Last Thursday, former One Direction artist Louis Tomlinson finally released new music following the release of his 2020 album, Walls. Throughout the album, we can automatically tell Tomlinson has been experimenting with his style of music ever since the release of his first album.

“I think this record, every song is about something slightly different…there’s the element of change that keeps coming back,” Tomlinson said.

The first five songs “The Greatest,” “Written All Over Your Face,” “Bigger Than Me,” “Lucky Again” and “Face The Music” have a prominent upbeat Oasis-style rock. They are the type of songs that transport you into another world, and they are perfect for just jumping and dancing around.

After the beginning of the album full of upbeat rock songs, the 6th song, “Chicago,” takes a turn and starts out with a softer melody. From the lyrics, “I saw you had a baby…just because it didn’t work doesn’t mean it’s meaningless to me,” one can infer the song is about mourning a former lover and looking over from a distance to see how their life is going. The song portrays Tomlinson reminiscing about a relationship he wishes he could give another shot, “feel lonely in Chicago, you can call me.”

This one has to be one of my favorites not only is the song title amazing but the lyrics are as well, and it really illustrates how sometimes you really wish you can go back to a failed relationship and just relive those good times. Also, I love how this song has a softer melody but maintains an upbeat mood.

Going back to the rock vibe, the eighth and ninth song, “Out of My System” and “Headline” has an energetic, naive, simplistic, and optimistic feel to them. They weren’t my absolute favorite songs, but they made you feel as if you were in a cinematic movie scene. The upbeat sounds transported you to a hot summer day while on a road trip.

After listening to, “Saturdays,” you can kind of pick up a pattern. Tomlinson alternates from rock to a soft melody every couple of songs. In “Saturdays,” there is a softer tune, and its lyrics kind of relate to “Chicago” when it comes to how much you miss a person

“I’ve been wondering about what you’re up to, not for the first time, not for the last time,” Tomlinson said, which leads fans to believe he’s talking about a lover or just a fallen-out relationship.

“Common People,” is perfect to listen to when you’re not feeling the greatest or are just looking for some peaceful tunes. The song overall though is a tribute to Tomlinson’s hometown, Doncaster.

“I grew up in Doncaster, so I’ve got that place to thank for who I am. I’m very aware of that and I love it. So it was important for me to have a song that honored that and gave Doncaster its credit,” Tomlinson said, in a Rolling Stone interview.

Overall, Tomlinson definitely tested out new territory, and it’s shown throughout his music. This album is great to listen to for whatever mood you’re in, and it deserves a ranking of 7.5/10.