Willoughby Tucker, I will always love you might be the newest Ethel Cain album, but it still carries the same nostalgic charm that drew fans of her previous work in.
On the 8th of August, singer songwriter Hayden Anhedonia, who writes under the pseudonym of Ethel Cain, released her latest concept album Willoughby Tucker, I will Always Love You. Hayden is known for her narrative songwriting and world building through her music, most notably in her breakthrough album Preachers Daughter. Through the thirteen tracks, she tells the story of Ethel Cain, a woeful teenage girl from a small southern town. Over the course of the album, we learn about Ethel’s struggles with love and heartbreak throughout three different relationships, as well as her religious and generational trauma. The story of Preacher’s Daughter ends with the character of Ethel being murdered and ultimately consumed by her cannibalistic lover, Isaiah.
Willoughby Tucker, I will always love you acts as a prequel to this lore. Ethel’s first love, Willoughby, whom this album tells about, makes his first appearance in the third track of Preachers Daughter, “A House in Nebraska”. This song talks about Ethel’s memories that she shared with Willoughby when they were together, and how much she misses him, now that he’s gone. In her new, 10 track album, Hayden takes a deeper look into this narrative and really brings these characters to life through her music.
Personally, this was a highly anticipated album. I even stayed up late to listen to it! While all of these songs already have a special place in my heart, some stuck more than others. My personal favorite songs are as follows.
1. Nettles
The first single released off the album tells the story of two troubled teenagers grasping onto the simplicity of love, despite their world collapsing around them.
“Held close all the time, knowin’ I’m half of you”
Both Ethel and Willoughby have their pain and guilt, yet they cling to what they have together.
They can look past the flaws in the name of their love, just like the nettle plant, which despite the harm they cause, has healing properties. This metaphor is only further developed as this plant is known for thriving in difficult environments. Even through their survival and protection, neither of them knows how much longer they can keep the act up. They both know that heartbreak will be inevitable. Ethel dreams about a perfect world where nothing would ever have to change between them.
“Think of us inside
Gardenias on the tile
Where it makes no difference who held back from who.”
This line is particularly painful, as Ethel is dreaming of a future that she already knows will never come.
2. Dust Bowl:
WTIWALY was not the first appearance of this song. Hayden had played this song live many times before its initial release and it was already an unreleased fan favorite. This song’s theme isn’t unlike Nettles, except the damage has already been done. However, they are too dependent on each other to end things.
“But when you
Said that you’re in love
I never wondered if you’re sure”
Ethel misses how content they were. Before this, she never had to question whether things would stay together. Overall, anyone that has ever experienced a dysfunctional relationship can relate to Dust Bowl.
Throughout this album and all of her other work, Hayden does more than just writing music, she tells a story. Unfortunately, WTIWALY will be the last of her work regarding these characters. But for an up-and-coming artist like Hayden, Ethel and Willoughby are only the beginning.
Here is my final ranking of the tracks:
Nettles
Dust Bowl
Janie
Tempest
Waco, Texas
A Knock at the Door
Radio Towers
Willoughby’s Interlude
Willoughby’s Theme