Flicker

This fresh faced young Irishman who (technically) is still a member of One Direction is getting 5 stars from me. It's impossible to describe how this collection of his own songs makes me feel. I am truly impressed. The way his voice has evolved just amazes me. It's so refreshing to hear sweet, original and simple (in a VERY good way) music in today's world. Niall went above and beyond what I was expecting. The emotion is there and the foot-tapping beat is also there. And if you know Niall, as in if you are a fan of him, it also captures the innocence that will always be present in him. It's just an intrinsic part of him. Coming from someone who is not in the music industry--just really enjoys good music, know that I can only give you my personal opinion, and I don't know the technical and musical terms, but I sure know when I like something, and believe me, this album will be played until it is literally played out. And then I'll buy another... 1. "On the Loose." Whoa! The first half dozen times I heard this song, I didn't think much of it. But it's one of those songs that really grow on you like wildfire. The beat is incredible, the bass fantastic. You just want to dance to it! Clever lyrics, and very engaging. 2. "This Town." This song has been out for a few months now, and became super popular fairly quickly. It's nostalgic, and it makes one think of home, or... possibly a certain band you might be missing a lot. Certainly some sweet memories, and a heart that throbs with a bittersweet ache. 3. Seeing Blind. Loved it the first time I heard it, which was today--a rare occurrence. Definite touch of country to this one. (And I've never been into country music). You just can't help but love the way Niall harmonizes with the female singer. Notice the instrumentals, all the special touches. 4. Slow Hands. This one has been out for only a couple of months (?) and I knew from the first time I heard it that it would be BIG. And it is--it's topping the charts as I type. This is another one with a country flavor to it. Has an excellent beat, and the embellishments thrown in are JUST RIGHT. A little on the naughty side, and a delightful surprise coming from Niall, who will always, to me, be the cheerful, somewhat naive, eternally young boy who was forever laughing when he first joined One Direction. It certainly shows he has a sexy side! An addictive song, to say the least. 5."Too Much to Ask." I can't pick a favorite from this album, but "Too Much to Ask" has to be right up there with "Slow Hands" "Since We're Alone" and "Flicker." Love the descriptive lyrics, and there's a certain magic inserted into this tune that has me mesmerized. 6."Paper Houses." Too early on, and I've just heard it for the first time today. So it needs time to grow on me, as I'm sure it will. 7."Since We're Alone." Such captivating lyrics and rhythm to this song!. It's clear he put a lot of time and thought into this song. I love how he put it together. So original. "If you get lost it's okay--I can see in the dark." Just heard it today, and I'm totally in love with this song already. 8. "Flicker." Wow, just wow! No words could ever describe how this song picks me up and carries me away to some Wonderland far away. Might sound cheesy, but that's how it affects me. It's very melancholy, sad, and just plain BEAUTIFUL. A true love song. You would be hard-put to find someone who DOESN'T love this song. I can see why he named the album after it. "Fire Away." Jury isn't in on this one yet. I need to listen to it more. "You And Me." The growl he emits and the "hook" are very appealing. His voice has matured. I have a feeling there will be much more of this in future albums. "On My Own." Quite a bit of a country twist, and almost has a taste of the sound of Jon Bon Jovi. In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd almost think it WAS Bon Jovi! Shows off how diverse Niall can be, as the tenor in the previous song gives way to a rich baritone in this piece. "Mirrors." Jury out on this one too. Doesn't stand out much to me now, but that may very well change. "The Tide." It's coming. Stay close, hold steady. I have to wonder if this song doesn't have something to do with 1D. I could be wrong. But the lyrics suggest a fear of losing something. "I don't want it to end." Very poignant. I truly hope that 1D gets back together. Each one has proven they can do it all on their own, and that is a testament to their talent, collectively and singly. But I digress. In any case, there is no question this young man is extremely talented. And I have a feeling it's only going to get better...

