Over the last few years, Alternative Pop has become one of the most exciting and popular kinds of music. Artists like Clairo, Mitski, and Billie Eilish have pushed the sub-genre into the mainstream, helping Pop music appreciate different sounds in the genre from what they had become accustomed to. One Alternative Pop artist who has been making waves over the last year is Holly Humberstone. Like so many young artists in this generation, Holly became popular because of TikTok. A couple of her songs went viral on that app last year, taking her from someone who was considered a potential rising star by a lot of music pundits online to being one of the most exciting Alternative pop acts coming up in music today. Holly Humberstone has not even been releasing original music for that long. Her first EP, Falling Asleep At The Wheel, was released in August 2020. Holly followed this project up with her second EP, The Walls Are Way To Thin, at the end of 2021. Holly Humberstone dropped her debut album, Can You Afford To Lose Me, near the end of 2022. Unfortunately, I was still sleeping on her when this album came out last year, so I did not end up reviewing it. I wish that I had because I have now realized how good it is and I am sad that I missed it at the time(maybe I will go back and actually review it on this blog when I have time in the future). After a very short break, Holly Humberstone has returned with her second album, Paint My Bedroom Black. If Holly Humberstone can capture the magic with this record that she has captured with her last few releases, she will be cemented as one of the best young Alternative Pop acts in music today. With that being said, here is how I feel about Holly Humberstone’s Paint My Bedroom Black. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are on Paint My Bedroom Black, and also comment on how you feel about the album as a whole.
Holly Humberstone gets Paint My Bedroom Black going with the melancholy yet sweet title track. The best way I can describe this song is that it feels like modern Goth Rock music. It has elements of modern Alternative New Wave Pop, but there is something about this song that feels so much like 1990s Goth music. The guitar tone that drives ‘Paint My Bedroom Black’ is so reminiscent of bands like The Cure or Siouxsie and The Banshees. This chunky, warm guitar riff is complemented by distorted synth and keyboard sounds and is put on top of an easy-going drum beat that has such a calming feeling to it. Holly Humberstone’s vocal delivery on this track is very muted and dainty, making the song agreeable and inviting. In ‘Paint My Bedroom Black,’ Holly Humberstone is singing about how she is trying to convince herself it was a good idea to leave her significant other. She is trying to make sure she remembers all of the bad feelings she experienced because of him so she does not want to go back to him. Holly Humberstone picks up the pace and the mood with the song ‘Into Your Room.’ This is an upbeat Synth-Pop song that immediately made me think of two Pop artists from the early 2010s that I used to love. It feels like a fusion of some of the best music from Chvrches and Carly Rae Jepsen. Both of these artists are heavily influenced by different kinds of 80s Pop music, so there is obviously an 80s feeling to this track as well. The instrumental for ‘Into The Room’ is so full and dynamic. Its melody is very intricate, being provided by a variety of synths, guitar riffs, and keyboard riffs. The melody for ‘Into The Room’ is so all-encompassing because of how complex it is. I especially love the little guitar solos that come in and out, as they make the track so lively. Holly Humberstone’s vocals on this song are zestful and exciting, matching the energy of the instrumental. I love the vocal effects on her voice in this track because they add to the vigor of the song. ‘Into Your Room.’ In ‘Into Your Room,’ Holly is singing about a failing relationship she was in that could not work because of her always being on tour. Holly Humberstone goes in more of Folk-Rock direction with the song ‘Cocoon.’ This is a fast Folky Pop Rock song that is driven by a funky bassline and a cozy guitar melody that is put on top of a quick and light drum beat. Holly’s vocal performance on this song is stronger and more powerful than it is on the first two tracks She shows off a lower and more forceful register to her vocals on ‘Cocoon’ than I have typically heard from her in the past. Even though this instrumental will not draw me back to the song, I can appreciate how interesting Holly Humberstone’s vocals are on this track. In ‘Cocoon,’ Holly Humberstone is singing about hanging out with significant other while feeling depressed to bring up her mood. She needs this person’s company to get out of her rut, as she is trying to assure them that she will be better soon.
