When Niall Horan released his debut solo album Flicker in 2017, many didn’t expect the quiet, guitar-playing Irish member of One Direction to deliver one of the strongest post-1D projects - but he just might have.In this episode, Chris and Chantel Nicole revisit Flicker to explore how Niall leaned into folk-pop, soft rock, and singer-songwriter influences to create a surprisingly cohesive and emotionally resonant debut. We dig into the production, lyrics, and standout tracks like "This Town", "Slow Hands", and "Too Much to Ask", and ask: did Niall find his lane better than some of his louder bandmates?
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- 0:00 - Intro
- 1:28 - "Flicker" Album Info
- 2:43 - Album Cover
- 4:27 - "On The Loose"
- 11:40 - "This Town"
- 15:51 - "Seeing Blind"
- 20:36 - "Slow Hands"
- 24:50 - "Too Much To Ask"
- 29:24 - "Paper Houses"
- 33:32 - "Since We're Alone"
- 37:22 - "Flicker"
- 43:05 - "Fire Away"
- 46:13 - "You And Me"
- 51:49 - Cut or Keep
- 52:56 - Overall Thoughts & Final Rating
References:
- “On The Loose” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk99OKNE_Ro&pp=ygUYbmlhbGwgaG9yYW4gb24gdGhlIGxvb3Nl
- “This Town” Live https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNBlfyYHu80&pp=ygUVbmlhbGwgaG9yYW4gdGhzaSB0b3du
- “Seeing Blind’ Official Acoustic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKbl19xeSIQ&pp=ygUYbmlhbGwgaG9yYW4gc2VlaW5nIGJsaW5k0gcJCQMKAYcqIYzv
- “Slow Hands” Live from Madison Square Garden https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_NO5PzMy6E&pp=ygUWbmlhbGwgaG9yYW4gc2xvdyBoYW5kcw%3D%3D
- “Too Much To Ask” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljXSjIph5ZM&pp=ygUbbmlhbGwgaG9yYW4gdG9vIG11Y2ggdG8gYXNr
- “Flicker” Live on the Today Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSdwMBbfyg4&pp=ygUTbmlhbGwgaG9yYW4gZmxpY2tlcg%3D%3D
- “Fire Away” Live with the RTE Concert Orchestra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxu7rJKVgkQ&pp=ygUVbmlhbGwgaG9yYW4gZmlyZSBhd2F5
00:00:00 --> 00:00:07 To casuals, Niall Horan is the underrated blonde one, but to Directioners, he's a low-key pop folk icon.
00:00:10 --> 00:00:40 Welcome to your favorite pop music podcast, CCTV, the nonstop pop show. We have almost 7 subscribers on YouTube. Thank you all so much for joining the CCTV crew. And if you're on a podcast platform, please give us a rating, follow and share the episode because it really helps us grow and find other global pop fans with great music taste like you. And if you want to support the show, hang out with us for exclusive live sessions to talk to us on Filtered and request episode topics, you can become a crew member at patreon.com slash cctvpops.com.
00:00:40 --> 00:01:04 And of course, a huge shout out to all of our crew members who we will shout out at the end of the show. But we have to mention Ellie, who is a huge directioner, a huge, what are the Niall fans called? Horn dogs, horn dogs. Oh, there's no way it's called horn dogs. You're kidding, really? Anyway, Ellie requested that we review Niall's discography. So we're going to start now.
00:01:04 --> 00:01:28 With the beginning. You know? Yes. And start with the debut. Of course, we have already discussed One Direction a few times on the show. We did do a little pop-off about all their solo debut tracks. And of course, we did review Take Me Home and Up All Night. Track by track as well. I'm sorry, that horned up was crazy. I love that. That's a great fandom name.
00:01:28 --> 00:01:55 Flickr is a debut album by former member of One Direction, Niall Horan, released on October 20th, 2017. Niall has described this album as folk meets pop, and this album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making him the third member of One Direction to achieve this feat. Our Patreon crew member, Ellie, noted that Niall recorded the whole album with a live band, and quite a few of the songs were recorded in one take.
00:01:55 --> 00:02:25 Ellie also shared some of the much-loved leaks like Waiting on God and Wasted With Us. So you'll have to join us over on Patreon if you want to hear our thoughts on those songs. Some other fun facts she shared are to definitely go check out his live lounge cover of Julia Michaels' Issues, who opened on his tour, and another opener he had on his shows in Glasgow was Lewis Capaldi, long before he blew up. Coincidence? We think not, but maybe they were also on the same label, so you know.
00:02:25 --> 00:02:39 But now we will discuss the production, vocal, visuals, performances, and then drop our individual ratings for each song. But beware, your discretion is advised. Your faith will be criticized.
00:02:40 --> 00:02:57 So before we get into the album track by track, let's talk about this album cover. It's very Adele 25, but not black and white. Oh, God. It's close. It's close. It's close. His eyes are a very pretty color.
00:02:57 --> 00:03:23 Yeah, are mine a pretty color, Chris? No. Oh. Ooh, dang. Not as pretty as Niall's. CCTV's breaking up now! I'm joking, I'm joking. But yes, no, I think that was like the striking fact, right? It's like, here I am, standing alone in my Irishness. Well, the accent I have is terrible, and I do apologize. Was that supposed to be Irish? It's supposed to be not American, obviously. What?
00:03:24 --> 00:03:50 Yeah, I mean, I actually, I'm never a huge fan of just close up on the face album covers. Like, I think after, you know, I know that there have been a ton in history, and I think some are better than others. But I will say with his, at least, you know, he looks, it does feel like you're about to hear some very deep stories from him. Kiss him, right. Okay. Yeah.
00:03:51 --> 00:04:18 I agree. I think the overall, the colors, right? He's wearing gray. He's against a stone wall. It's meant to be like, take me seriously. This is not take me home. This is not up all night. This is not One Direction. This is me. As a man, the blonde is gone that you haven't noticed. I'm grown. But also sentimental. So shout out to him for being able to, you know, not smize, but like give a little bit of like a something, you know, on the camera. So shout out to him. Yeah.
00:04:19 --> 00:04:46 I would say one thing a little bit more for the title is Flickr. You know, you can do a lot with the word Flickr. So, so yeah, I do agree with that as well. All right. So let's start with track one, which is On The Loose. And this was done by John Bryan, Niall Horan and Julian Bunetta. And this was released as a single in March 2018. And this was clearly inspired by Fleetwood Mac's Dreams. And Niall has mentioned that this is his favorite track on the album, or at least one of them.
00:04:51 --> 00:05:07 Also, Julian Bonetta's back. Yes, Julian Bonetta. Yes, we do. I thought every time we reviewed a One Direction album, we were like, oh, when is he coming back? Yeah, waiting for his songs. Right. Like our favorite uncle. This one, can I tell you?
