With Evergreen (stripped), Soccer Mommy—aka Nashville singer-songwriter Sophie Allison—pulls the curtain back even further on an album already praised for its vulnerability. Where the original Evergreen offered a lush, cinematic return to Allison’s acoustic roots, this companion EP strips things down to the emotional core, revealing the quiet power of Allison’s songwriting in its most intimate, unfiltered form.
Opening with “Abigail,” the EP immediately repositions the track from sweeping and cinematic to something deeply personal—coffeehouse quiet and emotionally direct. “I’d get down on my knees for you,” Allison sings in a voice both buttery and rasp-tinged, somewhere between folky Phoebe Bridgers and a late-night love letter. It’s a song about longing, memory, and the ineffable pull of someone who may only exist in the abstract.
“She Is” introduces a brand new track, exclusive to the EP, and it’s a standout. Delicate and springlike, it floats with an awe-filled tenderness as Allison compares her love interest to blooming flowers and the light of hope itself. “She is all around / the one I think of when I’m losing faith,” she sings, capturing the ache of loving something just out of reach.
The stripped version of “Driver,” a fan favorite and recent Kimmel standout, transforms a once-rebellious anthem into a slow-burning confession. The production pullback gives new gravity to lyrics like “I’m a test of his patience” and “Where are we going now,” changing the track’s tone from pop-rock defiance to intimate uncertainty—a raw portrait of chaotic love teetering between passion and self-doubt.
On “Some Sunny Day,” Allison leans into themes of mental health with aching honesty. “Now stuck in this downpour / It feels like all there is,” she sings, as the stripped arrangement foregrounds her feather-light harmonies and ghostly echoes. It’s both a sonic and emotional cleanse—dreamy, delicate, and quietly devastating.
“Thinking of You” dives into obsessive love and memory, with jazzy undertones from the original giving way to a haunting intimacy. Allison croons “I love myself in every way / pull back my skin, see what remains,” embodying the kind of quiet self-interrogation most of us avoid putting into words. It’s the kind of song that hits hardest in the silence of your own room.
The EP closes with “M,” a gut-wrenching meditation on grief. If the original version was heartbreaking, this one is a direct transmission of loss. “I feel you, even though you’re gone,” she whispers, her voice so close it might as well be connected to your chest. The stripped production removes the cushion of groovy alt-indie textures, leaving only Allison’s raw sorrow—and it’s utterly stunning.
Across the EP, Soccer Mommy proves that her voice is as compelling and nuanced live and stripped back as it is in studio production. Her vocals are unwavering, angelic, and grounded in truth, offering a rare glimpse into the soul of an artist unafraid to stand still with her emotions.
Evergreen (stripped) isn’t just a reimagining—it’s a revelation. These songs stand tall even without context from the original album, offering a deeply human listening experience. It’s the sonic equivalent of a hug from a friend on a bad day—quiet, healing, and unforgettable.
Soccer Mommy is hitting the road this year with an expansive run of 33 dates across the UK, Europe, Australia, North America, and Japan. The tour kicked off on May 8 in London at Hackney Church and stretches all the way to December 3 in Tokyo at Liquidroom, with support from acts like Bored at My Grandmas House, Dummy, and more along the way. View the full schedule and purchase tickets here.
