Released on her very own Daughters of Cain Records (a name fondly applied to the warmly embraced fans of her music), it’s an unabashed debut full-length after a slew of EPs from Cain, formidable both in its music and lyric alike. Wider study of the lyrics is equally fascinating and worth it to better understand the piece as a whole: nothing here is disjointed, rather compiled with impressive cohesion. Furthermore, studying this revealed that Preacher’s Daughter segments into three identifiable but not strictly defined acts. Their transition is not clear-cut, but you will notice faint changes as the record progresses. L., Jesper (May 15, 2022). "Ethel Cain: Preacher's Daughter Album Review". Sputnikmusic. Archived from the original on August 27, 2023 . Retrieved June 10, 2022. a b c d e Aroesti, Rachel (May 13, 2022). "Ethel Cain: Preacher's Daughter review – evocative goth-pop with emotional heft". The Guardian. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022 . Retrieved June 10, 2022. This characterisation is a commanding one, and speaks to one half of that same powerful duality of context and content I began with. Additionally, I feel that the exploration of foundations – such as those in Cain’s case – are best guided from the mouth of the artist themselves. As such, I urge you to seek out her own words (such as this enlightening interview) regarding the full extent of the album’s roots; they offer a far superior insight that is deserving of your time and certainly go a long way in explaining the absolute powerhouse that is Preacher’s Daughter. One such glimmer comes in the form of the incredible nine-minute centrepiece ‘Thoroughfare’. The song presents a chapter of pure escapism in Ethel’s short life: as a charming stranger offers her a ride in the song’s chorus with the words “ Hey, do you want to see the west with me? / ‘Cause love’s out there and I can’t leave it be”, each subsequent repetition adds a layer of beauty and apparent optimism. By the song’s climax, the protagonist’s response of “ Honey, love’s never meant much to me” is entirely overshadowed by an explicit sense of hope and freedom. Yet, as Preacher’s Daughter progresses, these exact words linger in the most oppressive and destructive of ways. It’s a small moment that ultimately defined the course of Ethel’s life: a seemingly insignificant decision that would cause so much pain, so much suffering. It’s not just an entirely haunting moment on repeated listens: it’s the kind of memory to drown in a thousand imagined potentials; the kind of moment that simply shouldn’t end up defining anyone.

In an interview for Vogue, Hayden Silas Anhedönia said that one night in 2018 she "found herself possessed by a woman named Ethel Cain". The album was recorded for four years, and now the artist says that she doesn't "feel like her anymore—it’s like she’s dead and gone and I’m just telling her story now". [3] It must be said that the record makes for potentially uncomfortable listening in places, especially in conjunction with knowledge of the strands – musical and otherwise – woven together to create the album. “Hard Times” is a prime example, as lyrical reflections on traumatic events are particularly hard to hear when presented through such a beautiful yet haunting tapestry of ambient sounds and largely acoustic dream pop. It’s commendable that Cain is able to continuously carve such mesmerising musical terrain for us to travel, despite the obvious discomfort of the lyrical matter at hand.

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a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Chodzin, Devon (May 11, 2022). "On Preacher's Daughter, Ethel Cain's Jarring, Beautiful Vision Comes to Life". Paste. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022 . Retrieved June 10, 2022. a b Bridgewater, Paul (May 11, 2022). "Ethel Cain builds a world of her own on the impressive debut Preacher's Daughter". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022 . Retrieved June 10, 2022. Where would we be without stories? This is not a rhetorical question as much as it is a leading one: would we, as individuals, be able to mean anything to anyone without stories? Would we be able to handle being alive without the tales we tell ourselves, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant? It’s hard for me to imagine a world without works of fiction as forms of deceptive escapism, or imaginations restricted to nothing but the present, concrete, and factual. Ethel Cain Extends 2022 North American Tour". Pitchfork. 2022-05-10. Archived from the original on 2023-03-11 . Retrieved 2023-03-11. In June 2022, Preacher's Daughter was listed as one of the best albums of the year so far by Gorilla vs. Bear. [22] In July 2022, Paste named " American Teenager" the best song of the year so far, with contributor Jacqueline Codiga describing it as "a deeply felt portrait of a doomed, yet hopeful character" and writing that it "has the stadium-sized scale, relatability and ambition to become the biggest song in the entire country". [23]

