CD of The Week

Soccer Mommy - Evergreen (Loma Vista / Concord)

Soccer Mommy (aka Sophie Allison) has always written songs that are reflective of what she’s personally going through, like intimate journal entries allowing access to her innermost journeys and struggles. Here on her fourth album, Evergreen, Allison continues to offer listeners that opportunity to co-pilot her emotions, but this time, it comes with a twist or two. She recorded the record with producer (and performer on 9 of 11 tracks) Ben H. Allen (Deerhunter, Animal Collective, Belle and Sebastian), while grappling with a crushing, personal loss. She recorded it in a stripped-down, mostly acoustic package, which allows the listener to feel even closer to her, not distracted by synth or studio effects. Many of the songs, like “Anchor” still feel like minimal demos.

“Thinking of You” is a dream sequence, slowed down to half-speed, and is literally Allison thinking of a specific “you” while self-consciously wondering “How long is too long to be still thinking of you.” Similarly, on the first single and album opener, “Lost,” Allison is again thinking of a specific person but feels weighed down by the missed opportunities and things left unsaid. “Some Sunny Day” is an echoey and ethereal ballad about missing someone, where Allison feels validated reveling in the sorrow, but also longs to be reunited, even in a dream. “Salt in the Wound” is a painfully sarcastic take on how everything reminds Allison of the departed, be it “hearing that song” or “pressing on a bruise.”

Now, this makes it sound like Allison has been sitting around, stewing hopelessly in the emotions that her brain and surroundings deal out. But in reality, she is trying to take the reins and discover how to make the most of the situation. The strummy, resigned “Changes” contemplates memories, recognizing that pain subsides over time, while ironically, just knowing that memories will fade is equally painful. On a happier (possibly escapist) note, the upbeat alt-rock “Driver” explores internal thoughts about an infatuating relationship, while “Abigail” is an obsessively romantic fantasy about the perfect, dream partner (who happens to be a character in a farming RPG video game, Stardew Valley). 

The final, titular track summarizes the other end of the tunnel when it comes to regret. She is trying to break the cycle of drowning by memory and ultimately comes to terms with the memory’s permanent residence, singing “She cannot fade, she’s so evergreen.” There is a calming, freeing element in the acceptance of loss. So much so that in the weeks preceding the release, fans could stream an advanced copy of the album by selecting a nearby park to visit and listen amongst wildlife. A note on the website accompanied this option, reading “I wanted Evergreen to feel like you’re laying outside, eyes closed, the sun is on you, and you can feel the warmth & flowers & trees.” It would be a little cold to visit an outdoor park in January, so Soccer Mommy is smartly playing an indoor show at Union Transfer on January 25th, alongside the experimental pop of L’Rain.
Review by Shepard Ritzen