Louis Tomlinson Releases Album Walls, His Debut After One Direction

Louis Tomlinson (Photo: Instagram @ louist91)

JAKARTA - Today, January 31, former One Direction personnel, Louis Tomlinson officially released a solo album. Tomlinson was the last member of One Direction to make a solo project following Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Liam Payme, and Zayn Malik who first left the group. The end of October 2019 was when Tomlinson announced his album titled Walls.

This album is awaiting fans who are looking forward to his solo work. After helping Steve Aoki in the song Just Hold On and a duet with Bebe Rexha in Back to You, they became enthusiastic about Tomlinson's music.

Since the initial announcement, Tomlinson promised a personal experience that he poured into writing 12 tracks on the album. He also released albums under Syco, the label on which One Direction released albums. Tomlinson is the only member still living under the label.

Don't expect to hear overly experimental masterpieces because Tomlinson made his debut album with the genre he already has been working on, pop rock. The work can be heard from the first track, Kill My Mind. The track, which was released as a single, acquired Tomlinson's ability to sing and answered the doubts of music lovers.

The following three tracks are on the Walls album; Don't Let It Break Your Heart, Two of Us, and We Made It became Tomlinson's touch with his personal life.

When listening to these three songs, we cannot escape what the 28-year-old singer went through, including the departure of two of her family members in one vulnerable year. He revealed with the lyrics, "The day that they took you, I wish it was me instead"

Next, the track Too Young, which tells Tomlinson meeting someone at the age of 18, and hopes to spend forever. Until he realized there were many responsibilities that were carried and not only using love.

To Apple Music, Tomlinson said, “And I'm older and I'm looking back on that experience. I can see why it was wrong. But on the other hand, there are many people who are 18 years old - they are not ready for that responsibility. I want to capture that. "

After using the acoustic guitar in Too Young, the Walls track was built with the band and orchestra. This song will be the last single he has promoted from the Walls album. The song, which has a pop rock feel, was co-written by Noel Gallagher and Tomlinson.

Then, there is the Habit track. Even though it tells about love, this track has a little bit about One Direction when they live in an apartment called Princess Park.

Then, Always You, became Tomlinson's favorite track which he wrote in 2017 with BURNS. Furthermore, the track Fearless tells Tomlinson who wants to remind people about life that is not measured by wealth. The song is supported by the lyrics, "Now if happiness is always measured. By the life you design, that car on the drive. Then you should feel better than ever. But you know as well as I, it's all lies. "

Meanwhile, the track Perfect Now was revealed by Tomlinson as a very 1D's track. This track he wrote with James Scott, singer and songwriting team One Direction. He also said that this song is an extension of the song What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction.

With an acoustic tone, Tomlinson's voice flows simply without any special technique. "There are songs where I want to try something different, but there's always room for songs like 1D on an album." he said signifying his love for the band that raised him.

Furthermore, the use of acoustic guitars and bands is still heard on the tracks Defenceless and Only the Brave. The last track, Only the Brave, is the only song that makes Tomlinson a singer not a writer.

Quoted from Crash Records, this track was originally written for Liam Gallagher but later moved to become his. This track sounded floating because there was no chorus, but it became Tomlinson's favorite as well as the closing point of the Walls album.

Tomlinson was helped a lot by acoustic guitar instruments and drum beats which made the tracks on the Walls album accessible to all people. This also cannot be separated from Tomlinson who idolized Oasis and The Fray showing how their influence became the source of this album to grow.

Not a few pointed out that the Walls album was very racist. Sound bad? Not really. Because Walls is Tomlinson's simple step into the industry solo --with things he loves.

He just wanted to show his capacity in music and make sure that there was a place for him to work after a career as a group. That belief was also strengthened by a world tour that he prepared, including Jakarta on April 20, 2020. Meanwhile, you can listen to the Walls album physically and digitally.