00:05:09 --> 00:05:39 I didn't realize I knew this song. I did not realize I knew this song. And I'm not sure if that's a testament to like how low key he is or how much I was not paying attention. I don't know what I was doing in 2017. But I can't say I was a One Directioner. I mean, a Directioner, excuse me. I was more of like a K-pop fan. So whoever was at the time, I was very into. But yeah, I knew of them, obviously. But I thought the song was like Ed Sheeran or something. I don't know. Something really ignorant. Like, I do not know. It reminds me of like a car commercial.
00:05:39 --> 00:05:55 I mean, not in a bad way, right? When I think of this song, I think of being on the road. It starts the album off with mid-tempo energy, you know, the drums are leaning toward rock, soft rock, if you will. I think...
00:05:55 --> 00:06:11 his, I don't know how his step, his first note specifically, it comes in confidently and it feels like he's ready to kind of just, you know, tell a story, which I appreciate. I think throughout this album, we're going to get a lot of storytelling and it's consistent throughout
00:06:11 --> 00:06:33 Because he wrote a great deal of it. But yeah, I think the lyrics like, you know, she's a real work of art. Her eyes can burn down a room. Like that's intense. This girl's a vixen and now she's on the loose. She's a Tasmanian devil. And I love how open his voice is in the bridge. I think that's something that you and I are probably going to really be in agreeance in. Like his tone.
00:06:33 --> 00:06:49 I can't say I remember it within the group all the time, especially since we've only done like a couple of albums, but I think his tone is really nice. And then it opens up pretty well in that bridge. Like, I love the warning that he's giving. He's like, I fell for this woman twice. Yeah.
00:06:49 --> 00:07:08 And I'm not saying you can't do it, but just understand that she is she's dangerous, man. This is definitely more rugged than a typical pop song. And I appreciate that. It's not One Direction. It's it's very much him. It's it's a little vulnerable. It's a little like, hey, I kind of fell for it. She's hot stuff, man. Just be careful. I like that. I like the conversationalness of it.
00:07:09 --> 00:07:31 Yeah, I like the way the lyrics are written as well. Yeah. And I think it's unique, actually. It's like this warning to, I guess, the next guy or guys that they're going to encounter or that she's going to encounter. I think Dreams is one of the best songs ever. Oh, go on. I think Dreams is...
00:07:32 --> 00:07:57 An amazing song. I think the whole album is obviously, you know, it's a classic for a reason. So the second this started, I was like, yes, I like this. It's very much up my alley. Because, yeah, it has a nice groove to it. And they did a good job referencing dreams, like with kind of little guitar trills. And even the way it's mixed and everything, it's very that, which I'm here for. The harmony is also built really nicely, especially for the final parts of the song. Oh, yeah.
00:07:57 --> 00:08:25 And I love the extra kind of outro moment as well. That kind of extended instrumental. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Yeah. And then with the alternate version that they ended up releasing, I guess it's a single version. They did up the baseline and all kind of sounds a bit more full. But I do think the album version is kind of perfect the way that it is. Uh-huh. So yeah, this was a clear standout for me on this album. Like from the second I heard it, I would say. And the music video. What do you think of the video? Oh my goodness. Uh-huh.
00:08:25 --> 00:08:40 Speaking of like the driving thing, it's... I'm glad they were on the nose with it, for sure. I think with his visuals, they kept a consistent color palette. And I love that. He looks like... He looks handsome. He looks, you know...
00:08:40 --> 00:09:04 um he looks like my type uh but i like the whole road there's a music video where i mean i feel like every pop music video i'm sorry i feel like there's a lot of pop music videos where people are driving on the road but i i mean it's kind of it's kind of like it's right there if it's calling for a desert in a road you give it to me i can't think of that one music video though where the woman is like singing in the car and she's like walking in front of the car and forgot you know i'm talking about
00:09:05 --> 00:09:16 Walking in front of the car. I mean, there's a lot of videos of people like walking on a desert dirt road. No, but it was like kooky. It was kind of kooky. Like, oh my God, I can't think of it. But Madonna.
00:09:16 --> 00:09:40 No, it wasn't her. So I'll be fine. But yes, I think there's a lot of pop music videos, but like the road and the car. But I like this one. Like you might as well just join the pack of the videos. I like the juxtaposition between like his scenes looking all like warm and neutral tones and then her hazy ones, whoever that lady was with the red and then like the slow motions. Like she just looks like trouble.
00:09:41 --> 00:10:11 I'm here for it. I kind of like that she was this elusive figure kind of this whole time. Yes. And yeah, the way they kind of edit her in with like the fades and stuff are very funny. And yeah, I was actually in LA when I was listening to this for the review. So I was like, wow, this feels very correct. And I was in LA as well. And we kind of elucidated. Also, the performances of the song are great. I think the live...
00:10:11 --> 00:10:33 the live arrangement is really awesome it's kind of more unplugged yes but his harmonies with this band are so good it's super super tight and he has improved so much i i mean just again for context for people listening we're only two albums into our one direction review and neither of us were really directioners before that so um
00:10:33 --> 00:10:56 I don't know too much about him and kind of how his voice developed as he got older. So I basically jumped from Take Me Home all the way to Flickr. His voice has developed so nicely. It's got this beautiful rasp to it. There's a warmness to it. He still does kind of have kind of that innocence to it. Yeah. But it's definitely more rugged for sure. And live, he's super stable. I'm
00:10:56 --> 00:11:20 really good pitch um he emotes super super well yeah i would say you're gonna hear me say this i prefer some of the live versions actually um compared to the studio versions for some of these songs yeah but i appreciate that we have so many live albums from him like i'm excited to to go through his discography um because my understanding is that his artistic growth is quite exponential from here so
00:11:20 --> 00:11:36 Uh-oh. Again, as Directioners, you may know he is like, you know, killing it in the game here. But a lot of us, he might be like an underrated gem here. Uh-oh. So I'm going to give this one a nine because I always liked the song. I didn't know it was him. I'm so sorry to this man.
00:11:37 --> 00:12:02 Yes. So I really like this one. I will give it a nine. Up next is This Town, and it was written by Greg Kirsten, Nyle Horan, Jamie Scott, Mike Needle, and Daniel Pryor. And this was the debut solo song. We did review it in our solo debut pop-off episode with all of the members of One Direction, but it's been a while since then. So, Chris, what is your take now that we've listened to the whole body of work? How does This Town feel to you?
00:12:03 --> 00:12:19 I still really like this town, actually. And it actually makes more sense to me now. Because now that I've heard, like, little things and kind of those more romantic, acoustic kind of ballads that One Direction had, I'm like, okay.
