Album review: Niall Horan, Flicker

Even at the height of One Direction’s popularity, Niall Horan always seemed to have one eye on his inevitable solo career — with the group’s live shows invariably featuring the Mullingar native strumming a guitar. As his band mates preened and waved their manes, he wanted you to know he was the serious musician in the ranks.

This emphasis on “authenticity” carries through to his first post-One Direction record. While his erstwhile colleagues variously embrace r’n’b (Zayne Malik) or Robbie Williams style song-and-dance (Harry Styles), Horan goes the full Ed Sheeran, on an LP assembled with assistance from regular 1D collaborators such as Greg Kurstin.