‘Kissing In Swimming Pools’ is another song that shows off a completely different side to Holly Humberstone’s artistry. This is a slow and deliberate Folk-tinted Pop Rock song with a bit of a Grunge streak to it. At times, the guitar tone that drives this instrumental is delicate and delightful, and at other times, it is distorted and chunky. In the chorus, the melody becomes very full, as bright synths come in to make the song sound huge. Holly Humberstone has her most riveting vocal performance of the record so far on this track, as she hits the low notes we heard on the last track while also hitting some higher notes with major emphasis. On ‘Kissing In Swimming Pools,’ Holly follows a similar lyrical theme to what we heard on ‘Into Your Room.’ She sings about wanting to tour the world and be a musician, but also wanting to settle down and have a normal relationship. ‘Ghost Me’ goes in yet another direction from what we have heard on this record. This one has a Country-Pop sound that immediately made me think of old Taylor Swift music. When I hear this track, I think of the music from Taylor’s first couple of albums. The melody for this song is so twangy, and the beat for this one is so lively. Although this is not the kind of instrumental that is necessarily going to resonate with me these days(I will admit that I may have appreciated this sound back when Taylor was making this kind of music), I can appreciate its quality. Also, Holly Humberstone’s vocals fit super well with this kind of instrumental. Something about the sound of ‘Ghost Me’ brings out the best in her voice, and her vocal performance does make the song more enjoyable to me. In ‘Ghost Me,’ Holly sings about the struggles with always being away from her family and friends due to her career. She feels very alone and has a hard time connecting with people due to the nature of what she does. ‘Superbloodmoon,’ which features D4vd,’ is another track with a Country feeling to it. This song is a bit tougher and a little less Pop than the Country-influenced music that comes before it. There is also something about this song that feels way more soulful than any of the previous music on the record. This is partly because of D4vd’s vocals, but it is also due to the tone of the guitar riff that drives this instrumental along. This guitar riff is complemented by what sounds like a theremin that comes in and out, which gives the song a futuristic element that makes it pop. I really love how Holly Humberstone and D4vd’s vocals mesh in this song. The more powerful and profound way that D4vd sings with contrasts the elegant nature that Holly sings with, giving the song so much life. On ‘Superbloodmoon,’ Holly Humberstone and D4vd are singing about a great night with someone that they do not want to lose. This person brought out something in them that they do not want to lose, and they need to make sure they can see the person again. ‘Antichrist’ is probably the most modern-sounding song on the record to this point. Whereas most of the other music on the album sounds retro with some current elements to it, this one sounds like a Pop song out of the future. The instrumental is highly distorted and driven by weird synths and sound effects which are complemented by a guitar riff, and the beat for this song is glitchy and sounds pioneering as well. Holly’s vocals on this track contain quite a bit of autotune and effects that make them fit perfectly with this instrumental; the weird nature of her vocals on this track makes it so much more entertaining. On ‘Antichrist,’ Holly Humberstone is debating whether she was the problem in her last relationship and if her negative traits are what made the relationship fail.
‘Lauren’ is another very modern song that incorporates a lot of elements from very different types of music. The song is driven by a Pop-Rock guitar riff that sounds like it was made by early 2000s artists such as Ryan Cabrera. This riff is complemented by fat synths that have an 80s New Wave quality to them that once again reminds me of artists like Chvrches. This melody is put on top of a quirky beat that kind of seems like an Alternative Rock take on a HyperPop drum pattern. The beat has a glitchy tempo that makes me think of HyperPop, but the way it is arranged feels like it is Alternative Rock. Holly Humberstone probably has her most understated vocal performance on this track, but that is okay because the instrumental is so interesting. On ‘Lauren,’ Holly is singing about a failed relationship that she can not get over. She would do anything to have this person back in her life, and she really regrets how she made this person feel in the end. ‘Baby Blues’ is a brief 1:18 that sounds like an Imogen Heap cut. This track has no backing instrumental, with the whole track consisting of Holly Humberstone singing with a vocoder. Even though this song kind of feels random in the midst of this record, I think it is cool. Holly’s voice sounds awesome with this vocoder, as her grainy tone is highlighted and makes the song feel so emotional and heartfelt. On ‘Baby Blues,’ Holly Humberstone is singing about a new relationship with a person she is infatuated with. This person makes everything better for her, and she can not wait to see them again. ‘Flatlining’ is another super quirky track that is totally different from anything that precedes it. Honestly, it is pretty tough to describe the sound of this song because it is so weird and cool. The song has a bright and uplifting melody provided by a variety of different kinds of synths(some being fat and distorted and others being squeaky and clean). This melody is put on top of a super glitchy beat with a House music tempo. The main component of the beat is banging 808 drums, and they are complemented by various types of snares that come in and out and make the song unpredictable and vivacious. I love Holly Humberstone’s vocal performance on ‘Flatlining.’ Her flow and tone match the strange nature of the instrumental and make it pop even more. On ‘Flatlining,’ Holly Humberstone is singing about deleting someone from her memory to get over them. She wants to never think about them again so she does not want to go back to them at some point.
