Sophie Allison, who records under the moniker Soccer Mommy, rose to prominence during a fortuitous time; however, depending upon how one looks at things, the timing of that ascent might have stymied her individuality. Her visibility immediately followed that of—or coincided with—Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, Hand Habits, Snail Mail, Phoebe Bridgers, and Tomberlin, amongst others. Those introspective songwriters, with soft vocals concealing big hearts, became the indie rock equivalent of a Lilith Fair movement, so much so that Baker, Bridgers, and Dacus eventually formed the now-acclaimed supergroup Boygenius.
Soccer Mommy’s indie-pop style has distinct qualities that separate her from her peers, with themes as scathing as they are confessional, but she often gets equated with them and praised or dismissed accordingly. That’s why listeners would be wise to note even the finest shifts in tone. Yes, Soccer Mommy’s work is sometimes jangly, abrasive, and unapologetic, but it originates from a girl playing acoustic numbers in her bedroom while contemplating personal themes. On Evergreen, Allison remains earnest, but listeners will find a mature artist opting for a more organic sound. She wrestles with profound loss but does so in a way that is grander than anything she’s previously released.
The album, produced by Ben H. Allen III (Washed Out, Bombay Bicycle Club, Deerhunter), doesn’t stray far from the largely recognizable influences of 1990s folk and acoustic artists. That was apparently a quality that appealed to the producer in the first place. Evergreen grapples with some difficult themes that stem from the period during her last record, Sometimes, Forever (2022). However, this release trades in the brooding, experimental, and occasionally cacophonous excursions for vulnerable melodies adorned with orchestral arrangements. Soccer Mommy’s website even includes a GPS tool to help listeners find a nearby park to listen to the record, pinned with the personal note: “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.”
Allison tackles the major theme of loss throughout much of the record. She acknowledges that grief can manifest in different ways. For instance, the shimmering New Wave-flecked “Thinking of You” finds the singer asking, “How long is too long to be / Stuck in a memory? / How long is too long to be / Still thinking of you?” Standout “Changes” fears that memories will fade over time, while in some ways hoping to spend forever in that place. “Dreaming of Falling” finds Allison in a liminal space between dreaming and waking, with half of her life behind her and the other part now changed.
Soccer Mommy has a back catalog that certainly helps plot a progression in her development. On Evergreen, she has reframed some of her earlier spite, as on the track “M”. Although she has kept the song’s subject tight to the vest, Allison speaks about missing someone: “Like a loyal dog / Waiting by the door to hear the lock turn.” This is a long way from “Dog”, a track from Clean (2018), where she refused to be dragged around, tied to a pole, and left out in the freezing cold. On “M”, the proverbial hands around her neck signify the truth killing her, far removed from the unhealthy relationship that risked asphyxiation.
Although Soccer Mommy seeks to deliver a cohesive theme, some tracks deviate in subject and tone. Crunchy rocker “Driver” pulsates with a feminine swagger that stands out amongst Allison’s catalog. The penultimate track, “Anchor”, integrates industrial sounds that offer a jarring transition following a set of songs that risked being too even. The only issue is Soccer Mommy integrated lush strings and flutes in other places (for instance, “Lost” and “M”) where, in hindsight, the adornment might seem indulgent.
In addition, “Abigail” began as a songwriting exercise for her Stardew Valley wife (as the music video suggests), but she liked the tune so much that she ended up keeping it on the album. Above sugary dream pop, the singer describes drowning in her purple hair, waiting at her door, and knowing all her favorite things. Even as an imagined love song, it is a little on the nose, especially considering the enigmatic genre-adjacent classics with female names (think “Alison” by Slowdive or “Lorelei” by Cocteau Twins).
Overall, Evergreen proves to be Soccer Mommy’s most refined effort to date. As intended, much of it would provide a pleasurable listen out in nature. Consider “Evergreen”, the serene closer that could have just as naturally opened the record. Bookend closing tracks often encourage listeners to dig back in, but considering some shifts on the album’s back end, it feels more like the overarching sentiment requires a friendly reminder.
Soccer Mommy displays her songcraft through an intimate approach that should appeal to fans of her formidable contemporaries and may also attract those less familiar with Allison’s gentler side. Evergreen establishes a new plateau in her artistic development, which will serve as the threshold from which she will be measured for the foreseeable future.