In the just short of a decade that she’s been in the industry, Soccer Mommy has established a strong name for herself among indie-rock fans due to her catchy, confessional and down to earth songwriting. What began during Sophie Allison’s college days as a collection of bedroom-produced demos uploaded to Bandcamp has since evolved into a successful music career with three (soon to be four) studio records under belt alongside an impressive history of artists she has toured with, including Phoebe Bridgers, Mitski and Paramore (which probably tells you all you need to know about her target audience).
Despite the bright, upbeat sound she is known for, upcoming fourth studio album Evergreen turns away from these bold songs and instead heads towards something a little more stripped back and vulnerable, still with her classic catchy hooks though this time softer. With this latest release, Sophie Allison takes us on a confessional road trip into the very depths of her soul while enjoying the atmosphere and beauty of Nashville’s scenic landscapes, leaving no path unexplored and no stone unturned. Led by her gentle, soothing vocals and soft yet catchy guitar arrangements, each track conjures a rich soundscape and vivid lyricism that leans gently into nature imagery. The lyrical content explores a myriad of experiences as Allison reflects on life entering her late 20s, touching on themes of loss, ageing, self discovery as well as some classic sapphic pining.
Lost opens the album with gentle, intricate acoustic guitar, setting the scene for the rest of the album with its delicate but captivating production—starting small before swelling to a gorgeously emotional crescendo with the help of a soaring string arrangement and distant, echoing drums. Right from the start, Sophie’s lyricism shoots straight for the heart with themes of grief and loss, which are carried into the next track, M, which captures in detail the experience of missing someone you can’t get back.
That’s not to say the album sticks to this one gear though. Picking up the pace a bit, Driver oozes coolness and attitude, alternating between a powerful, gritty guitar like an engine at full throttle and interludes of a dreamier atmosphere—truly encapsulating the gently adventurous road-trip vibe of the album. On a similar, slightly more energetic note, the latest single of this album to be released, Abigail, puts the gentle melancholy to one side in favour of an upbeat, dreamy production of light twinkling guitars, a warm baseline and grounding drums. Sophie has described Abigail as “an ode to my Stardew Valley wife”, referring to a fictional character by the same name as the song’s title. In this sense, alongside its colourful production, this track is a fun, silly love song that captures that giddiness of kicking your feet in bed at the thought of your crush—a sapphic take on The Cure’s Just Like Heaven, if you will.
Maintaining this dreamy state but riding a little closer to reality, Some Sunny Day perfectly sums up this artist’s ability to conjure such vivid atmospheres in her work as it is the exact sonic embodiment of a nostalgic summer’s daze, with its wistful instrumentals and gorgeous ethereal harmonies, all while continuing the discussion of loss with daydreams of seeing that one person again. Marking the end of this ride is Evergreen, fittingly-appointed title track embodying everything that sits at the very core of this album: vulnerability, nostalgia and pining against a cozy, outdoorsy backdrop, brought into fruition by the album’s signature blend of strings.
Prior to the album’s release, Sophie Allison stated her intentions for Evergreen as wanting it “to feel like you’re laying outside, eyes closed, the sun is on you, and you can feel the warmth & flowers & trees”, which included teasing fans with a link to listen to the album early so long as they do so at their local park or green space. With this clever marketing, in addition to the contents of the album itself, Evergreen might just be one of the records of the season, with its warm, autumnal atmosphere and nostalgic themes. If you ever find yourself in need of the perfect music to listen to as you drive or walk through the browning autumn leaves in your local area while losing yourself in your own head, I urge you to put on Soccer Mommy’s Evergreen and experience the journey as it unfolds before you.
For fans of: Blondshell, Beabadoobee, Indigo De Souza, Phoebe Bridgers
‘Evergreen’ by Soccer Mommy is released on 25th October on Loma Vista Recordings.
Words by Heather Swift
