REVIEW: Phoebe Bridgers, Soccer Mommy @ Great Scott 02/24

Bedroom pop returned to Allston on Feb. 24 when Soccer Mommy opened for Phoebe Bridgers at the Great Scott, six days prior to the release of their debut album Clean.

Soccer Mommy began to receive buzz from several music publications, like Stereogum and Fader, after a releasing a series of compilations on Bandcamp. The lead singer, Sophie Allison, is heavily influenced by female singers like Mitski and Jay Som. Allison is from Nashville, but went to school in New York and cites in an interview with Billboard that she is impacted by the music from both of these cities.

Allison’s lyrics deal with personal topics like relationships and heartbreak. The Great Scott is a perfect venue for artists that aim to capture these feelings of intimacy in their music. It’s small, crowded, packed, and very hot, as acknowledged by Allison while tuning her guitar between songs.

Allison has great chemistry with her band. The lead guitarist, Julian Powell, provided appropriate embellishments that work off of Sophie’s chord progressions. Whether it was intricate licks played up and down the fretboard or a simple strum of the chord every other beat, Powell knew when to go all out and when to hold back. At times Powell would remain silent, giving more attention to Gabe Wax’s groovy basslines. The band overall has a good ear for dynamic and were attentive to how their parts contribute to the whole during the show.

The songs pack a lot of energy when played live, hearing the waves of reverb wash through the venue is a completely new way to experience the band. It’s a sound that differs from the bedroom pop vibe one picks up on when streaming them on Bandcamp but it works just as well and gives her songs another layer of emotional depth.

Their eight-song set opened with opened with “Henry,” an older cut but a fan favorite, nonetheless. It was a perfect song to start off with because it made the distinction between Soccer Mommy’s studio and live performances apparent. The studio version is a calm acoustic ballad that can be soothing to listen to while lying on your bed after a long day. While the beautiful vocal melody and chord progression was still there in the live performance, the instrumentation was more loud and visceral.

The band was sure to play the three singles from their new album: “Cool,” “Dog,” and “Still Clean.” The three other band members left the stage for the song “Still Clean,” leaving Allison accompanied by nothing but her vocals and guitar. This somber breakup tune is the perfect song to play stripped back. Hearing Allison’s vocals without the other instruments highlights her talents to present her personal thoughts in a profound and in-depth manner.

The band was followed by Phoebe Bridgers, a perfect accompaniment, since her band also has a Nashville country-folk influenced sound. Bridgers and her band created an empty space with their music, leaving her lyrics of heartbreak and loss unfiltered when delivered in such a hollow sonic atmosphere. The band played every song off their new album and Bridgers played some solo renditions of her older material.

My only disappointment with Soccer Mommy was only being able to hear an eight-song set. Luckily my desires will be met when the band returns to the Great Scott on May 1, with more songs to play from their new album.

-William Bauman