Every Single Album - 'Heartbreak Weather' | Every Single Album: Niall Horan

Episode Date: May 9, 2022

Is 'Heartbreak Weather' one of the most underrated albums of 2020? Nora and Nathan are going to make a case for it. They talk about their love for the song "San Francisco" (14:14), the heavy soft-rock vibes on this album (29:10), and what could possibly be coming next for Niall (46:29). Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan Hubbard Producer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yo, Rob Harvilla from 60 Songs That Explain the 90s here to inform you that we are back with 30 more songs because the 90s were super long and had a ton of rad music. Please join us every Wednesday for more 60 songs that explain the 90s only on Spotify. Hey guys, it's Nora. Super excited to get into this episode about Nile Horn's Heartbreak Weather. Just wanted to give a small note that we had a little technical difficulty in recording this episode, which may or may not have had to do with Nathan. not recording his audio on an album. He absolutely loves. But I'm super excited for you guys to hear our conversation and just wanted to give a heads up about that. Hello and welcome to every single album, Nile Horan.

I'm Norprinciotti. I'm here with Nathan Hubbard. Nathan, how are you doing? The horn doggery continues. It continues. Nathan, are you going to be okay if I blindside you here a little bit? I don't know. I guess that's the definition. We know each other extraordinary. Yeah.

That's how can one say? Okay. Well, I'm going to do it anyway. On this episode, we are going to discuss Mr. Nile Horan's second album Heartbreak Weather. And in order to do that, I think there is no better place to start than with a tweet sent by you, Nathan Hubbard, on November 21st of the year 2021. at Nathan C. Harvard on Twitter,

a pines into the universe, quote, I think the Nile Horan album is the most underrated of the last five years. What? I love this album. It's terrific. It got completely, here's why it's underrated,

because it barely made a blip in the world. And this album, was released on March 13th, 2020. That's basically the day... Like one of the most cursed days in our history. I sent my whole team home from our offices in Los Angeles because of the impending pandemic. I mean, this album got...

That was the day the NBA shut down. Like, the entire world was like, okay, we're done for now. Right. And poor Nile. You know, and he's just... Nile is the biggest directioner on Earth. Nobody loves one direction more than Nile. Nobody loved being in one direction more than Nile.

Nobody loved the routine. All of it. He loves it. And like, let's say he just wants to keep it going. And he basically did. I think this is like the secret sixth one direction album. I'm going to argue that he freaking impersonates his band members on one song on this album. So just get ready.

I got so many Nile Horan Tin Hat theories for you today. But this album is terrific. So I will I totally agree with you I love this album I think I'm not worried about giving the spoilers here just because I think

I'm a little worried we're the only people on planet Earth who feel this way that's why it's underrated that's why it's underrated because it never was rated it has zero rating so by us giving it

even if we gave it a 1 out of 100 that would be more than what the rest of the universe gave this album All right well then let's let this episode be our opportunity to just share what we love about, about this record and get into all of your tin hat theories, which I'm incredibly excited to hear about. But you are right. This album didn't unfortunately make all that much of a blip. I mean, it debuted at number four

after being released on March 13th, 2020, one of the worst days ever. Number one in the UK. That was his first time there. It was kind of the opposite last time. Last time it was number one in the U.S., not so in the U.K. And we swapped it out this time. It was nice to see the kingdom supporting. Totally, totally. But the thing that was funny is that this album also had kind of an extended build-up, rollout cycle situation, which was the same with Flickr.

Right. But nice to meet you is kind of the big radio play single from this album. Big is a little bit of an exaggeration. Right, because it only got to number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100. Right. But I still think it's the biggest hit here. Yes. Correct?

Yeah, it had, well, here's what I think. Okay. The biggest hit is Anne-Marie's Our Song that he wrote. Which is awesome. It's fucking awesome. and went to 24 on the adult top 40. So that is kind of the biggest hit from this era, but it's not technically from this album.

And I'm not sure under what technicalities it is on this album. It's just awesome, and it exists in the same period of time. So I think that's the biggest hit. But yes, nice to meet you is the biggest hit, which was the problem. Why did we lead with this? Oh, wow. So you and I might feel kind of differently about this song then,

because my question was going to be, okay, seems like they tried to do something a little bit similar where this song was out there and maybe it was supposed to build buzz and then the album was going to come out. That was what worked for Flickr with Slow Hands. Didn't happen maybe in part because of the pandemic and everything that was going on at the time. But also in part because it's EMF's unbelievable. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. I actually hadn't heard.

I couldn't hear it until you just said it. Now I can hear it. You do now. Oh, I really do now. But I still love this song. I don't really get why this song wasn't bigger. Yeah. I'm not saying it's a surefire number one, but it's a good pop song.

I agree. I just, I guess it wasn't new. Right? It wasn't new in the sense that it's unbelievable? Yeah. Yeah, it sounded very familiar to something. that had come out before. I don't know.

I like it. I enjoy the song. I really do. And I don't think it is a complete lift in any way, shape, or form. I just think, look, remember,

he had put out Flickr, which was this lovely but rather melancholy, quiet set of ballads. There wasn't a whole lot outside of slow hands, which is so good. And we're going to see

some slow hands on this album, by the way. But, like, Maybe it's the album artwork. Like, it looks exactly like this song, like the single artwork looks like L.L. Cool J. Like the artwork from L.L. And he's like posing in weird ways.

And he's wearing the sunglasses. It's like the album artwork of like 14 shots to the dome. It's the same font. and he's sort of mugging in the same way. What goes on inside your head when you draw these comparisons? Well, but like the last album, I mean, on this one, he's wearing the sunglasses, he's pointing, he's got some attitude, right? And this felt a little bit like we were pushing this sort of attitude Nile with this.

