Ethel Cain currently stands as one of the most captivating artists globally. Her distinctive take on gothic Americana is influenced by countless voices from different eras, including Springsteen, Lynch, Basquiat, and Woolf, yet it remains notably unique and daring. A transgender woman known as Hayden Anhedönia, Cain grew up in a strict Southern Baptist community, where her path to adulthood was marked by trauma rather than manageable experiences. Growing up in the digital age, her personal evolution is documented through various online interactions that reflect her challenging upbringing, provoking even her most passionate young fans to advocate from afar – a testament to her courage.
Her music inhabits the space where these conflicting forces intersect, weaving some of the bleakest tales heard in contemporary music against soundscapes that are both vast and beautiful. She tells stories that are unmatched by any other artist currently, drawing from her past to create narratives that both challenge and engage her listeners. Unapologetically embracing this duality, she reacted to her audience's lukewarm reception of her debut album with a 90-minute drone piece called ‘Perverts’. Ironically, this collection turned out to be more cohesive than ‘Preacher’s Daughter’, an album that wobbled through its sorrowful storytelling, punctuated by memorable moments that linger in memory.
‘Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You’ was not initially intended as Cain’s next direction, especially not in its current form. There had been plans for a prequel EP exploring the origins of characters from ‘Preacher’s Daughter’, but this has expanded into an album as lengthy as Sufjan’s ‘Illinois’, renowned for its sprawling examination of flawed American ideals and the individuals who fail to meet them. In ‘Willoughby Tucker’, Cain has crafted a work that flows like an opus, synthesizing her previous efforts and surpassing them. The album features instrumental tracks, Americana highlights, synth-imbued reflections on traumatic childhoods, and a grim spirit that envelops everything: all are bolder and better than ever.
The album begins with ‘Janie’, which features a simpler, jangling guitar backdrop compared to ‘Preacher’s Daughter’. It conveys the fragility and desperation of its narrator, grappling with the upheaval caused by new people entering her life. While critics may find the opening underwhelming, Cain’s decision to start small allows the rest of the album to progressively build, showcasing her patience and maturity far beyond her age and experience, traits she has seemingly always possessed.
By the time you reach ‘Fuck Me Eyes’, the third track and second single, Cain executes one of the most remarkable musical achievements of her career. Layered with a vibrant mix of synths and a pulsating bassline, she delivers a lyrical heart murmur. The opening lines deepen our understanding of the song’s subject with each word. She portrays an independent spirit, driving around town in “her own Cadillac” while adjusting her mom jeans “to really show off her ass.” The freedom she expresses aligns with the philosophy of the Americana genre, which she has embraced in her work.
Yet, the second verse reveals that this freedom stems from rebellion or, at worst, a desperate survival instinct. Her mother struggles with addiction and is described as not “good at raising children, but she’s good at raising hell,” while an overbearing father keeps her “in a box,” failing to shield her from the overwhelming male gaze that threatens her existence. The understated chorus amplifies the turmoil, transforming a dismal parking lot into a hellscape, the only place where the protagonist truly feels fear.
This unsettling journey through hardship, filled with cheap liquor and even cheaper encounters, reaches a climax where Cain’s voice ascends in a way not heard since ‘American Teenager’. This cathartic moment continues to evoke chills with each replay and serves as pure ecstasy in a narrative landscape where innocence is practically eradicated. To label the song merely as a highlight underrepresents its significance; it will undoubtedly be recognized as one of the defining tracks of Cain's career, regardless of the future albums and stories she may create.
Her talent for vividly portraying entire scenes with just a few poignant phrases persists in ‘Nettles’, a more subdued yet equally poignant piece. Spanning roughly eight minutes — not the album’s longest track — it presents warm instrumentation that feels comfortingly familiar, a hallmark of Cain’s style. Lines like “It wasn’t pretty like the movies/ It was ugly, like what they all did to me” and “To love me is to suffer me” are difficult to quickly move beyond. These words effectively narrate compelling stories while remaining open enough to resonate with listeners who may not have faced similar struggles.
These impactful lines, along with several others in ‘Nettles’, are layered over some of the most traditional country influences Cain has explored. References to artists like Dolly, Loretta, and Tammy are evident, along with a touch of
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Ethel Cain is currently the most thrilling artist in the world. Her unique style of gothic Americana is influenced by a multitude of voices from different generations.