I’m sure Mr. Horan’s album has been of great interest to fans of One Direction, since that is how he has been known to the world for the past 6 years. I hope that Horan will become a name in his own right, because this album shows that he deserves it. He is playing to a genre of music that I personally love, and to be honest, I love this album. If you're thinking this is One Direction stuff for teens, wipe that out of your mind. Horan's music is very mature and all ages will enjoy it. It seems that Horan right out of the gate has offered us something nice to listen to. The themes in these songs are easy to appreciate, and out of the solo efforts of the 5 One Direction members, they are the ones that I most deeply connect to. As a female, I don’t like listening to songs that sexualize, objectify or criticize women; instead, I like to hear a man sing of love, or, when the woman is no longer in his life, to sing about how much he misses her. This is the main gist of most of Horan’s songs. I’ve read some of the newspaper reviews of this album, and they all seem to have been expecting something innovative – along the lines of Led Zeppelin, Electric Light Orchestra or U2? Who knows, they just have to criticize, I guess – from these One Direction guys’ solo efforts. They seem to have forgotten that these are 5 guys who were pulled out of a line-up in their mid-teens, with only a very limited exposure to certain types of music, then corporate machinery pretty much drove their lives for 6 years. That they could come out of that with a sense of how to create their own voice through songs and albums is rather amazing. They are only in their early 20’s (when a lot of bands just begin). I think we need to give them, especially Niall Horan and Harry Styles, a chance to fulfill their own voice. Nevertheless, even at this young age, Horan has come out with music that is quite surprisingly mature and at turns fun and heartwarming. I would describe the music on Horan's cd as a very gentle ride that really grows on you in a good way. And then some of the reviews criticize Horan’s choice of theme for his songs – too much concentration on “love”. Well, I remember another musician not so long ago who, after he broke with his band, also chose to do love songs, and was criticized for this. The musician (Paul McCartney), responded with this song: “You’d think that people would have had enough of silly love songs; I look around me and I see it isn’t so. Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs. What’s wrong with that? I’d like to know. ‘Cause here I go again…. I love you, I love you.” In my opinion, the world already has enough negativity. I could only wish that every musician would sing of love – and sing in a way that makes us feel love the way Niall Horan does. And there are some beautiful love songs on this album. Finally, on One Direction cd’s, Horan’s voice is rarely heard, as each song was divided and parceled out to each of the 5 members. I like this album because it is all Horan, and his soft singing voice makes for a great listening experience. February 11, 2018: I am editing this review after a few months of having this and listening to it dozens of times, and I very highly recommend this CD - all the songs are good.

So glad I purchased this CD

No complaints. It arrived on time and in perfect condition. Wonderful work, Nialler!

Thanks to Amazon Music I discovered this Wonderful Voice. After hearing "Flicker" several times I decided to purchase the album. After listening to it once, I had to have his other 2 and I have not been disappointed. Love this guy's music

This album is both loyal to Niall's previous writing and also a departure from it. It has a very consistent mood of gentle reflection that tends towards the melancholy or longing, but also has a nice warmth to it. The lyrics and content are relatively simple, but they stand out because they feel sincere and you can tell that whatever he's writing about, he's writing about it because it meant something to him. The music is somewhere between poppy and folky with a healthy mix of smooth 70's jams mixed in. Like always, Niall's voice switches between a high, pure tone and a controlled rasp across all of his range depending on what suits each particular song. Overall, it's a very smooth, pleasant album to listen to and if you're open to it, it'll definitely pull at your heartstrings.

I bought for one song and find I enjoy the entire cd !

No scratches!

je l ai decouvert tard mais tres heureux de mon achat!!!! voix sublime , beaucoups moin nasiallarde que zayn les textes sont tres beaux et les musiques très travailler!!!! c est une veritable pepitte et au prix du cd …. presque cadeaux aux vue de la qualiter du cd !

気持ちよく聞いていられるアルバムだと思います。特に２曲目のThis Townは、いつもリピート再生してしまうくらい気に入りました。

I really enjoyed this CD. This young man has talent.

A mio avviso il cd più bello di Niall Horan. Lo adoro!

Bien calidad, precio.