Soccer Mommy Presents a Raw Self-Portrait in "circle the drain"

image

Photo: Brian Ziff

Soccer Mommy's gift for nostalgic melancholy is undeniable. The project of Sophie Allison, the Nashville-bred act balances unpretentious pop melodies with the sprawling, storytelling nature of indie music's greatest stars. The result is a revolutionary talent capable of exploring lofty themes, overwhelming insecurities, and the seemingly mundane with peerless ease.

"circle the drain" sees Soccer Mommy employing her gift for complex songwriting to reveal an honest and heartbreaking reflection of herself. The raw self-portrait exists beyond an unassuming haze of '90s-evoking, fuzzed-out guitars, only parting ways momentarily to allow Allison's full vocal range to shine through. The nostalgic nature behind the track feels almost cynically purposeful, pairing music videos airing on MTV - era instrumentation with a crushing melancholy.

"I'm trying to seem strong for my love / For my family and friends / But I'm so tired of faking / 'Cause I'm chained to my bed when they're gone / Watching tv alone / Until my body starts aching," confesses Allision. It is one of many such instances throughout "circle the drain" that the Nashville-bred artist lets us in, into the walls of her dimly-lit bedroom, where the only illumination arrives from the flicker of a TV left to play an infomercial segment on repeat. "circle the drain" arrives as the lead single from Soccer Mommy's forthcoming sophomore album, color theory, which she spoke further on, sharing

"I wanted the experience of listening to color theory to feel like finding a dusty old cassette tape that has become messed up over time, because that's what this album is: an expression of all the things that have slowly degraded me personally. The production warps, the guitar solos occasionally glitch, the melodies can be poppy and deceptively cheerful. To me, it sounds like the music of my childhood distressed and, in some instances, decaying."

The sophomore album, which is set to arrive February 28, will see Allison confront the pervasive mental health and familial trials that have plagued her since pre-pubescence. And if "circle the drain" is any indication of what to expect from color theory, we are set for one of the best coming-of-age albums of the decade.  

Watch the video for "circle the drain" below:

Related Articles

Sawyer Hill Gets Up Close and Personal in Debut EP 'Heartbreak Hysteria'

Sawyer Hill Gets Up Close and Personal in Debut EP 'Heartbreak Hysteria'

April 23, 2025 The singer’s EP released this past Friday with three new singles including fan favorite “One Shot.”
Author: Polina Cherezova
Fontaines D.C. Expand on Hit Album Romance With Two Surreal Deluxe Tracks

Fontaines D.C. Expand on Hit Album Romance With Two Surreal Deluxe Tracks

April 22, 2025 Landing as one of our absolute favorites last year, Romance (Deluxe) dives even deeper into the gut-wrenching, emotional themes that made the original truly captivating.
Author: Hillary Safadi
Arcy Drive Presents a Sun-Soaked Indie Rock Debut Album in 'The Pit'

Arcy Drive Presents a Sun-Soaked Indie Rock Debut Album in 'The Pit'

April 21, 2025 'The Pit' highlights who Arcy Drive is and can be.
Author: Rebeccah Blau