Holly Humberstone sticks with the non-traditional Pop-Rock theme that we have gotten on the last few songs with ‘Elvis Impersonators.’ Even though the instrumental for this song is pretty simple, it still sounds so complex. The melody for this track, which is cozy yet gloomy, is provided by a guitar riff that is complemented by distorted synths. This melody is put on top of a peculiar beat with an abnormal tempo that is provided by irregular clicking noises. Holly’s vocal performance on ‘Elvis Impersonators’ is so strong and makes this song feel so huge and all-encompassing. On ‘Elvis Impersonators,’ Holly Humberstone is singing about how she misses her older sister. Her sister has always been a rock for her, and not having her constantly around really brings down Holly’s mood. Holly Humberstone slows things down with the song ‘Girl.’ This song takes on a sound that is once again so different from anything else on the record. It is amazing how different types of music are on this record, especially considering how well it flows as a whole. ‘Girl’ has an Alternative R&B sound that makes me think of artists like SZA or 6lack. The melody for this song is driven by a strong guitar riff that is showered in heavily distorted synths, and it is put on top of an unconventional R&B Trap beat that stands out and makes the song fascinating. Holly Humberstone’s vocal performance on this song is great. She sings with so much power on this track, matching the larger-than-life quality of the instrumental. On ‘Girl,’ Holly Humberstone is singing about a person that she can not get over. She knows that it probably can not work out with this person, but she can not get them out of her head and wants to try to make it work. Holly Humberstone cools things down and goes a more traditional route on the last track of the record, ‘Room Service.’ This is a serene and pleasant Folk song that is driven by a tranquil guitar riff that is put on top of a muted beat. Even though this is probably the least exciting song on the record, that is okay because it is a good way to quell the mood after the craziness of the last several tracks. Because the instrumental is so understated, Holly Humberstone’s vocal performance on ‘Room Service’ shines. Her delivery on this track is so velvety and heartwarming, making this song feel so passionate. On ‘Room Service,’ Holly Humberstone is singing about how the fast life that she lives as a Pop star has made her miss out on the normal things that most people get to experience growing up. She misses her family and friends and sometimes wishes she could live a quieter life. ‘Room Service’ is a nice way to close this record, as it rounds off the sound and the lyrical theme of the project in a concise way.
Going into Paint My Bedroom Black, I honestly did not know what to expect. As I mentioned in the introduction, I had heard a few of her songs on TikTok, but I had no idea what she would do on a full record because those songs are so different from one another. I have to say, I am amazed at how diverse and eclectic Holly’s artistry is in Paint My Bedroom Black. It feels like there is nothing she can’t do on this project. Paint My Bedroom Black has such a varied sound, but still flows so well and feels so coherent. Everything about this record is engaging. From the deep and relatable lyricism to the plethora of different sounds to Holly’s awesome vocals, Paint My Bedroom Black hits the nail on the head in multiple ways. Paint My Bedroom Black is proof that Holly Humberstone is one of the best Alternative Pop artists coming up in music today, and it makes me very pumped to see her continue to rise to superstardom. Some artists just have those elements that truly set them apart, and Holly Humberstone is one of those artists.
EAST SIDE VIBES 