Album Review: Preacher’s Daughter - Ethel Cain

Silken Weinberg

Overall review: 8/10

    This is another one of those albums and artists I wish I would have found before this year but I am glad I inevitably did. Preacher’s Daughter is a story following Ethel Cain, a character and the moniker created by singer-songwriter Hayden Silas Anhedönia. The album is explicit and touches on many hard topics such as sexual assault and abuse, so a warning before listening.

    Throughout the album, we learn about Ethel, her upbringing, hardships, relationships, and heartbreaking death at the hands of an abusive lover. The genres are boundary-breaking, going from Americana to slowcore, rock to ethereal, the album is able to depict the fantasy and dark reality of the American Dream. While the story and character of Ethel Cain are fictional, the concepts come from real-life experiences that take form through the "what ifs" in artist Ethel's life. 

    The first full song “American Teenager” is one of the only upbeat songs in the album, finding success on TikTok and bringing the album to the limelight. Its 80s-style pop beat is contrasted by its lyricism. Depicting everything a teenager brought up at the time is taught to thrive for, and the disappointment that comes from realizing it is almost always unattainable. The lines "The neighbor's brother came home in a box / But he wanted to go, so maybe it was his fault / another red heart taken by the American dream." in the first verse takes you to the morbid reality of it all, and the fault placed onto the American kids almost to say death is a price for freedom and individualism. 

    The rest of the album follows a more bleak, slow tone such as "House in Nebraska" which depicts the heartbreak and longing of an ex-lover; or "Hard Times" which reflects on the sexual abuse Ethel endured at the hands of her father. Another, more grueling listen is "Ptolomea" which shows the end of an abusive relationship, where Ethel desperately screams for it to stop. The last is followed by two instrumentals almost as a cool down to reflect on everything the past 55 minutes have put you through mentally, while in the storyline Ethel is killed by her abusive partner, and ascends to Heaven.

    The last two songs are honestly some of my favorites in the album. "Sunbleached Flies" is a reflection of the entire story of Ethel so far singing "What I wouldn't give to be in Church this Sunday / Listening to the choir, so heartfelt, all singing / God loves you, but not enough to save you" looking back at what Ethel was taught back in "American Teenager". Ethel also calls back to "House in Nebraska" remembering her first love, and almost faulting herself for what she was never able to attend. 

    The last song, "Strangers" feels like a letter to the abusive partner, who according to the storyline cannibalizes her after killing her. The lines "I tried to be good / Am I no good?" and "If I'm turning in your stomach and I'm making you feel sick / Am I making you feel sick?" makes my stomach turn with just the amount of emotion and desperation sang by Ethel, the last few moments asking where she went wrong and if she could get the last laugh from any guilt her partner might have. She ends the song directed toward her mother, consoling her from Heaven and telling her not to worry; telling her she loves her, and she will see her soon.

    Overall this album was an experience to listen to it, and like the last album I have played it on a loop for the past month, making me tear up every now and again. I understand this album is not for everyone, whether it's the slow pacing, long songs; or the hard-to-hear topics that it tackles. Still, I feel like, if it's possible, everyone should listen to it once. It was life-changing for me. Ethel Cain as an artist has some incredible songs outside of this album including the album "Inbred" which follows a similar style. Ethel Cain is one of those artists I will keep an eye on all year to see her growth as she already has such an amazing discography under her and she is just starting. Preacher's Daughter is one of three albums that will come out of this "Ethel Cain" project. Again, an amazing album to come out of 2022, and one of my favorite albums to have listened to this year!

Listen on Spotify

    ~Limon☆