00:12:19 --> 00:12:49 I get why this was a good debut single, because it's quite accessible. If you liked those songs, you'll very much like this song as well. So I was like, okay, this makes sense to me. But yeah, the vocal execution, again, is just so good. I'm going to be honest, I don't love a lot of these. Like, if you listen to our first album review, I didn't love Little Things. You know, it's just not really for me. But in this case, I think his vocal execution is so good that...
00:12:49 --> 00:13:15 It makes me like the song more, actually, because the lyrics just sound so sincere the way he sings it. And I mentioned that boyishness that he has in his tone. And so then it makes the lyrics sound a little naive as well. So it adds kind of another layer to it, to kind of this romantic song. And the production is super pretty. Love the way the strings come in and build throughout. And then there's kind of this urgency as you get to the final chorus. Yeah.
00:13:15 --> 00:13:44 So yeah, I really, really like this one. I will say this is one where I like the performances more than the studio version. Ooh, that is super valid. I mean, I don't blame you. I think when I first heard it, I wasn't really digging it. Yeah. Because this is not something that I would typically listen to. I'll be completely honest with you all. Like if I'm going to listen to something rock, it's going to be double bass. You know, Slipknot is something that I listen to. So it's one of those things where it's like, oh, complete opposite. Doesn't mean it's bad.
00:13:44 --> 00:14:10 And Little Things, I don't think it was like my favorite, favorite song, but I think it's only because of the lyrical content. Like, you know, dimples in the back of someone's spine and wrinkles by someone's eyes. And I'm like, who, how old were you when you wrote this, right? This one feels age appropriate. And I think the melody makes so much sense. I wrote down Little Things as well. And it makes me feel like he should have gotten a lot more lines in that song.
00:14:10 --> 00:14:31 But I'll let it go. But yeah, I like that the vocals are soft and nostalgic and the lyrics are reflective of past love, past loss, and still yearning for that person. I think the whole everything comes back to you. The way he sings it almost sounds like he's like whispering and he's like kind of like admitting. She's like, it's over. He's like, but everything goes back.
00:14:31 --> 00:14:59 to you oh oh oh my heart my heart so i appreciate the emotiveness of what he does with his vocals um but yeah i think the lyrics about him traveling the world and she could have moved on to someone else he'll still feel the same uh the storytelling on this track is sweet but it's bittersweet because things ended between him and this person um the bridge question mark bridge i wish it were longer or was longer excuse me um it was a tease of those two lines oh my god and then
00:14:59 --> 00:15:25 I mean, at least the guitar and the strings get slower and dramatic. Like, oh my God. But then as I listened to it live, I thought to myself, you know what? There's something about unfinished business about this bridge that I like. And I'm like, ooh, ooh. I don't know if that was on purpose, but in my mind, in my mind, it's on purpose. Yes. I also find it interesting that they didn't release a music video for this.
00:15:25 --> 00:15:49 Oh, yeah. Just a lyric video with those doodles. Yeah, they were like, you don't need to. This song speaks for itself. And his performances will also speak for themselves. So, kind of here for that. How is that, guys? As a debut single, it's like, oh, wow. You were confident. Oh, yeah, for sure. Ooh. Okay, so. So, I give this one an 8.5. Okay. I'm going to give this one an 8. I'm still warming up to it. I don't hate it. At all. Nicely.
00:15:50 --> 00:16:10 Next up is Seeing Blind featuring Maren Morris. And this was done by Jaquire King, Matt Rad, Maren Morris, Ruthann Cunningham, and Niall Horan. And this was released as a single in Australia in June 2018. Yes. All right. Okay.
00:16:10 --> 00:16:28 The voices are blending well. You know, Miss Morris. She brings a little bit of a country pop moment, which I think is suitable because, I mean, Niall's music does kind of sound like country. I mean, call what you want to call it. It's folk. It's Americana. It's bluegrass. Y'all strumming and y'all singing about being outside or love or something. No offense.
00:16:28 --> 00:16:52 No offense. It's the same thing people feel about rap. It's all the same. Even though there's drill and there's grime and there's other, you know, genres. It's the same thing. For me, like, when I hear the guitarist strumming, I'm like, oh, is this country? It's not. But I do appreciate that he cited proper collaborators to make the song strong. And it's crazy how In the Middle would be her breakthrough, like, a year later. Yeah.
00:16:52 --> 00:17:08 it wasn't like she was not hitting notes before that. And even on this track, um, I think it's relaxed in a sense. Like, it's not like they're trying too hard to make it connect. They're not trying too hard to, to create vocal chemistry. It sounds polished as well. Um, yeah,
00:17:08 --> 00:17:33 And I like that Niall is branching out to get some cross-genre appeal. I feel like this song really sounds like it belongs like on a road trip playlist titled Star-Crossed and Crossroads. You know what I'm saying? Like, it's giving. Come on now. Yes. No one steal that title. I'm going to make a playlist right now. I think they're Harmy's Click. Like, almost like two mason jars clinking in Nashville. Just ding, ding, ding. Mason jars.
00:17:33 --> 00:18:01 You know, I'm thinking of country. I'm being very on the nose here. But I do appreciate the conversational moments of this song. It's sweet and it's underplayed chemistry. Like, it's not in your face. But it just sounds good. And it goes off live. So I feel like, oh my gosh. I feel like the live version, there are a lot more liberties taking with the vocals. It feels fun. It feels, I don't know, it just feels so much more like full. But I think that's what the magic is about this album. You hear something and it's like, wow.
00:18:01 --> 00:18:23 what can you uncover once you hear it perform live? So I think that's a testament to, I guess, the overall sound of the album. But yeah, I think this is fun. How did you feel with Maren on the track? His only collaboration, I think, on this album, right? Yeah. Yeah. I really like this one, actually. I will say, I think I like the verses more. I think it's the way they did it with kind of like the...
00:18:24 --> 00:18:43 One word at a time. Ah, yes. I just think it was really nicely done. It makes it sound really sweet. And yeah, I love Maren Morris' voice, actually. Yeah. And her kind of nasally tone makes for an interesting blend with him because he's so, he's like huskier. Oh, yeah.
