Harry Styles: Behind The Album
Apple Music, streaming now
This hour-long documentary, which just arrived on Apple’s subscription service, is about the making of Harry Styles’ debut solo album, and features extensive footage of Harry and his band recording and performing his new songs in a stripped-down style. It also features Mr Styles stripped down to his pants. All the time. At one point, Harry dives into the sea near where they recorded the album in Jamaica and swims around a bit, in his pants. At another moment, he’s so happy with a new guitar lick that he decides to celebrate by stripping down, to his pants. To be fair, he’s not always just in his pants. The film begins with Harry wearing a towel wrapped round his waist, as if he’s just come straight from the shower and is so excited about making his new record, he can’t even think about getting dressed. Amazingly, none of this seems contrived. Harry’s giddy penchant for getting his kit off is clearly a manifestation of his new-found solo freedom. He’s delighted that he can just chillax with his new musician mates, and maybe eventually they’ll get round to making this album. It’s a world away from the pressurised insanity of the 1D days. Styles comes across as a sweetly care-free dude, especially in scenes with the real star of the show, new song-writing partner Mitch Rowland. Pale, lank-haired guitarist Mitch, who’s clearly been teleported from 1973, was working in a pizza joint until he met Harry. “They made wonderful pizza,” says Styles. Now, he and Mitch are in a fully-fledged bromance and making beautiful music together. It comes across as a touchingly authentic friendship, as uncynical as the whole, rather lovely, film.