Soccer Mommy’s reinventive cover compilation EP Karaoke Night puts a dreamy twist on airish and far-out classics—the kind that could be sandwiched between Snail Mail and The Smiths in any reputable music freak’s collection. Also known as Sofia Allison, Soccer Mommy, 26, unites genres with her distinctive soft-rock lilt that makes songs like “yellow is the color of her eyes” and “Shotgun” so charismatic.
Most every song on the EP benefits from Allison’s tweaks and influence—you’d be hard pressed to improve “Soak Up the Sun”—but comparing the originals to hers would be like comparing apples to zucchini. I’m reminded of Lucy Dacus’s 2019 versions of Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark” and Wham!’s “Last Christmas” because the stories feel more personalized.
Slowdive’s “Dagger,” in its terrible vagueness, is relatable. It takes a new meaning every time it’s covered and every time I hear it, so Soccer Mommy’s rendition is every bit as pained and tear-jerking as the others. Her storytelling and style jibes with her picks so well that someone unfamiliar wouldn’t realize they were covers: a rasped-up solo Pavement’s “Here” puts it on par with music produced by Andrew Sarlo or Wilco, and I always thought Taylor Swift could use more bass. “Soak Up the Sun” is like The Donna’s version of Billy Idol’s “Dancing With Myself” featured in the end credits of Mean Girls. Not many can spin a lyric like “I don’t have diddly squat” into audial pastel goth.
Allison’s voice does something special for “Losing My Religion.” Michael Stipe and R.E.M. have my most sincere respect and adoration, but sometimes sad stuff hits harder when the voice that sings it is not as distinctive. Allison’s voice is smoother than Stipe’s, which lets me focus on how the song sounds more than what it says, and how “Losing My Religion” sounds says a lot. One time when I was about 10 and playing the cassette while falling asleep on a train, I thought: This is so cool. I feel like I’m in a movie. I loaned that tape to my best friend, who, like me, had been called an old soul by adults who knew her. She still has it. Some music brings people together like that, and sometimes it can connect them across generations. The songs Allison picked to cover seem no accident. They make you feel some pretty big feelings, and the fact that five artists so completely different can articulate that feeling of being alone means none of us are.
Karaoke Night is available wherever you listen to music on Sep 22.