a b "Preacher's Daughter by Ethel Cain". Metacritic. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022 . Retrieved June 10, 2022. Helfand, Raphael (April 21, 2022). "Ethel Cain drops new song "American Teenager" with visualizer". The Fader. Archived from the original on August 16, 2022 . Retrieved August 8, 2022. Castillo, Bree (May 13, 2022). "Hymnal Debut Album 'Preacher's Daughter' ". Flaunt. Archived from the original on May 14, 2022 . Retrieved August 8, 2022. Preacher’s Daughter softens some of Ethel Cain’s more subversive edges, humanizing a character that Anhedönia first envisioned as a cult leader. Here she’s more of a tragic heroine in a doomed romance. The torchy “Western Nights” vaguely outlines a narrative involving a woman and her Harley-riding boyfriend crossing state lines, on the run from their past and still bearing family traumas. Cain originally conceived the album as a screenplay; it’s likely the finished film would have had echoes of David Lynch’s Wild at Heart. It all might sound a little fresher if Lana Del Rey hadn’t already mined these character archetypes exhaustively. L., Jasper (May 15, 2022). "Review: Ethel Cain - Preacher's Daughter". Sputnikmusic. Archived from the original on August 27, 2023 . Retrieved June 10, 2022.Preacher’s Daughter” is the debut album of Ethel Cain and it’s also the storyline of the character. It is the first in a trilogy that tells the story of the Cain family tree. The trilogy is also a part of a multimedia project called the Ethel Cain Cinematic Universe. Preacher's Daughter documents the life of Ethel and her relationship with a lover. In " A House in Nebraska" she talks about how she misses her lover and how she is remembering all the times they shared. In " Hard Times" she talks about an abusive relationship with her dad, and also her feelings to him after that. " Ptolemaea" is the climax of the album, with lots of religious themes and haunting voices, as if Ethel is hallucinating. The name Ptolomaea references the Ninth Circle in Dante's Inferno which is for betrayers. " August Underground" is an instrumental and sets the mood for when she dies trying to escape Isaiah, the song is also a reference to the Snuff Film August Underground. This album is supposed to summarize her life after her father died 10 years prior to the album.

Ptolemaea” alters styles yet again, veering towards a combination of gothic grunge and chamber music that ensures we are kept attentively on our toes throughout this profound display of musical dynamism. It’s also another thoughtfully named song, titled after a portion of the last circle of hell referenced in Dante‘s renowned Inferno. Despite the stylistic deviation, it possesses the same energy that Cain agonisingly employs across Preacher’s Daughter, alongside what is now a recognisable sense of writhing, impassioned lyrical delivery that signals its thunderous, unnerving climax with a blood-curdling scream. Boygenius Has Announced Its First UK Tour, Including Dates With MUNA and Ethel Cain". Them. 2023-02-24. Archived from the original on 2023-03-11 . Retrieved 2023-03-11. Preacher's Daughter is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Ethel Cain, released on May 12, 2022, through her own label, Daughters of Cain Records. It is a concept album that draws on the artist's personal life as the daughter of a deacon, but creates a narrative "centered around the character Ethel Cain, who runs away from home only to meet a gruesome end at the hands of a cannibalistic psychopath." [1] Upon release, the album received universal acclaim from music critics, who lauded the production, storytelling, cohesiveness, and Cain's songwriting. The album has since gained a cult following.With this in mind, allow me to introduce Ethel Cain – the musical persona of the highly visionary Hayden Anhedönia. After navigating difficult teenage years, Anhedönia set off to indulge and hone her creative whims. Aside from songwriting, Anhedönia’s other explored mediums also include tattooing, the handiwork of which she wears daily – even across her own throat, which is unbelievably metal. You may be familiar with the singer-songwriter’s previous moniker, White Silas, an identity which has since been discarded in favour of Cain: Hodgson, Jess (June 1, 2022). "Ethel Cain - Preacher's Daughter Review". Still Listening. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022 . Retrieved August 8, 2022. Paste Staff (July 11, 2022). "The 50 Best Songs of 2022 (So Far)". Paste. Archived from the original on July 11, 2022 . Retrieved July 12, 2022. The Freezer Bride Tour is the first concert tour by Ethel Cain, it was in support of her debut studio album, Preacher's Daughter. The tour began on July 14, 2022, in Bloomington, Indiana and ended on December 7, 2022, in London, England. During the North American leg of the tour, the special guest was a Colyer.

Chris (June 7, 2022). "Our Favorite Albums + Songs From the First Half of 2022". Gorilla vs. Bear. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022 . Retrieved June 10, 2022. The 50 Most Inspirational LGBTQ Songs of All Time". June 28, 2023 . Retrieved June 28, 2023. {{ cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= ( help) Ethel Cain – Hollywood Forever". hollywoodforever.com. Archived from the original on 2023-03-22 . Retrieved 2023-03-21. Gorillaz, Ethel Cain & More To Drop Exclusive Coachella Merch With YouTube". Nylon. 12 April 2023. Archived from the original on 2023-04-17 . Retrieved 2023-04-17.

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a b c d e f g Williams, Tom (May 18, 2022). "Album Review: Ethel Cain - Preacher's Daughter". Beats Per Minute . Retrieved June 10, 2022. The story centers around three generations of women, and it starts with the youngest, the daughter. It’s pretty much just a classic American tale. A common theme that I like to write about is intergenerational trauma. Things that have been passed down through generations and how your parents' or your grandparents' actions can affect you. It’s very much about this lineage of women and how all their lives interconnect. Each album focuses on a different woman. I want to explore how your actions affect others and the relationship between a mother and her child and how things come full circle. Rolling Stone included "American Teenager" on its list of the most inspirational LGBTQ songs of all time. [24]