Finally, the last former member of One Direction to release a solo debut. Walls sees Louis Tomlinson grapple with the tragic events of the last four years: the loss of his mother Johannah and sister Félicité.
Turning his back on the dancier vibes of his early solo songs, the 28-year-old reaches for pop sensibilities and indie-rock to provide a backdrop for his grief.
Never afraid to confront the tough subjects, he lets his feelings take centre stage on Two of Us as he sings about his mum: “The day that they took you/I wish it was me instead.”
Musically, he’s taken inspiration from Oasis, with nods to the band’s stylings packed in. His vocals have developed a Gallagher-like swagger and Manchester drawl, evident from the first line of Kill My Mind.
And he has Noel’s approval — the temperamental rocker has a writing credit on Walls, which borrows from Oasis’s Acquiesce and has the best lyric on the album: “Nothing wakes you up like waking up alone.”
But while Tomlinson attempts to embrace a slightly edgier sound, he often falls back on what worked for 1D. Don’t Let it Break Your Heart boasts a catchy chorus, stripped-back ballad Too Young could be a 1D album track and Habit namechecks the bachelor pad he and Harry Styles once shared. Despite his insistence otherwise, Tomlinson hasn’t quite shaken off his boyband past.
