Album Review: "I Barely Know Her" by sombr

Whether you know him from opening for people like Luke Hemmings and Daniel Seavey, or you know him from social media like TikTok, Shane Michael Boose (AKA sombr), a new and young artist, released his debut album I Barely Know Her on the 22nd, an album sure to mark the charts. Follow along as we take a deep dive into a highly emotional and personal album that goes straight into sombr’s heart and mind.

Crushing

As we dive into the first track, we are immediately hit with drums, a powerful way to begin a song. This track delves into themes of heartbreak and the feeling of a partner growing away from you, and you’re scared you’re losing them. Certain lyrics like I miss the days we were crushing on eachother/Now you’re just crushing my soul, my lover, show that this song is distressing and perfect for when you’re in the feels.

12 to 12

12 to 12 is the third single on I Barely Know Her, this track is a ballad, while sombr’s vocals give it an edgier vibe. Mixed in this song are synths and drums that are catchy and sure to leave you wanting more. While this song may seem more happy by its beat, when you read the lyrics, you come to realize that this song is about that feeling of unrequited love. Lyrics such as Maybe, I’m delusional/And the way you act is usual/Maybe in another world/I won’t feel so unlovable provide a great example of wonder and a touch of insecurity, which adds an amazing mix into this track.

I wish I knew how to quit you

There are a few things to point out in the beginning of this track, as we start this song with synths into a drumbeat, we begin to hear sombr’s longing vocals. This track is about not being able to get over someone who’s unhealthy for you, and how someone changes you. By the end of this track, you are sure to have either a pit in your stomach or a lump in your throat, but in the best way possible. Sombr’s vocals fit this track perfectly to make it so heartbreaking.

Back to friends

If you’ve been on any social media platform, then you’ve probably heard this track before. This track served to be a breakthrough album and for a good reason. Back to friends became popular because it’s much different than most young artists nowadays. This track embodies the emotions after having an intimate relationship with someone, and they act like it never happened. A song that so many relate to, especially with every sound on this song serving to sound just like the lyrics, deep and hurting. 

Canal street

With a different sound then the rest of the album so far canal street, starts with acoustic guitar and piano, also having less “yearning” sounding vocals, and more just pure helplessness, this song is about after a relationship ends, sombr talks about missing his ex-partner and how he can’t get over her. Some lyrics show how much he expresses missing her, like, I try to go on dates/But none of them are you and I look for girls with your traits/But none of them are you. This track makes you want to just look at your person and just tell them how much you love them.

Dime

This track compares a love interest to a dime, sombr sings ‘Cause you’re a ten/And I’m a man that needs a dime to show that he for one needs her, and second, that she’s perfect. A very relatable song about wanting to be with someone who you only have a platonic relationship with, and just trying to get it in their head how you feel. Being friend-zoned is a common experience, and this song expresses the struggle of friend-zoned. 

Undressed

Another track that if you’ve recently been on social media, you’ve heard. While this song has the perfect synths mixed with sombr’s vocals to make a track sure to stay stuck in your head, this song also has a deep meaning. This song is about not wanting to go into the unfamiliar and wanting an old relationship back. sombr explains in this track that he either doesn’t want to have to connect with someone that deeply again, or that he doesn’t want to connect with someone besides his ex-partner. 

Come closer

come closer is about wanting only one person and wanting them completely, this track has the feeling of love and yearning. Just longing for someone that you love. sombr knows that he’s being played (expressed in the lyric And I ain’t one of your pawns) He loves this girl completely and wholeheartedly, but she’s just seeking validation and doesn’t love him like he loves her. This track is bordering on the lead-up to emotional manipulation. This track definitely goes on a playlist for bad love.

We never dated

From the start this track screams revenge, but as we get into the chorus you can feel the longing from sombr.  In this track, sombr reflects on the hurt that comes with losing a partner, except they were never a partner. This song is all about the loss of someone you were never really with, but nevertheless it still hurts as much as if you had been. It’s about the utter confusion that comes along with that situation. With various harmonies, this song screams hurt.

Under the mat

To finish out the album, under the mat uses the metaphor of “leaving the key under the mat” to represent your partner ending the relationship, but leaving an opportunity to come back, like if they left a key under the mat for you to open the door. In this song, sombr understands that he has a second chance, but he’s scared to accept it. He also realizes there isn’t much time left to make this decision before it’s gone forever. It eventually hits him that he was too late and that he missed his chance. 

Overall, this album definitely shows the talent of sombr. This album leaves you wanting to hear more, and lots of times artists fail to do that. For a new artist at only twenty years old, his performance within the vocals is amazing. sombr will start his headline tour called The Late Nights & Young Romance Tour with North America on September 30th of this year, and continue onto the European leg of the tour early next year! The team at Groovy Moo is excited to see what sombr will stun us with next!