#lpep

I don’t think I have the tools to give these songs an unbiased review.  I am EXTREMELY picky about my music and have very strong, definite tastes.  These are my opinions and impressions.  I am an anachronism in today’s music world, for sure.  (Thank you Niall and Harry for being so old school.)

I adore Liam and am very proud of him - irrespective of my personal tastes.  Though, I am a bit perplexed he didn’t write on any of these, when he and Louis wrote many excellent 1D songs.  I imagine these songs will do very well in the current market and wish him every success.  I certainly hope he writes most of the songs on his album.  It’s not that he has to write his own music to be a “real artist” it’s that he can write great music.  (He can have other writers help with the lyrics.  I understand, that’s not his strong suit.)

First Time:  It starts out with rap, which is a not-starter for me, but I pushed through it.  The vocals are heavily electronic, which I revile - again, I pushed through.  I think, under all the over-production, there’s a catchy melody and I might enjoy this song if he performs it live, with his band and leaves out the rap parts.  Curious to see what he does with a live performance.  As with many overproduced 1D tracks - I won’t be listening to the studio version again.

Home With You:  I find it hard to hear anything over the drum loop and heavy electronic vocals.  I don’t hear a melody, so much as incomplete musical phrases, or “hooks.”  Lyrically, it’s similar to Niall’s Slow Hands, which is fine.  I really doubt this song has any bones which would make an enjoyable live performance for me.  Although, with a live band and natural vocals, I think I would find it fairly inoffensive.    

Depend On It:  His voice and vocals are absolutely beautiful (so nice to hear it for a change!)  I find the echo effect a bit too strong which is slightly distracting, for me.   He throws in a few too many vocal gymnastic tricks, for my taste, but not so much as to be off-putting.  The song is pretty, as it goes, but I find the melody somewhat weak.  It reminds me of something Mariah Carey, or any other of her ilk might sing - beautiful vocals and sound, but weak melodically and in the core structure of the song.  I wouldn’t turn this one off, if I heard it, but it’s the type of song (for me personally) I grow bored of very quickly.  Gold star for Liam’s vocals though.

Slow:  Decent melody.  I would enjoy this accompanied by his band, IF he dumped that whiny sounding synth part.  (Sorry, but certain sounds are fingernails on chalkboard to me and that synth is one of them.  I hear synth just like that, when I’m forced to listen to my daughter’s music, so I understand it’s very popular these days.)  The lyrics are sweet and fun.  I don’t think it showcases his vocal strengths but maybe that’s just the synth talking.  Electronic vocals ruin his voice for me, again.

I’ve seen where Liam is going musically, so I’m not terribly surprised none of these are really my taste.  If only Depend On It had a strong melody.  I know, only weird old men and guys like Harry and Niall care about melody anymore!  ;)

Slow was written by Ordinary Boys frontman Samuel Preston and the producer Sylvester Sivertsen. The song was probably written on the 24th of November 2016 when Samuel Preston posted a pic of the two with Liam: