Ethel Cain returns with her second studio album, Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You, released via Daughters of Cain. Framed as a prelude to her acclaimed debut Preacher’s Daughter, the record focuses on the life and death of Willoughby Tucker, a figure previously hinted at in her past song, ‘A House In Nebraska’.
Where Preacher’s Daughter cloaked itself in dense gothic imagery, Willoughby Tucker steps into more spacious territory. The gothic darkness is dialled back in favour of slowcore, with threads of post-rock and Americana woven throughout. The first half presents tender love, with tracks like ‘Willoughby’s Theme’ and ‘Nettles’ evoking moments of warmth shadowed by the inevitability of loss. The soft synth production and lyrics in ‘Nettles’ ultimately frame the rest of the album’s structure and bittersweet tone.
Some of the tracks in the first half risk misleading listeners into expecting a more melody-driven album than what follows, as the second half shifts into darker, more experimental territory. The ten-minute centrepiece ‘Tempest’ is spoken directly from the perspective of Willoughby Tucker. It’s a slow-burning storm in a swirl of piano and raw lyrics. At the end of this track, the repeated cries of ‘forever’ mirror the desperation at the core of this album.
The closing track, “Waco, Texas,” offers a poignant reflection on love, featuring both Ethel and Willoughby. It builds slowly, intertwining beauty and devastation, much like “A House in Nebraska.” Although the instrumental interludes in this piece don’t hold the same thematic depth as those in Preacher’s Daughter, the production is still remarkable. This time, more electronics are incorporated to enhance the tension.
Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You stands out as both an independent body of work and a vital chapter in Cain’s ongoing discography. It captures the fleeting warmth of love and its slow drift into loss, all while expanding on her production. Though not without its pacing issues, it reinforces Cain’s position as one of the most ambitious voices in music.
