Soccer Mommy is the name of one Nashville three-piece fronted by the brilliant mind of Sophie Allison. This band bring a self proclaimed “chill but kinda sad” vibe in the most infectious package imaginable. You may not be familiar with their name but, after a single listen through of their latest release Collection, you’ll soon be wondering where they have been all your life.

Even the visual appearance of Collection sums up Soccer Mommy’s sound brilliantly, a short but sweet eight track record with a cover expressing the DIY nature of their bedroom sound. From the offset we’re introduced with ‘Allison’, perhaps an ode to Sophie herself. The track is bursting with dreamy vocals and really does inflict the soothing sombreness that their bio promises. All of this is achieved whilst still painting an equally beautiful narrative of comforting disparity and acts as an excellent introduction to Sophie’s voice through the hollowed acoustics of the track, showcasing her range tremendously well without dominating the song.

Soccer Mommy are definitely a band who thrive off subtlety and, as the record continues, we are able shed light on the intricate details of each song which provide such a defining edge. Perhaps the best example of this is the penultimate track ‘Benadryl Dreams’ which upholds an almost tropical backbone, all whilst delving into a series of nonchalant undertones of synth and guitar riff. A sudden punchy pacing keeps this one bouncing along incredibly smoothly and, even after multiple listens, is one you can’t help bobbing along to. Tropical overtones and sobering undertones are another speciality of Sophie’s, ‘Death By Chocolate’ encapsulating this in not only one of the most summery tracks I’ve heard this year, but also some of the most brutal imagery. The upbeat high school love story narrative may entice the listener to “chill” but, as the chorus kicks in and Sophie proclaims with desire “I wanna kill myself, I’m gonna go to hell.” darker tones steadily overwhelm the track, leaving an incredibly bittersweet feeling, but in a bizarrely brilliant manner.

The shorter runtime of the record – around the 30 minute mark – is more than enough time for Soccer Mommy to make their mark. Each track feels well-placed and brings its own flavour to the record, supplying a nice level of diversity to the overall sound in a concise manner. Perhaps this record’s greatest asset is its realism, each of Sophie’s lyrics do feel incredibly raw and you can truly hear the level of meaning and passion behind each word she speaks. Whilst her vocals are by no means a powerhouse, they hold a delicacy and engagement which certainly makes for a far more enticing listen than belting out notes for the sake of it. This trait has likewise been mirrored in the sounds of each guitar strum, the unfurnished feel to each track makes each strum feel just that little more edgy and distinguished from the majority of over-produced indie that can be found today.

This album really does continue to bounce from strength to strength and has no true pinnacle as each song finds its prowess from a variety of fields. ’Out Worn’ holds a sublime spring to it and has quickly become a staple for my listening this month as a colossal chorus makes a huge impact and really adds a great amount of colour to the number. Meanwhile, the record’s finale ‘Waiting For Cars’ takes us back to acoustic solo work which stresses the minimalistic brilliance of Sophie’s sound. The detailed guitar picking and growing subtlety of piano really accentuates her fragile vocals in a pristine manner and makes for a terrific send off to the record.

Soccer Mommy offer a lovely reflection into another individual’s life in an incredibly honest manner, their sound suits Brighton terrifically and I can certainly see Sophie and the band building an incredibly strong following across the city. Collection may be a shorter release but has produced some of the strongest poetic indie tunes I’ve come across in a long time, definitely making a lasting impression. It is artists like these who make discovering new bands such an exciting process, I wish all the best to Soccer Mommy and cannot wait to see where this record takes them.

Ben Walker

Facebook: facebook.com/soccermommymusic
Twitter: twitter.com/sopharela