And I think this was a PR problem, not an authenticity problem. I mean, if you're going to throw stones at the authenticity of the song, you'd say that when he says, I want your number tattooed on my arm and ink. Nile is the one guy who didn't do that. So I know he's full of shit already. He has absolutely no interest in getting a tattoo anywhere. Whatsoever. Now, Nile, you are the only member of One Direction.

You don't have any tattoos. How are you feeling about this? I'm regretting the fact that you thought this came too. I like the disappearing piano. I think it's cool. This is a really good song. I enjoy the song. I mean, this is, he made a concept album, right?

This is ostensibly like a relationship from start to finish. And as best as a young man who only had free time between midnight and 6 a.m. and was one of the biggest stars in the world and was chased around by, girls everywhere he goes can understand what the start to end of a relationship looks like and feels like. Yeah, I think that's the only way in which the fact that Nile has described this as a concept album really makes sense to me. Because first of all, if it's a concept album about anything, it's a concept album about the weather. But he's supposedly examining all the different perspectives of a brain.

break up through the idea of weather, which... But I mean, we're going to get to that. I know what the concept of this album is. Look, when we get to peak Nile, I'm going to tell you what I think the concept of this album. All right, all right, all right. But we're definitely not to peak Nile yet, but they're, I don't, I didn't mind this.

It's a fun song. Like, why would we not be, you know, why didn't it not go good? I mean, look, if you look at this guy's top 10 streaming markets, I got a little data for you, Nora. Please, please. London, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Jakarta, Dublin, Los Angeles, Chicago, Singapore, Mexico City. And in fact, only 25% of his 20 most stream markets are in the United States. On YouTube, the U.S. gets the most views, but it's closely followed by

India. This is a super international artist. Right? And half of his Instagram followers are women under the age of 25. Two-thirds of his YouTube audience are women under the age of 25. He has got

a super international, still very young, female audience, which is the perfect base of seeds to grow a garden of a career from still. Right. And guess what?

He's still kind of feeding them the same formula of break up and get together and love lost songs that worked for his favorite band on the planet One Direction. One direction.

All right. That's really interesting and that's an interesting thing to think about just in terms of what he's going to be doing next because I think the other day somebody tweeted at Nile like where's the third album

or when are you going to release a new album and he just responded, I'm trying. it's not easy it's not easy he went a lot of places and even he spoke a little bit about the pressure that he felt

after having a number one album to do it and that's why you can't really blame him for just getting the band back together the same people he understood right the Julian Benetta Jamie Scott John Ryan come on in Tobiasius Jr

Jesso Jr. Like it kind of is the Sixth One Direction album because it's familiar they know how to do it. It's formulaic. And this was a somewhat formulaic single to put out. I just think it undercut some of the best stuff on the rest of the album. And so before I have about 10 fucking freakouts, Nora, what's the best song on the album?

Well, hold on. Can I give you one theory about why Nice to Mecha didn't totally catch fire? Because I really do like the song. I think it's got charisma. I think it's got swag. I'm into it. What happened? He's so in his low register, which I think is really cool. It's cool to hear Nile in his low register. But I don't think people knew it was his song. Guess what?

What? He does a lot of vocal impersonations on this album. He's doing impressions now? He's doing impressions now. He kind of does like Elvis. Yes. On the, like, whenever he says, what he says every time I turn around,

the E in every time is kind of, it's got a little elvis on it. Every time I turn around, you disappear. He's got some real vocal affectations that I think he's experiment

as much as our man Nile experiments. And he's doing it. Okay. You want to hear what the best song in this record is? Yes. It's San Francisco. Fuck yes!

Yes! Yes! Yes! I am so proud of you. I thought you were going to blow this. Yes. Blow this. Let's talk about San Francisco. It's so great. What a great song. It's because I think they were too afraid to have it like the name, right? It'd be like releasing an album or a song that like is a brand. And it's like, oh, if people don't like that brand, oh, if people don't like San Francisco, maybe it's not. This song is gorgeous. Oh, I'm so happy.

I was so worried you were going to throw me something else. No, I love this song. I just love the desperation in this song. It's like begging someone without being cheesy. It's that like horrible feeling that you've lost someone that panic when it just took you too long to figure out that you wanted them. And that long walk in the rain to the front door scene that he's got here that we see in like 50 million movies.

But somehow it feels authentic. I can see him like drenched in his little white t-shirt. Totally. It is beautiful. It's buried at the end of the album. And it's part of why I love this album is that there's a little bit of maybe a little let down in the middle. We'll talk about that.

But the opening songs and then getting to the end, like the album crescendos at the end. And this thing is just a delight. It is a gift right at the end of a record. So I love the way this album ends. And I want to talk more about that because. I think it ends on such a high. That said, I kind of wish this had been like the second song on the album. Yeah.

That this had been sort of like, we're serving you. This is the slower ballad that we're going to serve you right off the top. How was it not? Who missed this? I don't know because even I guess I like your San Francisco theory. But the thing that's cool about this to me is that it seems so true to Nile. Like the lyrics are so good. I love that story that he paints.

but it also it feels like a country song to me and like a very contemporary country song like there's something about when he says like my mind's made up up up up up

there's that cadence that feels a little bit like hip hop inflected in the same way that like a Sam Hunt song would sort of merge those two sounds I really like a backroad driving with my eyes closed

I really could hear that on country radio in the year 2021 or 2022. That totally works for me. There's also something in the harmonies. I don't know what it is. But there's something,

particularly whenever he says done running from the one I want so bad, there's something where it's, it's not like actually dissonant, but it resolves at the end of the line in a way that like just really makes me happy every time I hear it. Great.

this thing is terrific. It was going to be called Take Me Back. And he went with San Francisco and it's important and heartbreak weather is San Francisco. And it's true. I lived in San Francisco for a long period of time. That weather is heartbreaking. I moved from the East Coast and I was like,

yes, I'm going to sunny California. And you get there and you're like, what the fuck? It's more cloudy here in microclimate 32 that exists in the city. Like Giradelli Square weather, the foghorn blowing 24-7. There is something inherently melancholy about being in that city. And it has all of the

characteristics of a difficult relationship. Like it's hilly. You're up, you're down. There's water. There's mountains. It's just everything. Microclimates. It's the like emotional journey of being in a relationship that is destined to fail in some ways. So it just captures all of it. I don't know. Is there a better song about Sanfran's? I left my heart in San Francisco? I don't know. I left my heart in San Francisco. Well, it certainly validates the choice to talk about the weather a lot. Sometimes I'm like, Mal, what are we doing here?

