Over the past few years Niall Horan has proved himself to be a reliable and sturdy purveyor of melodic rock pop and is now established as the second most successful former One Directioner.
He doesn't mess with a winning formula on his shiny fourth album. As usual, he is surrounded by quality co-writers including Lorde collaborator Joel Little and his usual foil, Los Angeles producer John Ryan. The Mullingar man certainly knows his way around a song with a beginning, a middle eight, and an end.
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The likeability factor is huge, from splashy opener Tastes So Good, the first of many encomiums to his partner of six years, British fashion buyer Amelia Woolley, to his heartsore tribute to the late Liam Payne on the hymn-like End of an Era.
There are surprises too on and the sombre folk of Die if I Don’t and Monochromatic, which cruises by on the kind of motorik rhythm that wouldn’t sound out of place on a War on Drugs album.
Dinner Party bubbles over with pure good vibes and Horan is having a lark on Boys Are Fun, a strutting Hall and Oates style rocker, and Pretty, which goes all naughty choir boys harmonics to deliver its killer chorus "You’re so f***ing pretty to me", which rather knocks 1D anthem What Makes You Beautiful into a cocked hat.
He may be surrounded by some of the best top pop guns money can buy but it's Horan’s warmth and personality that shines through on this short and sweet collection.
