Soccer Mommy’s Shotgun: Headphone Candy

Shotgun is an audio delight so sweet that it will give your ears diabetes. Some songs excel lyrically and some are just pure headphone candy. Soccer Mommy’s latest single falls into the latter category. I adore this track the more and more I listen to it, so let’s get into it.

Soccer Mommy’s latest track is an interesting contrast between some garage rock Breeder’s style verses and slick psychedelic trip pop choruses. The track starts with a stripped back and raw guitar riff over some naked snare. I mean, this is as stripped back and basic a verse can possibly get and still be considered pop. Even the production is raw with some distortion over the vocal, to the point where you can barely make out every other word. Contrast this to the chorus, which sports ultra clear vocals soaring over some lush synth, chimes and cymbals. It feels like you are moving from a dark alley full of glass and blood into a rainbow world of bright colours, chocolate houses and lollipop lanes. At first, the contrast is so jarring you get whiplash, but you grow to love it.

Lyrically, you can only understand about 40% of the song due to the vocal effects. Soccer Mommy compares herself to a bullet in a shotgun waiting to fire, which gives the chorus great energy. This chorus is also an intoxicating contrast with the sugary sweet arrangement. On one hand, the chorus is sweet and shimmering in the sun, but it also has this violent side that can be an overwhelming destructive force. Moreover, the chorus is catchy as hell and just a blast…pun intended…to listen to.

This is a solid track from Soccer Mommy, which will easily borrow its way into your brain. Soccer Mommy has always been an underground / critic’s choice and it will be interesting to see if this new record gets her more notoriety. This track is interesting, catchy, well constructed and has all the marks of a top 10 track on many year end lists. Let’s hope it is a big seller for her.

Listen to Shotgun