Yeah, but I think that's what it's about. It's that you can't go to that city and not have that melancholy because you wake up and it's cloudy and it's cold and then you have these, there's the fog just disappears and the sun and it's beautiful. and you're like, oh my God, this is the most beautiful city on the planet. And when you fly into San Francisco on a sunny day, which is usually just September, then you're like, how does this place, I mean, it is just stunning. It's like San Francisco and Sydney are the two most beautiful cities in the world to fly into.

But then, then back comes the fog and it's cold and chilly and winds blowing. Yeah, you almost never get to. Yes. Again, it's the Mark Twain quote, whatever. The coldest winter I ever spent was the summer I spent in San Francisco. I totally butchered it. but that's basically what he says. And that's this, that's this song.

And that, to a certain extent, is this album. I love this song so much. But I have to say, I love some other songs on this album. Is there anything else that comes close for you? Yeah. So I really love Still. I find a steam instead of you the truth. I'm still in love with you.

Okay. It's just gorgeous to me. I think there's something. Yeah. one problem with the song. I'll say it in a minute. But it just grows. I think when he's in his high range,

particularly when he's sort of asking questions, like that, so tell me you want it, lie and definitely, definitely hits me in a place. The only problem I have with still. You're going to say it. And I'm going to tell you that it's my problem with the lyric.

But go ahead. It is, it is a lyric. Here's the problem. Don't say it. You don't want me to say it? Well, say it. What if we're not saying the same thing?

Okay, I don't know. How does this work? This is like a weird game of Russian roulette. You go first. It's the line if honesty means telling you the truth. Okay. Which can't, that's what it means. This is settled business, Nile.

Okay, okay. But guess what? He also says a thousand miles away from the day we started. A thousand miles away from the day. Yes. Why isn't it from the place we started? I think that is so ridiculous that I'm like, you know it's ridiculous, you're intending this to be ridiculous.

Yeah. I like the end, like that whistling. It sounds like he's walking down a wet street after stumbling out of a pub at 2 a.m. You know, and sort of going back to his place. Which we know Nile does a decent bit of. Oh, a decent bit. We'll have that conversation.

But what I think about this, it feels like he's doing a Zane impression. Oh. I didn't know he had this pitch in his arsenal. I like it. Oh, interesting. The high parts on this song totally make the song. Very, very Zane-esque.

And you're saying that's inzetted. Indented. In debted to Zane. It is in Zetted to Zane. I think he's got some things on... Look, the other song on this album that I absolutely adore, Ben the rules Because on paper

You don't break them But it hurts so by the way you bend the rules I mean bring me Ben the rules all day The hoarseness and graveliness Of his voice Totally Feels like he's playing a character And it's on that first first

It feels Liamesque to me You go and list the names Is there one And then he gets into the second verse and he's way breathier, which is very hairy-esque. He hits that Medicine for Now line. Just on Medicine for Now.

And then, like, the breakdown sounds like Louis to me. And I'm not saying that you're guilty because I don't have any proof. I really think he... That's so funny. I have... So in my notes for this song, the first thing that I have down is,

What is the voice that he's doing at the beginning of the song? It's not Springsteen, but it's kind of like that. Who is this? It's Liam. It's your favorite. It's Liam. It's Liam. Driving too fast, moon is breaking through her hair.

She's heading for something that she won't forget. I think he's, I think there's some, because this is a one-direction album. It's all the same people behind it. And I don't even know if it's intentional. I think that they probably pushed him to do a little bit more because he actually is capable of more. I mean, listen to this. His voice sounds terrific on this thing.

Now, he definitely has some streets of Philadelphia vibes, as he said. Voices of friends vanished and gone. Like it has that, the vibe. But I, like, by the way, if we sped the song up and put some like one direction, like, oh, aos coming out of the chorus and stuff, like, this could be. a different verse. Somebody should cover this song. I really love Ben the Rules.

And it's not just because I do think he's basically impersonating his ex-bandmates. I love Ben the Rules as a standalone song. Also, the message of it has a little bit of Olivia Rodrigo traitor vibes. Yes. Nice call. Yes.

Yes. Guess you didn't cheat, but you're still a traitor. You didn't cheat, but you're still a traitor. Yes. and he came first. That's exactly what it is. It's very, it's clever.

But you're leaving out the truth. It's clever. It's very clever. Very pretty guitar on that song too. Yeah, for sure. Is there anything else that jumps at you here? Like on this album? Again, I think our song is so good.

The Amory, like, oh my God, Nile wrote it. It fucking rocks. I have a real soft spot for everywhere. I don't think that there's as much to it as the song that we're talking about but I really like that song. What?

What? That is on my list to cut. No. Yes. You may not. Why? I mean, pitch me on everywhere. It's filler.

