Music
Album of the Week
Album of the Week: Niall Horan – Heartbreak Weather
Inside the singer-songwriter's sophomore effort, Heartbreak Weather.
The second effort by former One Direction alum and solo artist and musician Niall Horan is a journey of break-ups, the aftermath and eventual recovery.
His soulful pop vocals shine through as the songs glide from slow-paced sad-pop ballads to upbeat dancefloor bangers. As Niall has previously discussed, he masters writing sad songs disguised under a happy veneer on Heartbreak Weather.
The follow up to 2017’s debut solo release, Flicker, sees him reunite with super-producer Greg Kurstin, further evolving from the folk sounds favored previously to a more poppy style.
Standout title-track Heartbreak Weather provides an upbeat eighties inspired holiday-pop melody, housing a personal account of his loneliness post-break-up and leading to the introduction of a budding new relationship.
Singles Nice to Meet Ya – which is also the name of his upcoming 2020 tour – Put a Little Love on Me and No Judgement reflect the album as a whole, offering a versatile mix of buoyant pop tunes to stark emotional balladry.
Recent single Nice to Meet Ya is an instant pop classic – a dance number destined to encourage crowd sing-alongs. Put A Little Love On Me contrasts as a raw post-break-up ballad, and Arms Of A Stranger details the notorious rebound period following the end of a relationship.
Across the 14 tracks, the emotional change is palpable. From the end of one relationship to the beginning of another, emotions run high as the musician sets out on a journey of self-discovery.
Horan can deftly explore the pop genre and all it’s facets with honesty. Much like the weather, his sound changes from one track to the next, but his vocals remain at the forefront, a personal journey that’s satisfyingly creative and widely relatable.
Niall Horan brings his Nice To Meet Ya Tour to the UK in October and November 2020. [Find Tickets]
Tracklisting:
1. Heartbreak Weather
2. Black and White
3. Dear Patience
4. Bend the Rules
5. Small Talk
6. Nice to Meet Ya
7. Put a Little Love on Me
8. Arms of a Stranger
9. Everywhere
10. Cross Your Mind
11. New Angel
12. No Judgement
13. San Francisco
14. Still Lyrics
Listen to Heartbreak Weather on Spotify:
