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Indie darling Soccer Mommy said she believed her new album was “pushing boundaries” in an interview with Flood Magazine. But the album doesn’t stray far from her typical sound nor the work of other artists sharing the bedroom-pop spotlight.

Nashville-raised singer-songwriter Sophie Allison, known as Soccer Mommy, released her highly-anticipated third album, “Sometimes, Forever” on Friday.

Although the album fails to offer any extraordinary sound production, it makes up for it in soulful lyrics. Allison has never shied away from self-deprecation in her music, and she expands her candor more than ever in her new album. She demonstrates the same mastery of teen angst as in her 2018 studio debut “Clean” while taking listeners further along her journey navigating depression, heartbreak, success and hope.

Play by Play

The order of Allison’s album offers the audience a gradual shift in tone from denial to acceptance. The opening track, “Bones,” is an emotive, angsty ballad tackling the heartache of the one that got away.

The song draws to a close with powerful, Clairo-esque guitar riffs and Allison’s dreamlike-voice repeating, “I’m gone, I’m gone,” drenched in desperation. This bleeds into the following track,“With U,” about being willing to do anything to win someone over — “And wherever you’re going, I’m going too / ’Cause nothin’ else matters when I’m with you.”

In “Unholy Affliction,” Allison transitions to a grittier tone, shifting from singing about her heartbreak to discuss the mental burden of her fame.

“I don’t want the money / That fake kind of happy,” she sings.

This theme is new to this album, reflective of the increased scrutiny she’s received on social media during her rise to fame. In her interview with Flood Magazine, Allison discussed this transition and the way the isolation of the pandemic intensified that experience and her writing.

Following this haunting ballad, “Shotgun” reverses back to a hopeful tone, and “newdemo” picks up where “Unholy Affliction” left off, reflecting on success and what following her musical dream has cost — “Playing for blood, playing for keeps.”

“Darkness Forever” takes another sharp, emotional turn, referencing the poet Sylvia Plath in one of its few lyrics. But in “Don’t ask me,” she celebrates a release of all desire and negative thoughts: “No longer longing…no longer sinking.”

This acceptance continues in “Fire in the driveway,” when she once again picks up the discussion of her relationship, contradicting her claims in “With U.” Now, she’s “better off without you anyway.”

“I swore that I would be there, icing out a fever / I’ve just grown so tired of getting burned.”

“Feel it all the time” and “Still” could be variations of the same song. Both acknowledge Allison’s struggle with depression throughout her life— but “Feel it all the time” takes a more hopeful, accepting tone, whereas “Still” expresses more regret and uncertainty, a curious choice to conclude the album on.

Allison’s choice to end the album in uncertainty may be the greatest sign she’s accepted her pain is part of her, as the title “Sometimes, Forever,” refers to the fear she’ll always be this way. But by the end of the album, she’s decided that isn’t a bad thing.

Shortcomings

On first listen, the songs sort of blend together. Allison’s lyrics fade behind the music, and without hearing them, you miss the message, which is what makes the album worth a listen. Without Allison’s storytelling, the whimsical, soft-pop production is just background noise for a nighttime drive or evening studying in your dorm room.

Most Memorable Tracks

“Unholy Affliction,” offers listeners a glimpse into the burden of fame on a new musician. This song shows a side of herself Allison hasn’t shared with her audience and a broader commentary on the mental health impacts of social media.

The last single, “newdemo,” urges people to weigh their options, the toll their dreams could have on their relationships, and causes them to ponder, “is it really worth it?”

“Shotgun” and “Don’t Ask Me” were the only two anthems on the album, with the catchiest, stick-in-your-head beats and meaningful lyrics. Aside from “Don’t Ask Me,” the best songs were the singles.

“Bones” details the lingering heartbreak of a failed relationship and Allison’s regrets. “Shotgun,” forges an optimistic pick-me-up for the listener and shares the various ways one attempts to stifle heartache with indulgences like “cold beer and ice cream.”

Most Forgettable

The album wouldn’t be complete without any of the 11 tracks. But if there had to be one skip, “With U” possesses an immaturity more relatable to a naive teenager than a 20-something college student. The shallow lyrics, evocative of an obsessive, school-girl crush, get lost between the more complex messages of “Bones” and “Unholy Affliction.”

Lyrics packing the hardest punch

In “newdemo,” Allison sings, “What is a dream but a light in the darkness / a lie that you wish would come true.” “What is a dream but a hope to hold on to.”

These lines say it all. In them, she reassesses whether her dreams have any value to her anymore. Despite her success, she still mourns her failed relationship and continues to struggle with depression: “And the rain will pound us down. And before we know, the world will drown.”

Final Thoughts

“Sometimes, Forever” contains a story of a relationship that fell apart during one lover’s rise to fame. At its start, Allison denies that pursuing her dream is worth losing the love she found, a message not at all unlike Lorde’s “Melodrama,” though this album does not stand out nearly as much.

But given the popularity of “Melodrama,” this message is oddly universal. If you could relate to Melodrama, you will be able to find yourself in “Sometimes, Forever.” While we all won’t rise to a level of success as Lorde or Soccer Mommy, we somehow connect with the idea of leaving behind love in pursuit of dreams, something fans will surely resonate with.

Published on June 25, 2022 at 1:30 am

Contact Sarah: scalessa@syr.edu | @sarahalessan