It sounds like every one direction song. No, it's so fun. First of all, one thing that I love is that you can hear the fingers, moving on the guitar strings. They don't like edit that out. Sometimes that means that you suck at playing guitar. Feels like the world like the sun and island,

an island without waves. And sometimes it means that it's a great song. You know what? There's like a little bit of necessary energy. Okay. At this point in this album. Yeah. I think it's, first of all,

I think the album needs it. Because otherwise, we would be getting a little rainy. I don't not like it. everywhere. I just don't know that it adds as much to the rest of the album. Like the songs after it cross your mind, it's got those shrieks

in the beginning that sound like the ones on slow hands. It sort of comes after arms of a stranger, which you know, okay, do you not like that song? Maybe you don't like that song. I don't think it's... There's really nothing on this album that I think

is bad. Right. I really, my favorite part of arms of a stranger is just the way that he says trying to get over you. In general, I find that song a little overwhelming. Yeah, they're trying to get over you part of the court. Like, that part of the chorus

sounds like the verse of the Dead Mouse song, The Velt. And it feels like it's a little bit maybe, and it's not lifted, but like that's sort of why I like it because I love that song. But yeah, yeah, I do like, that is the highlight of the song. Nora, our Venn diagrams are overla.

except on everywhere. So maybe we need just... So here's my argument for everywhere. And I guess we can talk about what we would cut off of this. Yeah. There are songs in this stretch that we're talking about

that I would cut. And again, it's not because I think they're bad. It's just that I don't think that they add a whole lot new. Okay. Basically, by virtue of being pretty up-tempo, I think everywhere should stay

because it adds something that you're not finding anywhere else. It's a good argument. I think there's a little bit of like, and I can't believe I'm going to say this. You have a little bit of that like Ed Shearin, tons and tons of short words that come at you really fast. You need more of that. I mean, what is no judgment? I could be a lover or you're short of cry on you.

You can be whoever you like. No judgment is a great song. But I mean, it's a no judgment is even more shirons. I don't care. Totally. Totally. I mean, yeah, it's good song, but there's your Shearin song. There's a few Shearin songs.

Yeah, there are. He really likes Ed Shear. Black and white is very Ed Shearin to me. Very Ed Shearin. There's also, by the way, it's Castle on the Hill. Yeah. It's super Castle on the Hill. Yeah, the chorus.

He just can't quit it. The other way in which it's very Ed Shearin is that. There's a remix to black and white that's, like, wild. But it kind of slaps. It's like incredibly, it's incredibly weird thematically because this is like this sort of melancholy, like, pensive song. And then it has this sort of like tropical house vibe to it. Well, he's in the Bahamas.

Kind of good. Yeah. He was in the Bahamas. Like, you got to give him whatever. Yeah, I, okay. So, so these are... That's my argument for everywhere, is that like we need something

with a little bit more pacing to it. I mean, look, there is more up-tempo stuff on this album. New Angel. You know, we got to look at it. The chorus baseline is taken from Daft Punk's Get Lucky. It's literally the same key.

Well, also, Oh, that's my cut. No! Yeah. Really? Yes. Because of that? No, it's more because

it's like sort of jazzy and nice, but I find it very dull. And also, like, oh, cool, the romantic message of I'm not over my girlfriend. So let's try this out and see if it can help me. Concept album, Nora. Just stay with me. It's a concept album.

Concept album, my, whatever. Your concept. I thought you were going to cut put a little love on me. Absolutely not. I love that song. Okay. I like his big chorus voice. It doesn't quite sort of take it over the top for me. Like there's something like put a little love in your heart. There's a little love the, what's the Adel song that I'm thinking it's make you feel my love. you feel my love. Yeah.

Well, great song. Yeah, great song. I just, it doesn't, it doesn't get to those places. I don't think. I don't know. It doesn't get to those places, but it gets to some places.

Like when he says, So Darling, the little quiver in his voice really, like, I'm, you know. So, darling, put a little love on me. Yeah, well,

and he's a little leprechaun. that's making me feel some feelings. Well, all right. So in that particular moment. I'm going to give you a, have you taken a COVID test? You know, one of the rapid at homes and it's like, all right, one line,

no problem, two lines, we got problems. Yeah. So I'm giving you, I'm giving you the COVID test on two songs. One line or two line. Heartbreak weather. One line is good. It's good.

It's good. It's good. Yes. I love this song. I think this might be the third best song on the album. Totally. I'm not exactly clear why it wasn't featured a little bit more. It's not just that sort of intro song.

It's like... Do you think it's because it has like very strong the 1975 vibes and they'd had that issue before and it was scary? I think that's a really good point. I really do. Yeah. I love that song. But this is the same team that ran one direction the whole time. I mean, obviously mine is Simon Cowell,

but like they intentionally put the first song first that they think is big. And it's awesome. I love the song. I'm just surprised that they didn't sort of feature it a bit more. Okay, so we're aligned on that. How do you feel about small talk? Are you the wrong crazy, as he says on this song? I love that line.

He doesn't much as wolves. Exactly. We love wolves. We love wolves. There's a wolves reference. Nora, what does this song remind us of? I don't know. I don't either.

There is something that this song reminds either both me and Nathan of or it's reminding us of different things. But please, let's crowdsource this. I can't figure out what the reference is, but there's something that... Look, the thing that I have in my head is vultures. by John Mayer. And we know that he's John Mayer fan. You know, it's got the same sort of cadence and beat. The guitar sound is slightly different, though.

In my head, I had it absolutely paired up as the same guitar sound, and it's slightly different. There's something, it is that guitar sound that lives somewhere else. It's driving me crazy, so let's just crowdsource it. People tell us, what is this song? If anybody can figure it out, you will save the both of us a lot of fuss and consternation. I really enjoy the song.

I like the song too. The thing that cracks me up about it is that there's a song called Small Talk on an album about the weather. Wait, what? The weather is like the Small Talk crutch of all Small Talk crutches. Oh, fair enough.

Then, like, Mr. Horan is like, Small Talk only gets in the way. Like, okay, well. That's some fifth level of the onion shit, Nora. We're hearing a lot about the rain, sir. Yeah, yeah, fair enough. I kid. I kid because I love.

I like that song. I like the Walsh reference. I like the vocal. It gets a little gritty sometimes. I do too. So we have some disagreements about everywhere. And. A new angel.

