Album Review: Louis Tomlinson – How Did I Get Here?
2 min read
Louis Tomlinson is best known for his part in musical sensation One Direction, but his solo journey thus far is maybe not quite as cut and dry. Releasing his debut album only a few months before the pandemic truly hit the world, Walls did extremely well, but felt more like a reintroduction than a reinvention. On his sophomore release, however, Louis seemed to establish a sound that was challenging genre boundaries and edging into pop song perfection. Now, with his third release How Did I Get Here? he shifts into a whole new gear.
The bits-and-pieces intro to Lemonade, followed by the gritty guitar tones and larger-than-life drums, open the album perfectly. Sharp and snappy, it doesn’t outstay its welcome, leading into the more drive-time On Fire. Another catchy chorus and tightly produced production, it proves immediately that even the deep cuts are sonic gold. Sunflowers has a psychedelic aesthetic, with big reverbs and a synth lead line that buzzes with a mystical edge. Lazy has a laid-back beat that fits the title, while Palaces comes out the gate at full pelt, an infectious guitar melody riding over the verses and the choruses rising into the stratosphere.
Last Night offers the first respite from the constant driving energy, but manages to keep it up somewhat with the drum and bass inspired drums. Louis’s voice shows both fragility and fierceness across the songs runtime, and it proves to be an interesting mid-album highlight. Broken Bones is a brooding, synth lead tune with a slow-burn 2010s indie rock vibe, while Dark To Light rises slowly before exploding in the last quarter into a true power ballad. Imposter and Sanity has a distinctly Tame Impala influence, while the opening riff on Jump The Gun harkens back to 2000s Red Hot Chili Peppers. Closer Lucid wraps all the album’s sounds into a cohesive and powerful ending that disintegrates into a low-fi hum.
How Did I Get Here? feels like a culmination of Louis’s solo music journey until now. Mixing elements of multiple genres with excellent precision in such a condensed way is an amazing feat, and the writing across the entire record is on point. Fans will already know Louis’s sound, cultivated in the six or so years of flying solo, but this album is a vehicle for others who may not be aware to get on board.
Writer and Musician, Ryan Bulbeck has been published with a number of online publications, and has worked with a myriad of great artists, both as a performer, and as a producer. His most recent band The 295 are still active, playing shows around the UK.
