When January 2020 rolled around, many One Direction (1D) fans were on the edge of their seats as Louis Tomlinson became the last member of the group to release his first solo studio album. Tomlinson has brought the British indie-pop sound back with a new refreshing spin. “Walls” features 12 empowering tracks that are sure to give you all the feels. It took four long years for Tomlinson to break out of the boy band stigma and find his sound and it was SO worth the wait.
Last time, we broke down first half of the album, now let’s talk about the last six tracks:
“Habit” is the seventh feature. This track is about loving something so deeply that it becomes a habit. You can tell by the lyrics that whatever, or whomever, “Habit” is referencing means the absolute world to him. He would move the stars and the moon for his habit. “You’re the habit that I can’t break. You’re the feeling I can’t put down,” he sings. It seems Tomlinson is holding onto something for dear life and doesn’t want to let it go.
Next up is “Always You.” This song is the most lovey-dovey of them all. The person Tomlinson is referring to in the song probably means a lot to him. The song implies that this person helped Tomlinson through the darkest days of his life then he let them go only to realize that it was the biggest regret of his. He pines over how much control this person has and how dearly he wants this feeling back in his routine.
“Fearless” has got to be in my top two favorites on the album. It’s all about appreciating your self-worth and never taking another’s opinion too seriously. As someone who suffers from severe anxiety, this song made me feel so loved. I’ve never experienced that from a song before. “Just for tonight, look inside and spark that memory of you. Strong enough to get it wrong in front of all of these people” is such a powerful lyric. He’s basically saying ‘Oh, you messed up? Screw it, it will be okay.” Tomlinson has to be one of the most talented lyricists of this generation. He seems to understand insecurities like no one else.
“Perfect Now” is another tune that has helped me deal with my insecurities. I’ve had body image issues all my life, and I feel like Tomlinson made this song for all the people that needed that push to believe in their self-worth. He’s saying “You’re perfect. Screw anyone who says differently. You’re a queen so hold your head high.” The messages of this album speak so profoundly to modern times and how we can be the change we want to see in ourselves.
“Defenceless” is second to last and is one of the best songs on the album. It takes the concept of vulnerability and builds it up in a beautiful scene. I love the idea of unapologetically expressing that it’s okay to be vulnerable. It’s okay to have weak moments because, in the end, they only make us stronger as individuals. You can build up walls all you want and shut everyone out, but eventually what goes up must always come down.
“Only The Brave” is the last and shortest track. This is because Tomlinson wanted to create a feeling of mystery and leave listeners wanting more. This song in particular has made an impact on people in so many ways. “It’s a church of burnt romances, and I’m too far gone to pray” is probably my favorite song lyric ever written. This song is somber and warming at the same time. It is truly a work of art, and I doubt you’ve heard anything like it.
This album holds so much power and is one of my favorite albums ever written, which is saying a lot because I am a music buff. This album helped me through the struggle of quarantine and anxiety, so I hope it can help you as well. I am extremely proud of Louis Tomlinson, and this album deserves every piece of praise it receives. So, if you have made it this far in this article, I highly suggest you listen to the entire “Walls” album.
RIGHT NOW!
Now!
Go!