And new angel. Would you like an angel? Yeah, I'm okay with it. I mean, I'm, you know me. I tend to be like, hey, guys, you stole the daft punk baseline. Come on, dude.

But it doesn't always mean that I feel like we have to ejection. Well, all right. So, so that's, those are things we could cut. That's fine. I just sort of feel mad about it before.

I feel like that could have been on any other one direction album and we wouldn't have noticed is my only thing. But. No, I think it could have been on any one direction album

and we would have noticed and loved the song. Okay. Well, but what doesn't take it over at the top then? Like, is it missing Harry and Zane? Or is it missing?

I mean, I guess I reject your premise. I'm not, I think it's, you think it's awesome. I like the song. You think it goes everywhere. It goes everywhere.

I swear it's all to think it's all to bring in the air. Try to run with you everywhere I go. All right. Okay. Great. I can live there. It's hard for me outside of the, you know, San Francisco, I think, is terrific. Bend the rules.

I absolutely adore. I like heartbreak weather. black and white. But I just, our song is sitting out there and that's the kind of thing that I really want from my, from my Nile stuff. And it flows through this album. But that, I would not say that Amory is his most important collaborator. Yeah. For me, it's, it's Julian Benetta because he speaks multiple times in interviews to the fact that this guy makes him comfortable and that he's close with him. They know each other. They've been through all of the wars. They've survived them. So they have that. sort of chemical unspoken form of communication between two human beings, it only comes when

you've been in the heat of a moment like this. And I really think this is like the secret sixth one direction album and Julian Benetta gets credit for me, even though there's, you know, there's a lot of other writers on this who contribute and a few other producers and names that we've seen before pop up. It makes me happy because it feels like, you know, it feels like when you're cooking and you've got six different courses. And on the back burner, you've got a pot that's just simmering because you're going to crank it up. You're going to do the pasta last. But the pasta is going to be the shit because it's like some delicious like white corn annulati. But you're going to drop it in there for 45 seconds. Yes, with black truffles. And you're going to drop it in there for like

45 seconds and then take it out. So you just, it's the best. But you've got your pasta basket. on the back burner and it's just simmering quietly out of the way. It's not in the way, but it's there. And all you got to do is just turn the dial and that thing's going to boil and you're going to make the best thing that you serve tonight. What they're doing here is they're keeping one direction simmering on the back burner until it's time to turn it up back to high. Wow. Wow. Nile's going to be our annuloti someday. Nile's going to be our annulotti. Look, they asked him. As this album came out, they asked him like, hey, I guess you're always going to be Nile

from One Direction. He's like, yeah, but I'm completely fine with that. I like being Nile from One Direction. Nile from One Direction is cool. Yes, he's like, I literally packed a suitcase and never came back and became a member of this historical band. And I'll always be, and that's fine. And maybe I'll always be the blonde Irish fella.

I'm completely fine with that. I love One Direction. I love the music. And I can tell you out of fucking great time in that band. His words, including the F-bomb. And if and when it happens, meaning a reunion,

I'm ready to go. Until then, I'll be in the studio, making my own stuff, and traveling the world, and loving doing that. That's Nile in a nutshell, isn't it?

Totally. And you're right. You do see that because the people who worked on this album, so Nile gets the first writing credit on all of these songs,

but it is the exact same musical family of Julian Benetta, Jamie Scott, John Ryan. We have Tobias Jesso, Jr., again, who he'd started working with, our pal Greg Kirsten's back, but it's all,

and there's other people who work on this, but it is all that same squad that he had a good thing going with and stuck with it. And, you know, I do wonder, as we look towards the future and wonder when our black truffle and fresh corn, Nile Anuloti is going to be served up on a beautiful platter. We got to go to dinner in L.A.

Nora. Next time, I know. Come on. We got to do this. I got this spot for you. All right. Nathan knows my theory

that every restaurant in Los Angeles. I've spent like, I don't know, 12 collective days of my life in L.A. I have a theory that every restaurant in Los Angeles

is named after a dude. Like every restaurant is just called like Steve's. That's either. We're going to go to Kapo or George O'Baldi, which is a dude.

Which is a dude. Which is a dude. some dude who slapped his name on a restaurant. He's not even alive anymore. And the family's just keeping it on the tradition. But we're going to have the white corn end in life. All I'm saying. Okay.

Anyway. Oh, so when Nile is served up on his beautiful platter at George Yombaldi. Yes. As we look towards the moment when that is achieved, it strikes me that while it does seem like he has this wonderful musical family that he's comfortable and has made great stuff with. It's been fun when, and the Anne-Marie song is a good example of this, when like some new fresh blood comes into the mix.

Well, it worked for Harry. Right. I think that Nile is a little afraid to get away from this because he loves what he did so much. Totally. He just doesn't want the music. He's you and me in the bar at 2 a.m. when they're putting the lights up and like, you got to get the fuck out of here.

We're like, good. Closing time. No. We want another drink. This is not a thing that has ever happened or sounds like us at all. I'm just saying, if we were having a good time, we would be sort of pushing back against the thing ending. It's going to be us when we get to the last episode of this podcast or series. Totally. Like, we're going to be pushing against it.

That's, I think, Nile, and, and, and, it's, you. It's deeply rooted. I mean, we're making jokes about it, but it is deeply rooted and seated in his psyche at this point. Like, this is all he's ever known. And he, above all else, like for all the jokes, oh, he's the sort of funny one.