00:18:43 --> 00:19:09 and a little just naturally more rocky so i think the two together actually yeah it sounds really good together yeah um but yeah the chorus does have a good kind of sing-along ability which you do get more of live i would say yeah uh and i feel like if this could work as like a wedding dance routine if they could actually dance you know i mean like not a slow dance but like yeah well like really sweet or swinging and spinning romantic dance routine yeah
00:19:09 --> 00:19:38 I do wish we got some ad libs or something for the final chorus but we did get that kind of last big note which I enjoyed to kind of slide into this big note at the end but yeah I feel like the two of them have some vocal chops that they could have done some fun little back and forth or something as ad libs at the end I appreciate the song for sure he did also release the solo version like live with the RTE orchestra okay strings
00:19:38 --> 00:19:50 add a romance to it but i miss her yeah where's mom like it's like that's what it felt like for me too yeah and i guess the video we just kind of take the acoustic video
00:19:50 --> 00:20:15 oh yeah yeah they're performing together i mean it is always nice to see that people actually like like being in the room with each other like it's no romantic chemistry but like at least it's like hey i respect your artistry and again i think this is before she blew up right so like um she had the whole hype around her like not fully developed but people knew that she gets in her little booty all so yeah i think the acoustic video is sweet they look cute
00:20:15 --> 00:20:34 Yes, they look really cute together, yes. Yes, I like the styling, the colors. I just like her face. She looks like a cute little munchkin. Country messed up when they lost her, I'm just saying. So what do you rate it? Ooh, I'll give this one an 8. Okay, I'll give it an 8 as well.
00:20:35 --> 00:21:04 Up next is Slow Hands. And this is done by Julian Bonetta, Tobias Jesso Jr., Niall Horan, Ruth Ann, Explicit, and John Ryan. And this was released as the second single from the album. And this was actually one of the last songs written for the album because Niall said that he wanted something with some grit and funk. So, Chris, did the grit come through with Slow Hands? Slow Hands, like a sweat dripping down, not dirty, no, drink, no.
00:21:04 --> 00:21:27 Yes, that was the right choice, I think. You know, Slow Hands is, you know, the big, big single from this. And I agree with that. It makes sense to me that this did so well. Because, yeah, I think a lot of this album is it's very sweet and stuff, but it is good to just, you know, show a different side to yourself, you know, just kind of make the album a little bit more...
00:21:27 --> 00:21:52 well-rounded, I would say. I think the production is cool. I love the emphasis on the baseline here that adds to that coolness factor for sure. And I like the vocal effect that they have on him too because it actually takes away some of that boyishness, that innocence that's kind of just naturally in his tone that does work so well for these more romantic songs. But I think because this one's a bit more cheeky, you know, there's some, you know, you can...
00:21:52 --> 00:22:13 you could infer some things from what he's saying. So I think that having that vocal effect on him adds that grit that he wanted, for sure. So yeah, it's got a great chorus. It's a great song. I'm here for it. Also, I really like the bridge. Like, it's simple, but it adds such a whole other layer of...
00:22:14 --> 00:22:39 to it power of a bridge oh my god the power of a woman to get eternal um but yeah um so you know i agree with you on a lot of that a lot of that i think the the filter that they use on his voice it reminds me of like blues something about this just feels like a stomp clap moment you kind of uh have like at a pub or something like that um
00:22:39 --> 00:22:54 I think the swagger of it all and the subtle thirst traps at the pub really do fit the visual, I guess, you know? You met a honey, you know? You guys are swigging down some maybe IPAs or some lagers. I don't know what people do. I do not drink, but...
00:22:54 --> 00:23:23 If I did drink, maybe I'd be sitting there, you know, having a cold one in a can or bottle. I don't know. But the lyric, slow hands like slit dripping down our dirty laundry. That is dirty. Like Niall said, I'm trying to get filthy. Nasty. Like black jelly bean nasty. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I mean, treat me like a pomegranate. Need me like Irish soda bread, baby. I'm here for it all. But it's not super sleazy. And I think that's what I appreciate the most.
00:23:23 --> 00:23:27 If you're going to be black jelly bean nasty...
00:23:27 --> 00:23:54 keep it cute right and this kept it cute and i appreciate that all right um and i think this is definitely a lot more sultry than the previous tracks and then the tracks to come i think this is probably like a standalone ish ish if not the only track really sounds like that even with the bonus tracks i feel like there is this one is the standout for sure um it has a lot more grooves than the other one and i think it's a smart pivot to show the range it's like i don't just do acoustic ballads
00:23:54 --> 00:24:22 I also know how to get down and be a black jelly bean. Black jelly beans are normally licorice. Those are nasty. You know what? I've grown to appreciate licorice more. You know what, Chris? I still won't choose to eat it, but I won't spit it out. Chris is also black jelly bean. Anyway, what do you give this song?
00:24:23 --> 00:24:28 I'll give it a slow 10. Me too. Definitely a 10. This song's so good.
00:24:28 --> 00:24:58 You know what? This is one of those songs that I didn't realize that I knew. You know, I didn't know that I was going to like it until I heard it on this album. I was like, wait, this is him? Oh, wow. I like this song already. So speaking of which, you are already here. You've made it to like, what, five tracks with us? Like, we're on a fifth track. Why are you not subscribed yet? You like us. We're like this song for me, for you. All right. So make sure you subscribe. Next up is Too Much To Ask, done by Greg Kirsten, Niall Horan, and Jamie Scott. And this was the third single from the album.
00:25:00 --> 00:25:21 Is it too much to ask? Ooh, was it the right choice? Dun, dun, dun. I mean, you know what? It has a ton of streams, so. Oh, interesting. Yeah. Ooh, you know what? Okay, I can totally understand, right? It's more ballad.
00:25:21 --> 00:25:49 We're not mad at that at all. It's emotional. It's reflective. I mean, he genuinely sounds sad about the breakup. And I do appreciate the occasional harmony here and there to create like this haunting tone. Like the focus on the lyrics, the melodic response that the guitar offers when he's asking that chorus, is it too much to ask? Like, I love how when he says, is it too much to ask? And the guitar kind of responds like melodically. There's some strumming going on. I'm like, ooh. Again, in my mind.
00:25:49 --> 00:26:19 there's a conversation going on with the music. And I appreciate that. Cause I think what tends to happen with songwriting, I think some other songwriter was complaining about it too. It was like, you're not writing with the music. You're not really there. You're just kind of writing lyrics on a track and recording it. But this felt like if I ask you, is this too much to ask what responsible I get? So it's kind of open. Like, what is the answer here? I think this is one of the more mature moments on the record for sure. And I think that,
00:26:19 --> 00:26:41 This has that tone where it's like, you know, it's aching just enough to make you text your ex, hope you're well, and then maybe regret it. But like you still sent it, you know, like the lyrics, my shadow is dancing without you for the first time. It feels pulled straight from like the breakup scene of a Netflix original like romcom. And I love Netflix romcoms. Okay, there's no shade. It's beautiful.
00:26:41 --> 00:27:10 That whole, like, my child's dancing without you is slightly unsafe to use after midnight, you know? So, like, the answer to his question, is it too much to ask? It might be. The person might be having moved on already. As a fellow sentimental being, no. No, depending on where I am in life, no. And have you changed? I'm all about reconciliation. So, I think that is the interesting part about the song. It's like, he regrets it. But what is the listener feeling? Is it one of those, ugh?
