Singer-songwriter Sophie Allison, better known as Soccer Mommy, releases sophomore album color theory, an album heavily looking at internal worries and concerns of any person in their 20’s. Just like with her debut record Clean, Gabe Wax was the producer. Wax is credited for working on projects for indie artists such as the War on Drugs and Deerhunter.
Unlike her first release, color theory is a darker look inward at the human response to transformative transitions. The sound feels dimmer and the emotional weight stronger. From the opening lyrics of the first track “bloodstream” listeners know this record is taking a different direction. Regardless of the change in mood from the urgency of youth, found on Clean, to the overarching concerns of what happens when the light of adolescence fades, the music style of color theory is still authentically Allison.
On February 26th, Soccer Mommy made a phenomenal appearance at the recordBar in Kansas City, MO to a sold out crowd. Openers Mess and Hovvdy laid perfect groundwork for the rowdy group, who were all in for a night of emotional and heartbreaking music. The house was packed before Hovvdy even started playing. which would normally come as a surprise to Kansas City concert-goers, as our city isn’t known for showing up early for the opening act. But Mess has developed a reputation of incredibly vibrant vocals and highly relatable songs that bring their crowds out early with anticipation. This evening seemed to be no exception, and we’re overjoyed that we got to witness that spark Mess ignites with each performance once again.
When Hovvdy took the stage, their steady, slow, crooning energy took over. And that same energy continued into the night, Soccer Mommy propelling it forward with her own brand of east coast bedroom pop. Within the summertime sounds of “Last Girl”, woven into the edge of “Skin”, and found in her older catalog inclusions as well, this type of energy is almost indescribable. Quirky, young, inspired, fun.
It seemed – in a moment surrounded by this soundscape, this crowd – around the third song of Soccer Mommy’s performance, that perhaps it wasn’t just this crowd that had latched on to the debut album she released just last summer. No, it seemed as if the words from Clean had soaked into our very surroundings, and that recordBar was emitting this palpable energy that made said surroundings feel like home.
Moving into the limelight after releasing her debut album is 90’s inspired band Soccer Mommy with the newest music video for one of her most popular tracks, “Cool”. Opening with a scene set in the middle of what appears to be a high school soccer field, the music video immediately envelops and intrigues the watcher to continue watching. From the beginning, the bright, crisp colors juxtapose the relaxed vibe of the track. Not only does this highlight the song’s unique sound, but also creates a clever visual spectacle that definitely shows signs of 90’s influences. Not only do the colors enhance the viewing experience, but the animations, created by Art Baby Girl, are clever and perfectly match the atmosphere of the music.
Soccer Mommy definitely has a bright future within her own sphere of cool, collected artistry that she have built for herself. Although she has hit a home run since the release of the full-length album, she has continued to chase after what seemed like such an elusive dream. This same principle is manifest in the quality of her music video, which is absolutely stunning. With the fire burning bright, there is no question that there is solid potential moving forward for Soccer Mommy.
WhenPhoebe Bridgers announced a tour date at Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg, it sold out. So she added another. And that sold out, too.
At just 23 years old, Bridgers released her first record, Stranger in the Alps, in September of 2017 to critical acclaim. Musicians such as Ryan Adams, Conor Oberst, and Julien Baker have sung her praises; Adams produced Bridgers’ EP, Killer, which preceded Stranger. Oberst has brought her out on tour with him, as has Baker. Oberst also sings on “Would You Rather,” a track on Stranger that Bridgers wrote about her brother.
Despite such preeminent musical relationships and accolades, Bridgers stands on her own. Her soft, expressive voice can hush a crowded room. Her lyrics, revealing an introspection well beyond her years, can bring listeners to tears.There’s an innate intimacy to Bridgers’ work, a seemingly effortless evocation of raw human emotion. She has an inexplicable ability to connect with others in a way that most artists don’t, one that seamlessly translated from Stranger into her live performance.
The stage was dimly lit save for a string of yellow lights wrapped around Bridgers’ mic stand, often giving her face the appearance of a soft glow, a sharp contrast to the dark of the room. As she began her set with “Smoke Signals,” the audience burst into thunderous applause, welcoming her to Brooklyn before immediately quieting, a note they would hold for the rest of the evening.
The show was momentous: during “Would You Rather,” surprise guest Conor Oberst delighted the crowd by joining Bridgers. It was also drummer Marshall Vore’s birthday, and he was given a cupcake with a single lit candle and a joint chorus of “Happy Birthday.” The end of the night, however, was undoubtedly the best: at the end of “Motion Sickness,” Bridgers’ most musically upbeat song, massive black balloons filled with confetti were thrown into the audience to cheers. The penultimate song prior to the encore, “Scott Street,” immediately followed, and Bridgers was joined once again by Oberst, as well as openers Soccer Mommy.
In-between sharing a mic with Bridgers, Oberst set himself to work lobbing balloons off the stage and into the expectant crowd, whoeagerly batted them around. As the balloons often managed to make their way back to the stage, Oberst continued to promptly pick them up and hurl them back, playing a reciprocal game of catch-and-release that went on throughout the majority of the song.
After everyone exited the stage, Bridgers and Vore then sang “You Missed My Heart,” by Mark Kozelek, a heartrending cover that appears on Stranger. Bridgers sank onto the floor of the stage holding a microphone as her vocals and Vore’s harmonies soared in their own still way. All the chaos and noise of the prior song was suddenly forgotten and the audience found themselves suddenly muted and rapt.
For the encore, Bridgers covered Sheryl Crow’s “If It Makes You Happy” as the entire audience sang along. Making their reappearance was Oberst and Soccer Mommy, providing a triumphant end to an incredible night.
Soccer Mommy – whose real name is Sophie Allison is only 20 years old – has released her new single “Cool”, the second single from her upcoming debut album Clean, which she plans on taking the world by storm with. In the song, she sings about wanting to be like somebody. The “somebody” that Soccer Mommy wants to be like is “cool,” and she wants to be like “cool” because cool is in-demand and “cool.” The song comes from a place of being envious, expressing the desire of wanting to be like the cool person she admires. “Cool” is a song about identity, realistic and raw from start to finish.
If you liked “Cool”, Soccer Mommy will release her new album Clean on March 2nd. It is available for preorder here.
This week, indie rock/bedroom pop musician Soccer Mommy announced that her debut album – titled Clean – is expected to drop on March 2nd. While we wait ever-so-patiently for what is to be one of this year’s most spectacular releases, here’s a fun addition to her catalog… the official music video for her track “Your Dog”. Feisty and in-your-face, the first line of the song is “I don’t want to be your fucking dog.” While we watch a series of sensitive, beautifully portrayed, and oftentimes comical scenes involving twenty-year-old Sophie Allison herself, we’re distracted enough to forget that this song is about freedom.
Admits Sophie about the track:
The song comes from a feeling of being paralyzed in a relationship to the point where you feel like you are a pawn in someone else’s world. The song and the video are meant to show someone breaking away and taking action, but at the same time, it’s only a quick burst of motivation. It’s a moment of strength amidst a long period of weakness.