But the charm comes from a fact that he's enjoying himself. Right. It's familiar to him at this point. He knows how to do it. It's super comfortable. I think what's nice about this album is that the same people that he's worked with for now four hours.

five albums in a row, push him a little bit vocally to experiment and actually become a bit more of an artist. And that's why I think some of these collaborations, to your point, are really interesting because when he is cut loose and steps out onto that plank and knows that he can balance on it

just because he's six stories high, he actually creates some interesting art. Yeah, especially because... So there's a bonus track called Dress from this album cycle that Julia Michaels gets a writing credit on Maybe it's time

to put your dress away even if I don't want to be He featured on her song What a Time which I think is great And now we get a bit tense I wonder if my mind just leaves out all the bad parts

We talked about the Anne-Marie song It just does seem like A little bit of an injection of something fresh is good for him I kind of love that he likes to hold the things that are dear to him, dear to his heart. I do too. And do you know what?

It does seem like it's... But do you know what is the dearest to his heart and this is my peak now? Well, can I give you my most important collaborator first? Oh, yes. I'm sorry. It's okay because it's actually a really good segue. Excuse me. Because it, to me, is born of his love of his own experience and wanting somebody else to

have something similar. Because while he does not work on this album, I'm choosing to take a little bit of creative license here. What is happening right now? What's going on? To Louis Capoli, who was supposed to be part of the tour. And Nile's cousin had showed him some of Lewis's really early stuff online. You know that I adore you.

Though I couldn't give me no. And so then Nile goes and tweets, I think it was lost on you, and just goes, oh, this is great. And then he DMs Lewis. He, like, slides into Lewis and all these DMs and goes, hey, do you want to play at one of my shows? I think you're really great, man. Lewis comes- Guess who's good at discovering artists? Nile!

I mean, Marin Morris on the first tour. No, but Nile in particular, like, yeah, and he came on Instagram at some point and was like, I told you. I told you about this guy. Totally. And it was when Lewis, I forget if it was a single or what, but it was Lewis was blowing up.

And I was like, yeah, I knew this guy totally had it. Right. He invited him to play with him in Glasgow in 2018 on the Flickr tour. By all accounts, they went out and got just like absolutely roaring drunk together. What a surprise.

And decided they were going to be friends forever. We had a few beers. It was St. Patrick's Day beforehand. Oh boy. Yeah. Yeah. And there was a rugby. game on TV, so we met up for it and we

yeah, we got drunk. Yeah, I'm sure you did. And then we realized that all of us here can say that we were made for Lewis Capote. Speaking of not going home Right, right, right, right. At the bar. Right, yeah. But that's my peak Nile.

It's just that he gets sloshed all the time. Nora, eight of 13 songs talk about drinking. Heartbreak weather, running around the same bars I've been in. Black and white, telling stories while we share a drink or two. Dear patients, can we share a drink and let go of the pressure? Can we share a drink and let go of the pressure? He's already an alcoholic and we're three songs in. Bend the rules, I pour myself a glass, it won't be the last, just our medicine for now.

Nice to meet you. Let me treat you to a drink. Which, by the way, nice to meet you, what's your name? Let me treat you to a drink. He rhymed name and drink. Do not rhyme. They don't. But they do when you're Nile Horan. I count cross your mind when he says message in a bottle. If you leave me like a message in a bottle. Because something had to happen to get that bottle empty. No judgment. Barefoot in a bottle of wine is like the first lyric. Barefoot in a bottle of wine.

San Francisco, which we love, drunk dialing. Drunk dialing. Full diving. I mean, come on. What are we doing here? It's a really good question. I think when Lewis was going to, was supposed to come on tour.

They gave all these interviews together or would just mention each other and press around it and both said stuff like were, I think Nile said we're going to have like one blowout bash before we start because otherwise like we're not going to finish this tour. It's not going to be.

We usually bond over heavy copious amounts of alcohol. Right now when we're both in our 20s that's a very nice thing to say, oh, we both love a drink and everyone goes. The other thing I just absolutely love is that... Very on brand.

Sadly, they never had to encounter these issues because the tour obviously didn't happen because 2020. But in July of 2020, so like months after it's all been canceled, Lewis goes back and finds Niles tweeted tour announcement

and just replies to the tweet and goes, this aged terribly. It's so good. I mean, that's the sad part about this is he was ready to really go do the tour. and go do the work and put it in. And again, you're just reminded

there's great stuff on here that, again, is so on brand. It's charming, but at the same time, there's a real sweetness and vulnerability to this album, as much as he can be. I mean, it's still selling us some of the same one direction, love you, why don't you love me, stuff.

But it just sucks that it got just tidal wave. It's like when my, it's like when my two-year-old walked into the waves the first time And then I didn't see her for two minutes because she just got blown out. It's so scary. Yeah, it's scary.

And she's under the waves and she's tumbling and everybody's wondering, what the fuck happened? But then guess what? Nature's nice and you pop back up because you're only in actually two inches of water. And she learned. So Nile, I think, I hope, is past the wave crash

and hopefully we're going to get a little bit more exposure to this album. Yeah, I really hope so, especially because he's great live. He's so charismatic. I would love for this record to have a little bit more of a moment than it's had. If that never happens,

at least it will have this podcast on which we have sung its praises. But that would be really lovely. Well, now you get to sing Nile's praises specifically because I, gosh, I wish I could live bet your answers to our categories. What is your peak Nile? Well, so we already talked about it.

My peak Nile was just, The blatant lie of I want your number tattooed on my arm in ink, I swear. It's crazy. I want your number tattooed on my arm in ink, I swear. I mean, no, you don't. No, you don't. We saw this man sweat, sweat absolute bullets. With Corden, right?

With Corden at the possibility that he might lose tattoo roulette. Nile does not want an ink pen anywhere. near his fair Irish skin. I mean, putting that show aside, who is least worried about losing tattoo roulette? Like, if you and I drew something on a piece of paper did not show it to the band, Nile is out, right?

So we know he's... Louis is the least worried. Louis is, without a doubt. Louis is like half of my tattoos are so stupid. Harry Stiles has the wrong lyrics to a, Emperor Trap song on him. Yes, that's true. But when Harry got that tattoo,

he thought it was cool as all get out. Well, what's to say the thing that you make is going to be cool? But he doesn't know that. Okay. Harry has no issue with getting another tattoo, but I think he probably would have some issue with getting a tattoo that might be weird.

