Throughout the album, Styles dives into themes of growth and reflection. As you listen, you can see the journey that he is going through, reflecting on his past experiences and growing from them. “The Waiting Game” is a great example of this. In this song, he looks back and is able to be honest with himself about how he romanticizes his experiences through his songs and how he is stuck in a cycle. The lyrics of the songs work together with the production to show his journey. During the song “Ready, Steady, Go!” he looks back to a relationship that was moving very fast, showing through the production is fast and upbeat. This helps reflect the quick nature of the relationship shown through the lyrics of the song. There are also a lot of different sounds in the production that enhance the song by showing how unpredictable this situation is.

The production of the album is a big highlight in this record. Most of the songs in this album are upbeat and sound happy if you don’t listen to the lyrics. The juxtaposition of the upbeat tempos with the melancholy and reflective lyrics works well together to keep the audience engaged and listening. The two work together to show the journey that Styles is going through in this album. 

One of my favorite songs on this album is “Coming Up Roses.” This song tackles the topic of trying to improve and hold onto a relationship while also trying to look after their desires and fears, and how those two things can harm the other. The song is beautifully written and makes you feel everything that he is going through. They set a melancholic tone that is allowed to shine. This tone is only enhanced by the production. This song really stands out because it is the only one that is performed by a full orchestra. The sound of the orchestra lets the song shine by helping lift the song up, but not overshadowing the lyrics of the song. 

Even though fans had to wait a couple of years to get a new album, when it finally came out, it ended up being worth the wait.