Color Theory
Reviews
Francis D
Reviewed 2020-07-18
Reviewed 2020-07-18
“Color Theory” Soccer Mommy
“Chill, but sad” indie pop-rock. Sophia Regina Allison is a 22-year-old singer-songwriter from Nashville who goes by the name, Soccer Mommy. This is the follow-up to her critically acclaimed 2018 debut, Clean, and it’s earning similar high praise. Allison has dealt with serious depression and anxiety since adolescence, and her mom has been fighting cancer for many years. This is reflected in the introspective, raw, painfully honest lyrics. Musically, the songs feature bright, clean melodies — with complex arrangements that layer guitars and effects, synths or strings, and backing vocals. RIYL: Mitski, Jay Som, Phoebe Bridgers, and Avril Lavigne.
— Francis
Recommended: 2, 1, 6, 8, 4. Radio-friendly edit on Track 1.
1. (5:37) Bloodstream (Radio Edit) – Steady, strummed acoustic guitar. Crying electric guitar overlaid. High, dream-like vocals about childhood happiness vs. adult challenges and depression. Distortion at end. ***
2. (4:40) Circle The Drain – Poppy and upbeat bop, but with lyrics that are pretty bleak at times. Cascading guitar and synth, with a skipping beat. Nice backing vocals in the chorus. ****
3. (4:08) Royal Screw Up – Spare and halting at start. Strummed acoustic guitar. Draggy vocals. Drums added in the middle. Discordant strings.
4. (4:17) Night Swimming – Quiet with jangly guitar and wistful, reverbed vocals. Samples of people walking on a busy street — meant to convey that a person can be alone even in the midst of a crowd. ***
5. (4:18) Crawling In My Skin – Mid-tempo with more energy. Prominent drumbeat with jangly and sometimes fuzzy guitars. Shimmery waterfall riffs.
6. (7:15) Yellow Is The Color Of Her Eyes – Epic, anthemic. Stately beat. Soaring, angelic vocals over pulsing bass or synth bass and guitar washes. Gets distorted toward the very end. ***
7. (2:44) Up The Walls – Lighter and almost jazzy. Rapidly strummed guitar. Floating vocals. Slapping rhythm. Intermittent swirling synths and strings.
8. (4:57) Lucy – Bigger jangle. Deliberate, stop-and-go drum track. Edgier feeling. Distortion and angry lyrics. ***
9. (3:00) Stain – Pensive, measured strumming. Ominous melody. Sorrowful vocals over synth strings or full orchestration.
10. (3:17) Gray Light – Quiet reflection on our mortality. Drudge-y, rather depressing closer ruminating on her mom’s long battle with illness.
“Chill, but sad” indie pop-rock. Sophia Regina Allison is a 22-year-old singer-songwriter from Nashville who goes by the name, Soccer Mommy. This is the follow-up to her critically acclaimed 2018 debut, Clean, and it’s earning similar high praise. Allison has dealt with serious depression and anxiety since adolescence, and her mom has been fighting cancer for many years. This is reflected in the introspective, raw, painfully honest lyrics. Musically, the songs feature bright, clean melodies — with complex arrangements that layer guitars and effects, synths or strings, and backing vocals. RIYL: Mitski, Jay Som, Phoebe Bridgers, and Avril Lavigne.
— Francis
Recommended: 2, 1, 6, 8, 4. Radio-friendly edit on Track 1.
1. (5:37) Bloodstream (Radio Edit) – Steady, strummed acoustic guitar. Crying electric guitar overlaid. High, dream-like vocals about childhood happiness vs. adult challenges and depression. Distortion at end. ***
2. (4:40) Circle The Drain – Poppy and upbeat bop, but with lyrics that are pretty bleak at times. Cascading guitar and synth, with a skipping beat. Nice backing vocals in the chorus. ****
3. (4:08) Royal Screw Up – Spare and halting at start. Strummed acoustic guitar. Draggy vocals. Drums added in the middle. Discordant strings.
4. (4:17) Night Swimming – Quiet with jangly guitar and wistful, reverbed vocals. Samples of people walking on a busy street — meant to convey that a person can be alone even in the midst of a crowd. ***
5. (4:18) Crawling In My Skin – Mid-tempo with more energy. Prominent drumbeat with jangly and sometimes fuzzy guitars. Shimmery waterfall riffs.
6. (7:15) Yellow Is The Color Of Her Eyes – Epic, anthemic. Stately beat. Soaring, angelic vocals over pulsing bass or synth bass and guitar washes. Gets distorted toward the very end. ***
7. (2:44) Up The Walls – Lighter and almost jazzy. Rapidly strummed guitar. Floating vocals. Slapping rhythm. Intermittent swirling synths and strings.
8. (4:57) Lucy – Bigger jangle. Deliberate, stop-and-go drum track. Edgier feeling. Distortion and angry lyrics. ***
9. (3:00) Stain – Pensive, measured strumming. Ominous melody. Sorrowful vocals over synth strings or full orchestration.
10. (3:17) Gray Light – Quiet reflection on our mortality. Drudge-y, rather depressing closer ruminating on her mom’s long battle with illness.
Recent airplay
yellow is the color of her eyes
flins spins — May 20, 2025
Crawling In My Skin
Phone Scam — Aug 01, 2024
Yellow Is The Color Of Her Eyes
Phone Scam — Mar 26, 2024
Circle The Drain
KZSU Time Traveler — Aug 25, 2023
Circle The Drain, Bloodstream (Radio Edit)
Lunar Echoes — Apr 30, 2022
Circle The Drain
Magnetized Toner (rebroadcast from Sep 3, 2020) — Dec 09, 2021
Charting
2020-08-17 — 2020-10-19
Track listing
| 1. | Bloodstream (Radio Edit) | ||
| 2. | Circle The Drain | ||
| 3. | Royal Screw Up | ||
| 4. | Night Swimming | ||
| 5. | Crawling In My Skin | ||
| 6. | Yellow Is The Color Of Her Eyes | ||
| 7. | Up The Walls | ||
| 8. | Lucy | ||
| 9. | Stain | ||
| 10. | Gray Light |