Look. I think Louis is like, whatever. When you're in strangely compromising positions on the cover of Better Homes and Gardens, you need to not have the Nora and Nathan tattoo. But if anyone out in the universe would like to get a Nora and Nathan tattoo, I am absolutely sure that we could make one up for you.

Absolutely. Are any of these songs about Taylor Swift? Okay, no. But are any of these songs... Yes? Yes. What? He covered lover.

A Spotify session with Fletcher. It sucks. Technically... Technically, that song is about Joe Alwyn. You're a lover. Okay. Who's a barely working actor from the UK? Oh, he's an actor?

I don't know. Somebody told me. The act? It's not my favorite cover of lover. There have been two covers of lover that I can really think about, and one is Keith Urban's, who like was all about that song and just very all in, like, pushed every,

chip he had on the table in Vegas into the center and then got Delta 13, but, or a 12, actually. And then, like, this one, I like Fletcher's part. I don't know. It's not the thing for me. I don't love the cover of Lever. That's fair. Here's the real question, though. Okay. Are any of these songs about Haley Steinfeld? Talk to me. So I don't know, because the whole concept album idea with this album, which you're now maybe explaining to me, is actually a concept album about getting really drunk and not a concept album about the weather. That's the concept. The concept is, can we drink?

And the answer tends to be yes when I'll ask. Yes. Yes, we can. It turns out. It's hard for me to figure out just because, again, he has said all this stuff about how he wanted to examine a breakup from all these different perspectives and outside. side perspectives and he didn't want it to be totally self-indulgent. Right.

He explicitly asked his fans when he released this to listen to it from, he said, please listen from track one right through to the end to feel the storyline. Right. I've got to be honest, I don't, it's hard for me to come away from it and be like, yes, I get what the storyline is. Right. However, put a little love on me was the first song that he wrote. and that one

I feel like I can hear kind of post that breakup in we rode and we wrote to there were no until we saw our worst

so that's my best guess wow some more just real just verbal contortions to make it happen I mean he

do you think he's been properly in love Oh my God. What a question. Do I think Nile Horan has ever truly been in love? Yeah. It would be hard, right? He's never in one place at the same time.

I think he's been ego bruised. I think he's been disappointed. I think he's probably, it sounds like, been betrayed. I just don't know that he's ever been properly in love. also maybe there's so I think he's been in a relationship for a bit of time since early pandemic now and that seems like something that's that's why I'm excited for Nile 3 right so we're talking about at the time that this came out and right at the time that this came out it's true he's never been a person who was actively dating like the concept wasn't on a constant touring schedule he's having to conceive that the concept album. That's not always the point. Like he's having to like, he's having to sort of invent, right? Because I'm not necessarily sure that he's got the full richness of that experience.

But yeah, I think he has the richness of wanting that experience to be real. And that's why San Francisco is so great. Right, right. Because he can beg for, he can imagine having not had it and wanting it. what the emotion and desire of that and almost, you know, panic of that moment is. As he, he's, you know, he's not old in any way, but at some point he realizes that he's like a, he's a grown-ass man. And maybe not having that, you know, is part of what makes that feel, that, that desperation and

that sort of panic feel real in San Francisco. I think that's right. Because at this point, the Haley relationship was the one that at least to our publicly available knowledge had been the most significant. And that was still very much, all of the press around that was like, he's always on tour. They never see each other. They've really only been on a few dates. They want to really like each other, but they don't totally know if they can and everybody's got careers. So maybe it'll unlock something when we hear what he has next when he's sort of moved. It feels like he's in a relationship that matters. I mean, all of the buzz around Harriet

Coachella was not all going to show up. He was with his person in Spain. And you and I talked, we were like, he ain't coming back from Coach. Like, he's not, hey, babe, we're having a great time in Majorca right now. I'm going to go to the desert and make Harry look good. It's a tough sell.

Hell no. Hell no, you're not. Good for him. Good for them. I'll tell you what, though. Something did happen on March 25th. Tell me. March 25th, 2019, he went,

live on Instagram live. And do you know what he played? That wasn't when he played Champagne Lovers. No. What did he play? I don't know. All too. Yes. Well.

Yes. All too well. All too well. He plays all too well. He does a cover of all too well. He runs into a few problems, Nora, which seemed to be representative. I mean, I blame Carl Falk because it appears that perhaps

Carl didn't teach him the guitar nor the piano as well as we might have hoped. Like he's not like an awesome player on those instruments. And so he seems through the course of that Instagram live to struggle to sort of finish songs, but he's good at starting. It's well-intentioned. He's sipping on a smoothie.

It's everything you could want. It is not the worst rendition of all too well that's ever been put out there. And I was really thrilled to see that Nile, like, in his heart of hearts, if none of the other boys took something from their admiration for Tilly Swift into their musical endeavors.

Nile seems to have done that. And it happened on March 25th. I think Nile is like a full-on Swifty. He just doesn't want to make Harry's so weird. He is. He is. He totally is. He is.

We get it. It's like, hey. No, I don't like her like that. But if I keep over, like, touting, it's going to be weird. It's basically... Right, it's going to be a whole thing. Yeah, it's kind of us. It's kind of you on this podcast and me on the Taylor one.

It's like, listen, it's just about respect. Honestly, don't worry. Harry. It's cool. It's not like that. Well, Taylor has a song called Champagne Problems. Nile has a song called Champagne Lovers. I love that you brought up Instagram Live.

because on March 19th, not 25th, but it's close enough of 2020. Okay. So six days after... Right, we're locked down. Yeah. Right, we're locked down. Now we're scared.

He plays a song called Champagne Lovers live on Instagram. Interesting. It's very pretty. It was a, it didn't make the album, but it's a pretty song.

