend to weather it….(get it?). For example, Black and White is a song about someone still very much in love while San Francisco asks to be taken back to better, happier times even with the prior knowledge that things won’t last. Heartbreak Weather is an immediate statement that this album will not be like his last one. Horan seems more confident as an artist and person with this album and it shows in the songs he chose to include as they are more mature and each and every one of them has Niall Horan’s name in the writers’ credit (I checked). Some of the real stand out songs include Small Talk, Bend the Rules and San Francisco, for me personally. But at the request of the artist himself, I listened to the songs in the order they appeared on the album and the story of a relationship from beginning to end shines through. I will compliment Niall for his continuous story telling. From immediate reactions, ‘Still’ seems to be universally accepted as an amazing way to conclude a very honest, open sophomore album. For those at the 3Arena date in Dublin, I’ll have a box of Kleenex for anyone who might need one. I get the feeling this gig’s going to be an emotional one for some people.
I will admit, Horan surprised me (and more than a few other people, I’m sure) with his second musical offering; a very personal album that people can relate to but he’s also given all sides of the situation because heartbreak isn’t all sadness. There’s the ‘let’s go out and have a laugh celebrating the single life’ (Nice To Meet Ya) to ‘you talk too much let’s just both get what we want here’ (Small Talk) all the way to ‘I’m pretty sure my heart was chewed up, spat out and then ran through a blender but I need a distraction’ (New Angel). Overall, I felt that some songs overshadowed others and really stood out but Heartbreak Weather is a solid second album from the Mullingar man.
Final Score: 72%
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