00:27:11 --> 00:27:36 No. Or it's like, I wish my man would ask me this. So I think it's kind of like, it's nice. I like the feeling that it gives me, for sure. Hmm. Yeah. I don't not like the song, but I will say I am surprised how successful. Popular it is, yes. Yeah, how popular it is. It does feel perfect for AC Radio. Oh my god, yeah.
00:27:36 --> 00:27:58 um i mean that in a good way right like it is very like if you like this type of ballad it's a great version of this type of ballad that's hilarious yes because yeah it's very classic just kind of soft pop rock i guess and again he sounds very earnest which is good yes um i like that little guitar solo that happens in the middle for sure
00:27:58 --> 00:28:19 But yeah, this is actually not a standout for me on this album. No, it's not. Yeah, I'm going to be honest. I think there's some other ballads on here that are a little stronger. Like the title track, which we'll talk about. Oof, I may. I know he still performs that a lot, so at least it's getting its flowers. But still, you know. So yeah, I... This song's fine. Yeah.
00:28:20 --> 00:28:49 That's valid. And then the music video, I think what made me go like, I can relate to the song. Right. And I think people are going to like, listen to me or review it. Like, Oh my gosh, she loves it. But again, because I relate to it doesn't mean that the song is like super strong. But the music video I think is interesting. Cause he, he, I think it's so fun when like singers act in their music videos. Cause he had to act really sad and like he was disassociating and stuff like that.
00:28:49 --> 00:29:19 When he was talking to his homeboys, you know, he's sitting at the pub and he's like, oh, yeah. And I was like, ha, I hope my ex feels that way. I like the music video a lot. Yeah. I think I have color grading it. It's beautiful. Consistent. Again, like I said, the color palette across this whole project was very like, oh. Yeah. It definitely fits the song. So. Yes. Yes. Yeah. What do you rate it? I will give this a 7.5. Mine's down the road. Seven. Ooh. Do I have any lower scores? I might.
00:29:20 --> 00:29:49 up next is up next is paper houses and this was done by jacquard king ian archer and niall we're back with paper houses okay now speaking of ballads how do we feel about this one i mean ballad i feel like it might be a little bit of a stretch but now it's like a mid-tempo i would say right yeah yeah how do we
00:29:50 --> 00:30:09 Yeah, I like this one. I think, look, I'm a drummer. I like percussion. Yeah. So, you know, this one, this percussion is cool. It grounds it really nicely. Yes. And the guitar riffs as well. There's a really cool balance of the acoustic and electric guitars in here. So I think the overall arrangement of it is really nice.
00:30:09 --> 00:30:38 I will be honest, I don't think the melody actually does much for me in the verses. Yeah, but the chorus is nice. And when he melts it, I think he sounds really good there. And again, you kind of get a really nice build with some harmonies, and there's some switch-up in melodies and stuff at the end, too. This is one for sure, where the live version, the RTE concert orchestra one, oh my gosh, that version is for sure the superior one that should just replace...
00:30:38 --> 00:31:00 any other version of this song everywhere um because it's it's so much more epic with the strings that come in and their horns and it's it adds so much to the song and made me like it so much more because i'm gonna be honest my first time i listened to the song i was kind of like but then when i heard the live version i was like okay i'd like this one um yeah so so yeah this took a couple listens i think
00:31:00 --> 00:31:27 That is super valid. I think it's tough because the way the song kind of structures itself, like the lyric of Paper Houses is a great imagery. You know, being held up really high and having such a fragile architectural structure. I don't know what the issue was in the relationship. Everyone has their own kind of like, you know, if your foundation is strong, am I last? If it's not, you're kind of building on a very, you know,
00:31:27 --> 00:31:50 a precarious like position, I guess. Um, but yeah, I think the whole like fragile, shaky relationship and then trying to work it out and, and trying to build upon it and trying to fix and trying to fix and trying to fix. It's like, how much of your relationship should be a fixer upper, you know, like, I mean, you're supposed to build together. Yes. But like how much of it
00:31:50 --> 00:32:17 is necessary until it starts to turn toxic. And I think the song does a good job of expressing that. I think it's solid in terms of the concept, but it's not instantly memorable as the singles. It is relatable. It has like this lush folksy feel that raises the stakes. And I think the outro is powerful. It made for a great listen. I think the soft rock pop moment, the, the,
00:32:18 --> 00:32:33 the relationship metaphor is definitely dominate, but I think the production itself, because it then eventually became like this awesome orchestral version, it's good. Like, it's full of like this cinematic dynamism. All these, these multiple syllable words. But, I think what,
00:32:33 --> 00:33:03 makes the song interesting to me is that it is very gentle in the beginning, but then it builds throughout. So I think the outro is the most powerful for what the album version could be. It made for a good listen, and it made me think, if I squint, if I just squint, I feel like this is something that Coldplay would have done before they discovered lasers and EDM. So I don't dislike it. Okay. Yeah, I hear Coldplay. Mm-hmm. Right? Because I was like, ooh, I hear something. I don't, am I just Coldplay?
00:33:03 --> 00:33:29 squint you know it's one of those things so yeah i think it's not bad but there are some weak moments here i'm like oh what could have been but yeah overall i think it's pretty solid so for me i'm gonna give it i'll give it eight i will also go an eight i will say that was bumped up though because the orchestral one or the yeah the rte one exists my cold play relation i was like oh this is what i mean what does the song feel so familiar yeah
00:33:30 --> 00:33:49 Yeah. All right. Moving on to Since We're Alone, done by Greg Kirsten, Julian Bonetta, John Ryan, and Niall. Since we're alone. Yeah, you can show me your heart. Okay. Since we're alone. This one's interesting. It's cozy.
00:33:50 --> 00:34:20 You know, we're back in that folk pop. I mean, I think it's very consistent. It's all folky poppy. Yeah, but this is back to the full Fleetwood Mac again. Right, right. Exactly. So it's intimate. It's airy. I think the harmonies and sweetener vocals, oh, my God, they feel like honey. Oh, my God. So shout out to the background vocalist, Bridget Sarai. I think having her voice specifically creates, like, this really nice atmosphere that feels soothing, where it feels like you can kind of...
00:34:20 --> 00:34:46 open up to someone because that's what the song is about right the lyric rain on a sunday shadow behind your face like oh to be seen on a sunny day i said sunday sorry i think the lyrics rain on a sunny day shadow behind your face like those kind of things where it's like okay i see your mask like there's something going on like do you want to open up to me i think that's uh so nice like to be seen as a person i think we all yearn for that you know uh the idea of
00:34:46 --> 00:35:05 of being acknowledged is really captured in the song. It's like, you can talk to me. It's more than skin deep. I'm trying. Like that's all you can ask for in a partner. If someone's willing to meet you, you can try to open up a little bit, right? I feel like the song was written barefoot on a porch with a cup of Irish breakfast tea. Very specific. I know.
