“Evergreen” is a fitting title for Soccer Mommy‘s fourth studio album. Singer-songwriter Sophie Allison’s timeless sound powers the latest Soccer Mommy project, which was released on Oct. 25, 2024, by Loma Vista Recordings.
The acoustic singer-songwriter Soccer Mommy vibes of the opening track “Lost” are punched up with Phil Spektor-like strings by producer Ben H. Allen, who I’ve heard on albums by Animal Collective and Belle and Sebastian.
That’s just a preview of the orchestral accompaniment for the 11 tracks of “Evergreen,” which are filled with fancy flourishes that add to the emotion of Alison’s heartfelt lyrics.
I hear more of that crunchy bedroom rock on “M” that made me a fan of Soccer Mommy from Alison’s first album in 2018, “Clean,” which is softened with a final outro of classical sounds.
“Driver” puts Alison in control of the narrative of her relationship as she directly shares the object of her devotion:
“I’m a five-foot-four engine waiting to move
I’m a test of his patience with all that I do
‘Cause I’m hot and he stays cool, I don’t know why
But he puts up with my moods
And it makes me smile when he says.”
“Some Sunny Day” shows the evolution of her sound with Allen in the production booth. It sounds less like a photograph of a sunny day and more like an attempt to capture the feeling of positivity in a daze.
“Changes,” the first song for the album written during sessions of her previous release, “Sometimes, Forever,” is one of the more complex songs of the 41-minute, 23-second collection.
The lyrics point to loss and, of course, as the title suggests, “Changes,” as she tries to capture her feelings in a sound that starts off raw and acoustic and evolves into a big sound, reminding me of Beck’s “Morning Phase.”
“And every time I come here, I’m further away
Slipping through my fingers
And I can feel the changes
I don’t wanna face it
It’s hard enough to know that
Everything will fade to
Memory in time
Oh my.”
Despite all the seriousness of “Evergreen” Alison has plenty of fun on a track dedicted to “Abigail” non-player character from “Stardew Valley” that gives me vibes of the modern equlivant “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues,” by Spin Doctors a track that got plenty of airtime in my bedroom.
While loss and anxiety seem to be themes throughout “Evergreen,” an overwhelming feeling of love comes across in the powerful ballad “Thinking Of You.” It reminds me of my emo days listening to Elliott Smith and Bright Eyes as Alison sings:
“How long is too long to be
Stuck in a memory?
How long is too long to be
Still thinking of you?”
“Dreaming of Falling” brings back those bedroom pop vibes from “Clean,” where the singer-songwriter’s sound is strongest on this straight-ahead track about finding the light through a relationship during a depression.
While the emo lyrics are at their peak on “Salt In The Wound,” the track is much more a rock bop than any other on “Evergreen” and gives me 90s vibes of The Smashing Pumpkins and Hole.
“Salt in wound, to think of you
Is pressing on the bruise, yeah
And pretty words just turn me blue
And leave me far too soon, yeah.”
Of all the tracks on “Evergreen,” “Anchor” is the heaviest, with an industrial rock sound that is unlike the rest of the collection.
The album closes with the title track, which has a pastoral feeling. It’s probably the strongest tonality of any of the tracks, with strong strings accompanying Alison’s electric guitar. With its production, the title track serves a way for “Evergreen” to slightly fade into the sunset, with its memory lasting long after dipping below the horizon.
“And in the light of day, I only see what’s gone
Although the sun remains, not evergreen.”
With her fourth album, Sophie Alison shows that her songwriting and instrumentation are “Evergreen.”
See Soccer Mommy with L’Rain Jan. 25, 2025 at Union Transfer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Jan. 27 at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.; and Jan. 30 at Brooklyn Steel in Brooklyn, New York.
Get “Evergreen” from Soccer Mommy, Bandcamp, Amazon, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Spotify, Pandora, Tidal, Deezer and qobuz.
Favorite Tracks
Lost
M
Driver
Some Sunny Days
Changes
Abigail
Dreaming of Falling
