Multidisciplinary artist Ethel Cain brings us her highly anticipated sophomore album Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You.
Florida-born artist Hayden Anhedönia, better known as Ethel Cain, just released her latest album Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You. Working on and releasing various projects while teaching herself to produce at first, Ethel Cain produced, recorded and mixed her 2021 EP Inbred from the basement of an old church in Indiana where she moved all on her own.
Her critically acclaimed debut album Preacher’s Daughter, released in 2022, was four years in the making. Numerous critics hailed the album one of the best of the year, further earning praise from The New York Times, NPR, Vogue and more. Following her second album Perverts, Cain just released her newest project Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You. The album and its singles “F*ck Me Eyes” and “Nettles” received much early critical acclaim from the likes of The Cut, Wall Street Journal, Paper, The Face and more. Now it is here for us to experience in all its glory.
Track number one, “Janie” tells the story of how Ethel Cain’s best friend Janie got her first boyfriend. Now that she doesn’t have her to herself anymore, the fear of losing her sets in, as Janie getting a boyfriend marks the end of their relationship as they know it. In this poignant and soft spoken song, which is backed by Ethel’s signature atmospheric guitars, she turns to Janie’s boyfriend, begging him not to take Janie away from her. She also pleads for Janie to keep a place for her in her life, as Ethel needs her best friend.
“Willoughby’s Theme” is an entirely instrumental track. It enchants us with soft piano melodies, before droning guitars set in, transitioning into a more eerily mesmerizing piece. The mixture of calm piano and hauntingly enticing guitars paints an audible picture of its titular character Willoughby Tucker ahead of it softly fading out.
“F*ck Me Eyes” delves into themes of the fear of being directionless in life and being denied one’s goals by factors outside of one’s own control. It tells the story of Holly Reddick and how she presents herself as two very different characters. By day, she is this well-behaved person, never missing a service at church and by night she lets loose at clubs, rallying boys around her. Ethel is afraid that soon, Willoughby will also fall for Holly’s sex-appeal and not be interested in her. Alongside the masterful lyrics, Ethel’s powerful voice, paired with striking drums and guitars make for an incredibly poignant and piercing experience.
“Nettles” sonically leans into the country direction, while thematically shining light on the race that life can be when one is denied a home that grants them safety. In a race to grow up and in doing so breaking free from the forces restraining us, there is a growing danger of losing those we love.
“Willoughby’s Interlude” is another instrumental piece, drawing us in with its enchantingly atmospheric soundscapes. Once more, the familiar, hauntingly calming, piano melody takes our minds on a journey, carrying us with mystical vocal samples. The track masterfully balances its sonic intensity with its calm undertone, creating a truly unique piece that manages to keep us on edge while pulling us into a trance at the same time.
“Dust Bowl” might just be the saddest song on the album yet. It shows Ethel Cain mourning the loss of her beloved Willoughby Tucker. As the title suggests, the situation leaves Ethel empty and lost. In the song, she reminisces and reflects on Willoughby and who he was, as well as her tragic loss. Striking guitars and percussion once again create a soundscape that perfectly illustrates the irreversibility of the situation.
“A Knock At The Door” taps even more into the darkness. The knock here being an omen for death. Throughout the album we learn that Willoughby holds a lot of resentment for his father, who came back from the Vietnam War as a changed man, riddled with PTSD and permanently scarred. Willoughby still feels obliged to visit his father through all this resentment, but he is not afraid of the knock on his door and the ensuing message of his father’s passing when it happens. Ethel on the other hand is haunted by her father’s actions, forever cursed to look back and wish for the love of a true father figure.
“Radio Towers” is the third instrumental track on the album. It makes use of the monotonous, electrical beeping you might expect from a radio transmission. While the beeping makes its way through the entire track in the background, it interweaves with haunting piano and synths, once more creating a darkly mesmerizing experience.
“Tempest” starts out as a continuation of the previous track, perpetuating its sounds before transitioning into its own piece. The track is the only one on the album that is written from Willoughby’s perspective. It illustrates that while Ethel meant well and did for Willoughby what she thought he needed, she was in love with the concept, or an idea of him and didn’t look at him as the person he really was. Accompanied by heavy percussion, she lays bare all her regret that will haunt her forever.
The final track on the album “Waco, Texas” is the masterpiece that tells the ultimate story of Ethel and Willoughby falling in love. The two are deep in their own world, thinking that their love will protect them and keep them save. However, the real world takes its toll as everything comes falling apart. The more than 15 minutes long song details all the hardships of their love.
While Ethel dreams of a wonderful future with Willoughby, carefully picking out names for their future children, he makes his life a living hell, worrying about how he could ever sustain this family, feeding and providing for them. It is a harsh reflection of how in this world, love may not be enough and despite giving all the love you have, things can fall apart at any moment.
With this latest album of hers, Ethel Cain once again proves her ability to create boundary pushing art. With her unique soundscapes and the ever-growing Ethel Cain mythos she invites us deeper into her world than ever before. Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You is a truly genre defining piece of art that is sure to keep us in its trance for a long time.
Ready for more Ethel Cain? Then get ready for the Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You Tour throughout North America and Europe between August and February. Ethel Cain will headline prestigious venues such as New York’s Radio City and King’s Hall Theater, LA’s Shrine Auditorium, London’s Eventim Apollo and many more.
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