So, but it also wasn't a part of the leak that just happened. The old 1D song leaks. No. No, it seemed like was for this album cycle and just didn't make the album. Maybe he would have played it live. Cutting Room Floor.

What's the best lyric? Okay. That's not my job. That is not my job. Are you doing the worst lyric? As always. Okay. What's the best lyric, Nora? You know what I really love?

I love Do You Hate the Weekend because nobody's calling? Do You Hate the Weekend? Because nobody's calling. from put a little love I do too and it's not just because I hate the weekend I love the weekend who doesn't love the weekend

the weekend's awesome no there is a there's something about and he recorded this before lockdown but like there's something about the loneliness that at this moment in time we didn't get any weekends

you know we couldn't go out we couldn't do it and so I don't Maybe there's some bizarre world there, bizarre a Superman stuff in that lyric for me. Well, just to backtrack, that's sort of part of the other piece of why I love that Champagne Lover's performance on Instagram

because it was just, you know, a lot of things were going wrong, right? Like, everybody was in the first full week of lockdown, there was a lot of stuff going on that was way worse than Nile Horan's album release cycle getting screwed up, but it had gotten screwed up. And he was just like, all right. Not for me.

There wasn't. let's just that's true that's actually that's a real that's a good moment of self-reflection for you

Nathan's Nile being screwed number two a global pandemic didn't see beloved family members for two years

fuck them San Francisco is really good and nobody heard it okay sorry mom you tell me yours well I mean

the thousand miles away from the day we started. A thousand miles away from the day we started. On still is like that's ridiculous. It should be a thousand miles away from the place we started and everyone knows that. There's two other examples.

He did this song Moral of the story with Ash and in the bridge there's a line that could be a load of shit. That could be a load of shit but I just need to

tell you all. That they sing together in a total Broadway musical voice, like it's wicked or something. And it feels like that line that they always would feed denial in one direction. The chinny chin chin, all the stuff where he always was the brave one, or just the eager and willing one. He wasn't brave. I mean, he was brave for that reason, but it really came from a place.

Now you're very brave. All of the optimism and things that we love about now. Like he's willing to do whatever it takes. And so he did that. But look, the problem for me is from nice to meet you. Or nice to meet, yeah. I'm going to take you somewhere warm. You know, I adore la me.

Like they made him sing French. I'm going to take you somewhere warm. You know I adore la me. I love it. I think it's so funny. His accent is terrible. Just awful. What's what's it now?

Puton de mer. It's so bad. But it's so bad it's good. I'm sorry. Terrible. Very bien, Nathan. I mean, I just, why do they do this to him?

Why? Is there a cat next? to you? It's Augie. It's okay. Augie as reflected through, oh hi, Augie, Nathan's dog just hopped up to say hi. And as reflected through

like the Zoom blur feature looked like a cat. Anyway. He believes he's a cat. Probably Nile believes he's a cat because only someone with nine lives would venture to do as many ridiculous

things in songs as Nile does, including... That's why Jadour La Mare is perfect in that song. It's because he's... Nile is corny. Nile is not smooth, but is somehow smooth and is not smoothness. We just reviewed a Harry Stiles album that is basically inspired by the breakup with a French woman that includes all sorts of French, including at the end of Cherry, which I still maintain is the best song. And immediately after that, he comes out with, I love...

I love the ocean. Yes, because he's a different person than Harry. And if Nile tried to act like Harry and, like, be all stylish and cavort with French models, it wouldn't work. He's being himself. That is true. That is true. That is true. It is the most ridiculous lyric on the album. All right. Maybe outside of the thousand miles away.

That's fine. I love it and it's ridiculousness, but I will give you that. Do you love this album? Do I love it? Yes. Do I say I love it in part because I have what I consider a special place in my heart for this album that I know. Oh, we're biased as hell. I mean, I am.

Don't, don't, don't. I'm aware that this is not like a top to bottom. Right. Outstanding paradigm shifting album. I think this is a really good album that hasn't gotten its flowers. And the grade that I went with based on that is a B plus. Okay. Let me tell you what I gave.

it. Please. I gave it a Bay. That's Bay. That's not a B. That's not an A. That's B in French. That is right between a B plus and an A minus. It's a bay. Okay. Because we've given a lot of albums like really regal upper echelon albums A minuses. But I feel like this thing deserves more than a B.

plus because it really when you and we've been sort of we approached Nile with this like we pat him on the head you know we like because he's this little guy and we set the drink down on his head like he's almost like the

cute little thing in the corner which is which is an unfair pigeonholing that has happened to the band one direction and a number of the members including probably Louis and Nile in particular through the time. I actually think that this is an artistic evolution that matters. And I think it got run over by two things. One is

the pandemic. But two, when you read the reviews of this thing, nobody's going to let Nile out of prison. He's always going to be the Irish guy who's not, you know, he'll jump up on the table and play guitar. But hey, there's somebody with a vaguely, you know, British Irish accent who already does that in Ed Shearren. And you seem to have a love rambus with Ed Shearin, but also have an affinity for his songs, and therefore I'm not really going to take you seriously. And there's just something about the way that this album goes from back to front that I love. I love it. And you can put this album on and let it go.

And there's only one or two times where you're like, eh, all right, if maybe I should hit fast forward on this one. Otherwise, you can put it on and let it sit. It's not too small. It's not too big. It's a bay. It's a bay. Like, A, B, C, I adore la Mere. B, E, Y.

It's a bay. Oh, it's Beyonce. It's just like, like this album, it's my bay. I get it. I get it. I got it. All right. This has been every single album, Nile Horan.

As always, I'm Nora Prince Yati. He's Nathan Hubbard. We will be back on Thursday when we talk about Liam, Louis, and Zane as solo artist. That's going to be really fun. As always, thank you to Kaya McMullen for producing this episode, and we'll talk to you soon.