00:35:05 --> 00:35:27 Even though the production has a breezy California vibe, like when I was driving my rental in LA, shout out to Avis, this album felt so right. I was just like, oh, this is so nice. I want to roll my windows down. Like, ugh. I mean, it's good. And I think I hear, not like severely, like, oh my God, it's not like the Coors, but it feels like...
00:35:29 --> 00:35:44 Maybe I don't know their discography that well, but I'm like, oh, kind of sounds like something that I know. But I appreciate that. It's about vulnerability, connection, and maybe falling in love. You know, give me the parts of you that no one sees and we're alone. Girl, come on. You know, do you like this one?
00:35:44 --> 00:36:09 I mean, I'm a huge Fleetwood Mac song, so I literally, this just sounds like a Fleetwood Mac song in a good way. Yeah. Yes. Right. Yes. Because, yeah, they're so good. This kind of, there's like a bounce to it. There's like a slight groove to it. And I think that's why, because I do like rock music, but I think that balance has always been something that I've looked for. Yeah, I really like this one. I agree with you. I think, yeah, it's very cozy. It does feel like.
00:36:09 --> 00:36:14 Like you're like sitting by a fire or something. Like it has that kind of vibe. Yeah.
00:36:15 --> 00:36:41 And yeah, I noted the harmonies as well. The light harmonies are so pretty. And again, the lyrics are really well written. Like, especially in the chorus, like, Nihon sounds so warm. Again, very, very sincere. Because I feel like if you just read these lyrics, they're quite cheesy. You know, like, when we're alone, you can show me your heart. And, you know, all this stuff. Oh, yeah, yeah. But because he sounds so sincere, like, he sounds trustworthy, like, you can actually...
00:36:42 --> 00:37:09 you know be more open with them and that's cool like i'm like okay wow this is like really strong execution because there's a lot of other people trying to sing this it could sound very cheesier just not sincere you know so i'm kind of here for that um i do wish we got a proper bridge on this uh this is yeah but overall i do like this one a lot again if all the fleetwood mac inspiration i'm kind of already there in it so i respect that yeah yeah so i can this one an 8.5
00:37:10 --> 00:37:31 and yeah almost for the reason that you cited the the bridgelessness gets me i always i feel like every time we do a review like it's a bridge um but yeah i give it an eight up next is the title track flicker and this was done by jacquire king julian bonetta niall and john ryan still a flicker of hope that you first gave
00:37:33 --> 00:38:03 Our Patreon crew member, Ellie, told us, Niall said he sang Flickr to the person it was about before he released the album, and they cried about it. And they're still good friends. I think that's so sweet. I don't think I've ever written a song about my friends, per se. But if I ever do, I'll let you know. Yeah, I mean, I wonder, I mean, this song's romantic. I think that's kind of sweet. I know someone who's kind of still yearn to my mom, and I'm like, aww. It's over. But are they still friends?
00:38:03 --> 00:38:27 Yeah, they are still friends. Yeah, she'll pick up the phone and say, hey, how are you doing? Like, this person's a little unwell as well. Like, physically, not like mentally. And she's, you know, they kind of keep in contact. Yeah, sorry. They keep in contact. And he's like, you know, I still love you. And she's like, I know. So I think it's okay to have a friend that, you know, you know, it's okay. My mom is... Interesting dynamic, I think. It is. It's just too much for me. I was like, nope, don't talk to me no more, please. Yeah.
00:38:28 --> 00:38:46 But yeah, this song is so pretty. You know, as I mentioned earlier, should have been a single, could have been a single. Yeah. I think. Yeah. But like I said, it feels like it's much loved by the fan base and him. Obviously, he named the album after it. So...
00:38:46 --> 00:39:13 You know, at least it still gets performed quite a lot nowadays. Yeah. But yeah, again, it's just so beautiful. Everything about it, melodies, lyrics. I can see why he named the album after. It's kind of like the opus of this album, I would say. Obviously, Slow Hands was the big hit. But if you think about this whole album as a project, that was actually kind of an outlier. You know, this is kind of very representative of kind of where he was at.
00:39:13 --> 00:39:23 I will say, I kind of would love to hear a version. And I haven't really listened to some of the more recent live versions. So maybe he's already done this. So fans, if there are links...
00:39:23 --> 00:39:51 put them in the comments uh but i would love to hear a version that was like rockier oh like give me like all the guitars going crazy and the drums really crashing at the end and make that chorus just like this whole epic moment i do enjoy the way that it's done like on the studio version where it's it's still very you know it's it's it's just it's very beautiful it still has a build to it uh but yeah i kind of wonder if you kind of added a more rock element um what it would sound like
00:39:51 --> 00:40:20 but yeah this song is is great yeah i agree i think um the delicateness the reflectiveness it's subtle um and it feels like the emphasis is more on the emotion rather than the big hook even though the hook is strong you know i'm saying so i feel like he emotes it very well and i think that's uh something that we've both been really saying uh i just feel sincere um like the lyric uh i remember the magic electricity
00:40:20 --> 00:40:50 You know, things like that. And in my heart, there's a light in the dark, like, oh, a flick of hope, a flicker of hope that he wants to keep alive. Like, please don't leave. Please don't leave. Like, yes, Niall, a man that yearns is a man that earns. No. I'm serious. Is that a real lie? Is that a real phrase? It's a phrase now. Oh, no. That should be a lyric. Write that down. I will be. It's true, though, man.
00:40:50 --> 00:41:18 I will write it down and listen to my next single. It's called Hysteria. Anyway, but you know, it's true. If a man that yearns, a man that earns, I mean, I think there's a collection of women or whoever, a collection of people who enjoy that when their loved one is like, I want you and I want you to stay with me. It's like, it's not sleazy. It just feels so sad, but it's relatable. Like, I mean, I also wish that this would have had a big, bold ending because if you think about what's happening now, it's very...
00:41:18 --> 00:41:46 really interesting to hear what the pop boys are doing. Like if you think about Alex Warren or Benson Boom, if they had this song, they would be sobbing in the ends in terms of big, bold ending, right? Like, but I think there is a certain charm with this somber, all cried outness that Niall presents, right? Like he's a softie, which is present. Like the concept of that is present on this album, but he's not a pile of mush. So although I feel like the ending like deserved to be like, ah, ah,
00:41:46 --> 00:42:13 It is reserved to an extent and it feels very manly, but in a different way. I think the begging in the place, stay. I don't dislike the song, right? I think it got overplayed. But I think that one last request is a little bit more like, wow. Oh my God. I think I might stay with this man. Then the place, you know, you keep referencing that song. Because if you think about it, please don't leave. Please don't leave. Same sentiment. I don't want to lose you.
