Color Theory. Soccer Mommy

Soccer Mommy was on this blog before but in a post by Erwin Zijleman. This time it's me trying out her new album, Color Theory. The short version is, a jangly, semi-detached, alternative sounding album as if Soccer Mommy is not really involved despite being present the whole of the time.

That outcome can only hold its ground by not listening a bit closer. The songs work in a delightful way and know their twists and turns to make them interesting for the whole of the way.

In this country soccer mommies are still an exception, though changing with more girls starting to play football, as we call soccer over here, in the past five years. I remember driving past the Missouri in Grand Falls on holiday with a head full of prickly pears thanks to the Lewis & Clark experience and seeing the park near the river filled with football pitches, little kids and an endless amount of soccer mummies. Where over here the kids play in clubs, there it was this huge open park, where everything would be packed in after the games. It all looked so different.

Thank you for bringing that memory back, Sophie Allison. Something I had totally forgotten and is brought back by the artist name she chose to work under. Where that brings me views of sunshine and warmth, Color Theory is about three colours all representing negative thoughts and emotions to Soccer Mommy: "blue, representing sadness and depression; yellow, symbolizing physical and emotional illness; and, finally, gray, representing darkness, emptiness and loss", as it says on her Bandcamp page.

Not surprising, Color Theory is not a happy sounding album. Sophie Allison does not sing like she's happy. She does not beat around the bush what her feelings are. Pain and suffering somehow seem like an endless inspiration to people able to voice and express these feelings and emotions. Sophie Allison is one of them. I can only hope expressing the darkness somehow alleviates her mood, that to know her music and melodies bring joy to others is able to drive the blue, yellow and grey into another perspective. Perhaps even support others that feel the same way.

I know I have to count my lucky stars, but that does not make it impossible for me to listen to Color Theory and enjoy its beauty. Because that is what Soccer Mommy offers the world. Take 'Yellow Is The Color Of Her Eyes'. The melody is downcast, Sophie Allison's voice is higher, clear, but down. The electric guitar's solo notes is what gives the song a little ray of light here and there. The chugging rhythm certainly does not help here. The song gives the impression it is sinking and sinking ever lower. Yet the result is one of extreme beauty. Is that possible? Yes, it is! Take 'Lucy' as another example. The song holds much more frictions in the guitars, the angelic singing gives the right balance between light and dark, chaos and order. The result? There's that word beauty again.

Without for a second making herself bigger than she is, Soccer Mommy in all modesty has made herself as big as she can or is able to handle in this phase of her career. She has a lot to look out for as there ought to be a lot more from where this came. Life may have its dark days, inspiration certainly is not lacking on Color Theory.

Wo.

You can listen to and buy Color Theory here:

https://sopharela.bandcamp.com/album/color-theory


or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g