Hayden Silas Anhedonia, known better by the stage moniker of Ethel Cain, is an artist with something to say. Her critically acclaimed debut ‘Preacher’s Daughter’ - released in 2022 - followed the dark and tragic tale of a young girl in 1990s Alabama and cycled through topics of generational trauma, religion, abuse and heartbreak, raising the bar for musical storytelling by a long shot. 

Listeners worldwide adored her ability to communicate both a love and fear for a rural American upbringing, sparking something of a Southern Gothic resurgence over the past few years. You can barely move an inch on Pinterest these days without coming across a white-nighties and cowboy boots moodboard. Think ‘Sharp Objects’ and Cormac McCarthy on steroids.

So it’s a joy to follow along with Anhedonia again, for the second single release from her upcoming album ‘Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You’, dropping worldwide on August 8th. 

This single, brashly titled ‘F*ck Me Eyes’, expands upon that rich universe she’s spent years crafting by singing of an enigmatic classmate of Ethel’s, one that “really gets around town”. By the song’s end, this character feels like a local legend of her own creation, equally bold and hopeless. It serves as a wise reflection on the internalized misogyny of teenage girlhood, of the lewd stories gossiped around school corridors in the ugly years, with the title itself taken from a known sexual expression.  Anhedonia writes these lyrics with a knowing eye and delivers with rich vocals that improve along each new release.

Unsurprisingly, her influences are worn on the sleeve. Some have dubbed the track as a rebellious older sister to Kim Carnes’ 80s hit ‘Bette Davis Eyes’, a song that Anhedonia covered on her most recent tour. The synths carry that similar sun-drenched beat and put a new spin on a current nostalgic-pop trend for the decade. Fear not, there’s no danger of inauthenticity here. It’s a defiant anthem for the lost causes, that soars to shimmering new heights upon the last chorus and burns out to finish.

As a musical prequel, ‘Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You’ is sure to stun on its release, and mark the last dregs of summer with its impact.

Sofia Neal 

@girlfailmarkcorrigan_

Image: Dollie Kyarn

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