Ethel Cain is a 27 year old singer/songwriter, producer & model from Tallahassee, Florida releasing 3 EPs building up towards her widely received full-length studio debut Preacher’s Daughter. Her most recent EP Perverts a week into 2025 already ranks right behind the new Roc Marciano EP The Coldest Profession produced by DJ Premier for the greatest extended plays of the year, continuing her hot streak with a sophomore effort & a couple teasers in the midst of the rollout.

“Janie” gets the ball rolling on the LP with an endearingly profound tribute to her best friend of the same name whereas “Fuck Me Eyes” after the “Willoughby’s Theme” composition sings about Holly Reddick over a combination between synthpop, dream pop, ethereal wave, synthwave & big music. “Nettles” the lead single masterfully blends Americana, singer/songwriter, ambient Americana, slowcore & alt-country feeling a burden of life post-graduation leading into the “Willoughby’s Interlude”.

To start the 2nd half, “Dust Bowl” delves deeper into the ambient Americana vibe feeling like she’s already broken a death pact that she made back in the 8th grade while “A Knock on My Door” gives off a heavier singer/songwriter direction questioning herself for the first time since the current relationship she’s involved in began. “Tempest” after the “Radio Towers” instrumental piece samples “Doe Hunting” for the only moment where we get a look at Willoughby’s perception & “Waco, Texas” references the infamous Branch Davidians siege 3 decades previously.

Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You predates the events of it’s predecessor traveling back almost 4 decades earlier revolving around his & girlfriend’s adolescence, raising the stakes regarding Ethel Cain’s artistic potential both Preacher’s Daughter & Perverts began revealing. Slowcore’s most gifted songwriter of the modern era minimizes the dream pop influences of her debut production wise to experiment with ambient music, post-rock, Americana, ambient Americana, synthpop, ethereal wave, synthwave & big music.

Score: 4.5/5

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