I once said that when you see me talking about a promising young woman who will take 2024 by storm, you won’t need to ask who I’m referring to. Well, the adorable, powerful nightmare that is Erin Porter is back to crush toxic masculinity in her latest album: ‘Presents: A Simple Solution for Toxic Masculinity’.
When I first encountered YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE, I was instantly hooked, enthralled by her unabashed lyricism and deceptively dainty vocals. Ever since I heard ‘Promising Young Woman’, I knew YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE was an upcoming powerhouse in the folk-pop world. What’s more, I knew I would be so excited to see how YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE’s style would evolve, and so here we are.
Breaking the maw of misogyny, ‘Presents: A Simple Solution for Toxic Masculinity’ belongs in every strong woman’s playlist, and here’s why!
‘Joan of Arc’
As I was binge-listening YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE’s new album, I found that I was gravitating toward a few favourites. Among them was, of course, ‘Joan of Arc’.
Channelling the raw strength of the French heroine, YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE introduces her gorgeous single with a crooning, moody baseline that immediately sets a tone of fury and liberation.
It’s not long before YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE’s signature, sweet ukelele surfaces the darksome waters of the baseline, evoking a sense of playfulness that permeates throughout the track. The contrasting melodies toy with the notion that dulcet sweetness can’t also simultaneously be unfiltered power.
Simply, YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE laughs in the face of traditional twee music and radiates an undeniable fire with every note.
On the note of undeniable fire, somehow, the virtuosic genius that is YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE never fails to deliver a voice as incandescent as a candle and yet as bright as a blaze.
While singing lyrics like ‘I’ve got a vision / I’m on a mission / I’m craving demolition / Burn me at the stake’, you can hear the passion and soul that went into this playful, prickly masterpiece. Every harmony flaunts the vim and volume of an independent female role model, beautifully adorned in a galvanic, vivace tempo.
Overall, this track takes the damsel in distress and turns her into a dame of the dauntless!
‘Vampire Lover’
Moving to another favourite of mine, let’s look at the dark romance that is ‘Vampire Lover’.
Immediately sporting a lively harmony, ‘Vampire Lover’ combines the best of YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE’s honeyed voice with the passion of an intense love affair.
Pawing at the heels of YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE’s mellifluous vocals, Porter’s ukelele carries such a bouncy, bright tonality that you can’t help but feel like you’re hearing the theme of a quick-witted, elusive heroine.
That’s what I love about YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE’s music; her ability to craft stories within every masterful melody and breathless lyric. In this track, YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE constructs a narrative with sinister undertones.
The instrumentals reflect an exciting new love, while the lyrics paint an image of an intense, soul-breaking romantic pursuit that could easily belong in a novel with a tragic ending.
Either way, you’re going to catch yourself humming along to ‘Vampire Lover’ before you even know the words!
‘Ghost Town Love’
Reaching the end of the album, ‘Ghost Town Love’ brings the vivacity from the earlier tracks down a notch.
Celebrating a slower, softer rill of emotional instrumentals, the sugar and spice of YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE’s vocals and ukelele make some room for punchy drumbeats that allude to the potency of the previous tracks.
There’s something about ‘Ghost Town Love’ that feels so final and fresh all at the same time, like YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE is embracing a new chapter of her life, and we are simply enjoying the ride.
On the topic of leisurely rides, this track serves as the perfect conveyance of the sunshine-warm timbre within YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE’s voice. Even while singing vexed or poignant lyrics such as the ones heard in ‘Ghost Town Love’, YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE’s vocals exude a comforting positivity and playfulness that energizes you with every repeated listen.
Reaching a sudden, breathtaking diminuendo, you sit in heavy silence with a widened jaw and teary eyes. Then ‘Promising Young Woman’ emerges from the quietude, and before you know it, you’ll be dancing around your kitchen and experiencing the colourful, wonderfully whimsical journey of YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE’s album all over again!
YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE
Influenced by David Bowie and My Chemical Romance, YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE combines the best of quirky uniqueness with emotion-driven vigour.
However, most importantly, YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE stands for unity, love, and acceptance. When she isn’t creating masterpiece after masterpiece, she is raising funds for an organisation that strives to provide gender-affirming care to members of the transgender community. So, YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE is not only an incredibly talented musician…she’s also a passionate humanitarian.
I can only imagine what it’s like to see YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE perform live…but maybe I won’t need to imagine for much longer.
In August 2024, YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE will grace the not-so-sunny soil of the UK with her distinct musical flair. That’s right, YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE will be touring up and down the UK in the summer, performing at festivals like Shrewkfest!
So, I’ll leave you now to browse tickets and enjoy the wonderful talent of YOUR BEST NIGHTMARE. Till we meet again, you’ll find me ‘Painting the Town Red’…