00:42:13 --> 00:42:42 yes you know or like yeah so i think that is the difference like one is very passionate like begging and the other one's just like i'm on my knees i'm gonna say it one more time like yeah yeah you know so there's a difference and like honey depending on what you like both work so yeah i feel like this could have been a single for sure and it would have been a great music video okay what happened what happened why is that a single um i give this one oh it's so hard
00:42:44 --> 00:43:12 Um, but I'm okay with it not. So I will give it the score I gave Slow Hands. I'll give it a, I'll give it to Slow Hands a 10. Yeah. I do. So yeah, I'll give this one a 10. I like this one. It's like my favorite one. Mmm. Yeah. Oops. Yeah. I'll go nine. I'll dare you. Next up is Fire Away, done by Julian Bonetta, Ruth Ann, John Ryan, and Niall Horan. Fire Away.
00:43:16 --> 00:43:25 All right, fire away, fire away. Where's that from? Siha, right? Oh, yeah.
00:43:26 --> 00:43:51 You know what? This is... Thank you for that. This is the soft-spoken, like, since we're alone sister song. Like, you can be yourself. I mean, gosh. The lyrics, hold me close, but at a distance. You might be lost, but I ain't losing you. Like, this kind of thing is interesting, right? Like, this person's trying to push you away, but he's like, I'm here to take all that girl. Fire away. I can appreciate that. I...
00:43:51 --> 00:44:06 It can only take that breath for so long. If you don't want to be with me or you're being really avoidant or you're scared of loving me, honey, I am not going to stick around and deal with it. But I do appreciate how it is communicated. He is giving gentle lover...
00:44:06 --> 00:44:35 And this one is dreamy in that sense where it's like, it's atmospheric. The chorus kind of floats or cascades over the, the production. Like it's like, like a mist, you know, like smoke, if you will, is again, it's very gentle considering that the title is fire away and whatever's happening, like you're willing to take it, like whatever arrows that this person's kind of shooting. I think you can really hear him sitting in that, like settling really comfortably in that singer songwriter space. And it's the kind of song that makes you imagine that,
00:44:35 --> 00:44:49 Him playing guitar in a semi-empty pub while everyone's like quietly nursing a Guinness. You know what I'm saying? A Guinness? Excuse me. Everyone's just kind of just sipping, listening to the guy like, he's pretty good, right? You know, like it's one of those like behind...
00:44:49 --> 00:45:18 Like the main actors. There's a singer in the shot. Unfortunately, it's giving a little bit of B-roll. In terms of film in a movie. It's a little sleepy, this one. I'm not in love. But the live version does redeem it quite a bit, I will say. Yes. And thank God for it. I mean, we were just talking about wanting a rocked up ending. Yeah. This has that. Yeah. This is another one. That RTE concert orchestra one is the one.
00:45:18 --> 00:45:41 first yes it is serious yeah but yeah going back to the studio one yes very calm it is i wrote coffee shop but pub works as well yeah coffee shop yes yeah but yeah same idea right it's a singer songwriter kind of guy and on the side just kind of doing this thing you can still kind of have your conversation with your friends on top of it yeah yeah um
00:45:43 --> 00:46:12 I do like the tone that he uses. Yeah. You know, he's doing this really kind of breathy, kind of extra raspy kind of situation. So that makes it a little more different from the rest of the album. But I'm on the same page with you. This is one I kind of forgot about a lot. Oh my God, yeah. Yeah. Sorry, Carla. The RTE orchestra one, though, not that one. Unforgettable. That one was great. Unforgettable. But yeah, I'll give this one a seven. I will match you. I will definitely match you on this one.
00:46:13 --> 00:46:39 Last but not least on the standard edition of this album is You and Me. This was done by Jaquire King, Ruthann, Mathrad, and Niall. Shout out to Jaquire. Yeah. Jaquire. On a lot of the album. Jaquire. I feel bad. Same with Ruthann. Yes, Miss Ruthann. And Matt, actually. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Everybody. You know what? This is why you should have a team of writers that you really like because you get a consistent body of work. But also, maybe sometimes switch it up because...
00:46:39 --> 00:47:01 How consistent is it? Where it's almost too consistent? We need some variety because this last song, this one's for the country snails. It's all for you and me. Grab your hat and slither on down the road. It's just, it's...
00:47:02 --> 00:47:26 So if you're new here to CCTV, when I say something's for the snails, it means that the song is super slow and it's not giving much movement. It doesn't mean it's bad. The song is not terrible. But I would say because it's already kind of slow or at the last track on the album, what is it that you want to say? You know, and I think that is really important. What is it that you want to say on your last song? All right. You don't have any other bonus track. You don't. This is the last cut.
00:47:27 --> 00:47:47 Why would this be the last one, right? It's less glossy, but it's not bad. It's just not great. It just sounds like an older man's tune. Like, I've got a young heart and is wild and free. Sir, you were like 20-something when he released this. Well, I feel like he's talking about like a lost, like teenage love, you know?
00:47:47 --> 00:48:03 Uh-uh, even still. I mean, 20-something is, it's 20-something old for like 20-something year old. I feel like 20 is not, I feel like, I feel like it's not that old. You know, the lyric, two kids trying to start a fight, that sounds about right. So that, that part makes sense. But this isn't, this is not an awesome end to an album.
00:48:05 --> 00:48:25 This is not an awesome end to the album. Yeah, no, no, it's not. And then also him putting Shadi on Lele because he needs to sow his wild oats to be better for her is a load of rubbish. Like, I'm selfish because it's what I need. Like, bro, please. I respect the self-reflection. I thought, yeah, I was thinking more his career. Oh, my bad.
00:48:27 --> 00:48:52 This is so consistent. For those of you who listen to our reviews, I feel like I always pretty much give everyone the benefit of the doubt. You always go to, like, his dreams. Look, maybe you're right. Maybe he is like, I got to sow my wild oats before I come back to you. Maybe. But I was thinking just like, oh, like, you know, he needs to focus on himself right now. But he sees a future with this lady. Yeah.
00:48:52 --> 00:49:17 You know what? Maybe I should look at it like, listen, guys, you and me happened to me. Dang it. Well, not really. I didn't get that. I got the flicker treatment recently. Not recently. It's like seven months now. But the point is, leave out the part of it benefiting me. Whatever you need to do, don't put me on layaway. Point is, don't leave me on layaway. Okay, regardless of my career. Okay, whatever.
