It's been four years since Nashville indie star Sophia Allison's – aka Soccer Mommy – last visit to these shores, and a lot has changed (yes, more than a global pandemic).
She's put out not one but two albums following her 2018 breakthrough debut, 'Clean'. Not surprisingly, much of this set focused on those records – 2020's 'Color Theory' and 2022's 'Sometimes, Forever' – which also made a lot of sense live, as they're great companion pieces, but quite a departure from the debut.While The Croxton is not the best venue for mid-to-large shows, especially if you're short or enjoy some degree of personal space, tonight's crowd (18 February) was an absolute delight.
It wasn't a huge surprise, given that Allison's music seems to attract a nice cohort of music fans, but it's certainly the best crowd this reviewer has experienced there – even more impressive given it's also a Saturday night.
Allison stepped out with her full band and launched straight into 'Bones' from the 2022 album, hinting at a much more shoegazey, loud and dreamy experience than her last tour.
While she cites everyone from Slowdive to Taylor Swift as influences, the former has certainly seemed to inform the last two records and her live show is all the better for it. But four songs in and 'Shotgun', also from the 2022 album, shows just what an exquisite ear for solid pop melodies and song structure she has.
She rolled out a solid set that included 'Unholy Affliction', 'Lucy' and the wonderful 'Feel It All The Time', the tracks from the last two records woven together seamlessly and delivered in a much more direct, occasionally almost honky-tonk way (hey, take the girl out of Nashville. . .).
Fans of her first record had to wait a while, but it was worth it: Allison delivered the most exquisite solo version of 'Clean''s opener, 'Still Clean', and The Croxton was the most silent it might have ever been for a gig.
An encore was unexpected but the full band returned for 'Don't Ask Me' and ‘Clean''s 'hit' single 'Your Dog'.
It was an impressively curated set list of Allison's last few years and somehow she managed to get those two debut heart-wrenchers in there without throwing out the whole flow. That was just one of the impressive things at what might be a gig highlight of 2023.
