This week’s selection of albums is dark but enjoyable. Soccer Mommy confronts loss on Evergreen, while an ageing Robert Smith wrestles with mortality on The Cure’s fourteenth album.
Soccer Mommy
Evergreen
2024, 8.5/10
Evergreen feels like a return to basics for Sophie Allison’s Soccer Mommy. She comes full circle, returning to the simple sound of her debut. It suits me – for my money, she still hasn’t topped her debut Clean.
Allison’s merely said that the record is about a “profound and personal loss”. Allison had previously written about her mother’s illness, on ‘yellow is the color of her eyes’, and it seems like her mother’s passing informs the melancholy behind many of these songs – the second song is titled ‘M’, her mother’s first initial.
The acoustic guitar on the opening ‘Lost’ signals a return to a simpler sound on the opening ‘Lost’. The space in the arrangement brings out the prettiness of the melody. ‘Abigail’ showcases the pretty upper register in Allison’s voice. The back-to-basics sound just highlights that she writes excellent songs. ”Some Sunny Day’ has an unexpected chord progression – the song’s in D, but the verses start on Bb.
The weirder songs are left for the second half. The dark strings and minor chords of ‘Anchor’ and the industrial-sounding percussion of ‘Anchor’ lend some variety to the record. The closing title track is crushingly sad despite hopeful lyrics like “she cannot fade, she is so evergreen.”
Sophie Allison is a top-quality songwriter, and Evergreen is a reminder of her skill.
The Cure
Songs of a Lost World
2024, 8/10
It’s been 16 years since The Cure’s last studio album. It’s a big event, for a celebrated band that’s been around since 1976. Frontman Robert Smith is the only constant member, although bassist Simon Gallup has been around since the 1970s. Keyboardist Roger O’Donnell and drummer Jason Cooper have also served for a long time. Guitarist Reeves Gabrels, formerly a David Bowie sideman, appears for the first time on a Cure album.
Gabrels is a key feature here, his metallic guitar tone filling the space in Smith’s atmospheric compositions. Songs of a Lost World often recalls the desolate grandeur of 1989’s Disintegration, often reckoned as the Crawley band’s finest hour.
It’s astonishingly good for a band in their sixth decade. It perhaps relies too heavily on one style – the most memorable tracks are lengthy and overwrought. Cinematic soundscapes open into Smith’s yearning vocals on amazing songs like ‘And Nothing Is Forever’ and the closing ‘Endsong’. Smith’s lyrics often dwell on mortality and loss. Even the most upbeat song is titled ‘A Fragile Thing’.
Songs of a Lost World is a great comeback from The Cure, close to essential if you’re remotely a fan.
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That Soccer Mommy album sounds intriguing, based on sampling a few of the tracks. I only know Sophie Allison by name.
I’ve never been into The Cure. Their only song I’ve always liked is “Friday I’m in Love,” not their most typical. That said, the other day, Tony (Mumbling About…) included “And Nothing Is Forever…”, a track from their new album, in a post. I have to say that song did catch my attention. As such, I think I’m going to check out “Songs of a Lost World.”
I think Tony has covered Soccer Mommy recently too!
The Cure have a few happy pop songs in their discography – stuff like ‘Lovecats’ and ‘In Between Days’. It’s not all gloomy, just mostly.
I really loved the new Cure, not as miserable as so many people led me to believe. I think its a really dignified and considered work.
It’s pretty impressive. I wouldn’t have picked Gabrels to work well on paper, but he works really well. He adds some edge and energy as a foil to Smith.
I’m a long time fan of The Cure, and love the new album.
I like the 1980s stuff a lot but hadn’t checked in for ages. I wasn’t going to bother but everyone seems to love it. And I agree now.
I’m enjoying both of these albums at the moment, some really strong catalogue additions from both artists (or is it artistes?). I have a feeling Soccer Mommy’s album is going to be one that grows and grows with repeated listens.
You covered them both before I did!
I think the tracks at the end of the Soccer Mommy album are growers.
I enjoyed the Soccer Mommy song…it feels weird typing that by the way…..but nice song and voice.
The Cure…I like a few of their more upbeat tracks in their history.
It is a weird stage name – I’ve got used to it now.
I guess it’s Mommy…mom I would get.