00:49:19 --> 00:49:44 But he is so lucky he sounds good. He is so lucky. He does. He sounds like he means it. But I do still feel like a different song could have ended this album. Dang it. But still, don't you put me on layaway. I'm not Kmart. Mm. Yeah, I'm going to agree with you here. Like, having all these slow songs at the end of this album. Mm. Yeah.
00:49:45 --> 00:50:03 I don't know if that was the best choice. And, you know, we're about to talk about the B-sides exclusively on Patreon. And, you know, I think some of those... Could have been. Could have been on here. There's one in particular that I'm very surprised didn't make it on here. But, uh...
00:50:05 --> 00:50:21 Look, I'm here for this kind of concept, actually, because I think a lot of celebrities actually think this type of thing. Yeah. It's like, God, like my life is crazy right now, but I got to do this to like secure my spot. Yeah, secure the bag.
00:50:21 --> 00:50:48 but and i cannot commit to this right now yes you know yes um i can relate to that okay that's true because i can't be yeah okay we're back we're back see i'm and you can be good evidence i'm i can change my mind yeah but i think regardless of that though there's just nothing really about this that stands out to me oh yes like you know we were just saying with with um um fire away that it kind of feels kind of coffee shop pub ish mm-hmm
00:50:48 --> 00:50:59 this kind of has that too. Maybe a different setting. Maybe like an outdoor situation. I'm crying. You know, sometimes you go to those outdoor things and there's like a band in the back.
00:50:59 --> 00:51:24 Oh, yeah, like a festival or something like that. Yeah. Not really. But like a festival is not about music, though. Yes. It's about like food. Yeah. Like a food. Like, yeah. Well, yeah, like a food festival or something where they just kind of have a band on the side. Yeah. That's kind of what this is getting. The excitement when I said food festival. Yeah. Yeah. You know, I love a food festival. I know. But you'd be like, yes, that is the correlation because they do a bunch of covers and then they do that one song. You're like, this is your song. Right.
00:51:24 --> 00:51:43 No one came to see you. You're just kind of there, you know? Not the drag. No offense. We dragged in the song, not Niall. Yeah, yeah. But that's what the song is giving a little bit. I always said the backing vocals in the chorus are very nice. Yes. But bonus tracks, better. Yeah, like this one, I will just give a 6.5.
00:51:43 --> 00:52:09 Okay, I gave it a six. Okay. Okay. So yes, that was the end of the standard version of the album. And as we've just been teasing, we will talk about the bonus tracks and some of those leaks that came out. So come join us on Patreon at patreon.com.cctvpops to hear us talk about those. But in the meantime, let's do I cut or keep. So if you had to cut a song off this album, what would you cut and why?
00:52:09 --> 00:52:20 I mean, it's pretty obvious. The one we just talked about. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, so here's the thing, right? I can't choose something else, sorry. Because I think that was pretty solid.
00:52:21 --> 00:52:51 That's right. That's pretty solid, yeah. I would, again, I would replace it with one of the bonus or even, yeah, we'll talk about that. Or just leave it as a nine-track album. Well, you know, yeah. Yeah. But yeah, and then what I would keep, I think it was obvious. I think I like Flickr quite a bit. Yeah. Again, a man that yearns is a man that earns. So keep going on. Yeah. I will pick On The Loose. Ooh. Strong song. Yeah. Okay.
00:52:52 --> 00:53:18 Okay, so overall thoughts. Our first time listening to Niall's album. I'm not going to lie to y'all. I thought I wasn't going to like this. Same. I thought I wasn't going to like the album. But come to find out, I knew a lot more of these songs than I thought. But I think that's, again, one of those things where I'm just very confused. He seems to be the one that charts the most. Because a lot of these songs, I was like, oh, yeah, I heard this. Oh, yeah, I heard this. Oh, yeah, I heard this.
00:53:19 --> 00:53:37 And he's not, I guess he doesn't have like a star that shines as brightly as Harry or have all the, no offense to Zayn, but all the drama that keeps his names in the tablet. Cause he's not making music right now. Um, so I think that is kind of like, you know, if I don't really care for, for him, but he's consistent. And I think that's important. And I,
00:53:37 --> 00:53:59 think for this to be the first project there's only nowhere else to go but up so if we get another request to do another album review i am open to doing it because this is really solid and it's not one direction and i appreciate that he i don't think he did it on purpose i just think that his influences he wears them on his sleeve much like his heart and yeah
00:53:59 --> 00:54:10 I mean, his artistry, I guess I don't really know about his heart, but like just saying he wears all the on his sleeve and he puts it in the paper and it comes out super consistent. So I think this is a solid album.
00:54:10 --> 00:54:32 Yeah, I mean, look, with Ellie and a couple of our other patrons who are huge directioners. Yeah. I think we will definitely be getting into the rest of his discography. And I'm actually quite excited about it because, like I said, I was just trying to read more about this album. And it does sound like a lot of people believe that he improves quite a lot, actually. And I think this is actually a really, really strong debut. Heck yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
00:54:33 --> 00:54:42 Um, so, so yeah, I, I actually really enjoyed this. I kept a lot of songs on this. I added them to some playlists and stuff. Um, and good for him. You know, I think...
00:54:43 --> 00:55:12 as we mentioned, we are kind of casual One Direction listeners, right? And so I, you know, I remembered, you know, in the beginning that he didn't really get many solos and he was kind of just the cute blonde one on the side. And so I think I was quite impressed that he came out with such a strong sound and a clear lane that he wanted to go in. And yeah, you know, like you were saying, the last couple songs, it does start to drag just a little bit. But
00:55:12 --> 00:55:20 As a debut album, solid. For sure. For sure. So, ooh. What's your final score? I'll give it an eight.
00:55:20 --> 00:55:43 strong body of work but i think when when it's when it slows down at the end it kind of just loses momentum a bit for me so i'm going to give it a 7.5 we don't do like 7 7 7.75s out here i'm sorry y'all but i'm gonna give it a 7.5 i think the more i like you know kind of just fish around with the music my score might change as we yeah you know develop and grow with niall
00:55:44 --> 00:56:01 Yes, definitely. Okay, so Directioners, Horn Dogs, what do you all think of Niall's first album, Flickr? And what should we review next? Should we do the next third One Direction album? Should we do the next Niall album? Should we do another Flickr?
00:56:01 --> 00:56:29 members solo material let us know what you want in the comments below you can also hang out with us and the crew on patreon including lily emily george jonathan jasmine julianne darius ren hillary ellie louis nick and luke you can also follow us on social media at cctv pops don't forget to like subscribe and turn on notifications for our youtube channel and if you're enjoying the show on a podcast platform please give us a follow rating and review until next time that's chantel that's chanel
00:56:29 --> 00:56:31 And we're signing off from CCTV, the nonstop pop show.