Album Review
5 Stars - An exceptional feat in storytelling and atmosphere.
Reviewer: Ben Tipple
Released: 8th August 2025
Label: Daughters of Cain
Willoughby, the central figure of Ethel Cain’s second official album, first appeared in the expansive track ‘A House in Nebraska’ from her 2022 debut ‘Preacher’s Daughter’, which delved into a challenging period in the semi-autobiographical landscape imagined by creator Hayden Anhedönia. This track laid the groundwork for Ethel's dramatic downfall: soon, her fictional counterpart would face her end at the hands of a newly possessed lover, destined to be consumed, decayed, and lost in the afterlife. By the conclusion of the first album, Willoughby embodies a tumultuous innocence. Here, following the ominous ‘Perverts’ earlier this year (possibly the sonic reflection of Ethel's hellish experience), Willoughby comes into focus in this prequel to ‘Preacher’s Daughter’, shedding the youthful illusion and portraying an equally tense narrative of personal collapse. While ‘Preacher’s…’ depicted Ethel fleeing from her past, ‘Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You’ forcefully returns us to that past, offering a profoundly somber and incredibly potent portrayal of lost innocence. Its structure remains consistent: a rich blend of grand instrumentals and soft vocals, interspersed with surprising crescendos (notably in ‘Fuck Me Eyes’ - a stellar complement to the breakout track ‘American Teenager’, featuring a captivating nod to ‘80s synths and warped nostalgia, albeit with a slightly more melancholic tone). ‘A Knock At The Door’ introduces an element of childlike wonder through its whimsical vocals, which spiral downwards as the final two grand compositions build momentum. “Please go easy on me,” she pleads on ‘Tempest’, which then explodes into a gentle yet soaring wall of sound, both relying on and lamenting her youth. At ten minutes long, this track stands out as a peak in Hayden’s expanding catalogue of musical narratives, with ‘Willoughby…’ culminating in the title character’s departure, severing the last connection to reality and sanity amidst a wave of exquisite sadness, love, yearning, and loss. As Ethel is left broken, desolate, and alone, Hayden emerges stronger, establishing herself as one of the finest storytellers in music today.
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An engaging opening.
Among the finest in narrative and ambiance.