This is my first listen to Preacher's Daughter by Ethel Cain. Let's just say this was one heck of a journey, and I'm glad to learn it was predominantly fictional. Uncut version: / preachers-by-86464369 .
It’s insane how all of the visuals, sound, mastering, layering, instrumental, vocals, promo, lore, and artistry was lit Ethel and Salem on a Tuesday night like the talent is thru the roof on miss hayden
People do NOT give Strangers enough credit. Heartbreaking song. "I tried to be good, am I no good? Am I no good? Am I no good?" are absolutely shattering lyrics, especially with the crushing instrumental and vocals leading up to the message to her mother at the end. It's so raw, so emotional, there's so much energy poured into it, like every song from the entire album lead up to this finale. The first time I heard Strangers I knew I was a fan for life, Hayden is an incredible, incredible artist and story teller.
People always describe Ethel as similar to Lana Del Rey, but to me she's closer to Florence and the machine than any other artist(s). And it's something even Florence Welch has agreed to.
The lyrical themes are much more Lana. And I don’t know that Florence has ever done brutal psychedelic rock like PD or Ultraviolence. I love all 3 artists so could be convinced
Lana writes about those who achieve the American dream and the lives they live, Ethel writes about the people who come up short of the American dream, those that weren't able to get there :(
Here’s a (kind of) quick summary of the lore if you need it :) Ethel Cain is from Shady Grove Alabama and is the daughter of Joseph (the preacher) and Vera. The album takes place in 1991 when Ethel is 20, and her dad died 10 years before the events of the album. The man she’s singing about in House in Nebraska is named Willoughby Tucker, who was her highschool love (as she says in the song), but the broke up because of Ethel’s actions/behavior. The house isn’t actually in Nebraska, but an abandoned house that they would imagine was there. Western Nights is about another man named Logan Phelps, who is a criminal and in the lore later dies in a police shootout. Her father was also abusive to her, as shown in Family Tree and Hard Times. She then runs away to Texas where, in Thoroughfare, she meets Isaiah Abram. While it seems like a happy song, there’s a missing poster Hayden made that says Ethel was last seen being forced into a black truck, so Ethel could be an unreliable narrator. Then in Gibson Girl, they’ve reached California and Isaiah has began pimping her out and giving her drugs. Ptolemaea is her hallucinating. August Underground and Televangelism is her dying (from being killed by Isaiah) and her soul going to heaven, respectively. Hayden has said they’re kind of two parts of the same song, with AU being Ethel’s physical death and TV being more of her spiritual death. Televangelism is also improvised! SBF is her reflecting on her life after she’s died and thinking about how she still finds comfort in the church even though she hasn’t had the best experience with it. And finally, in Stranger’s, Isaiah eats a piece of her body which then poisons him. Then the slower part at the end is her talking to her mom :) Her next project is an EP of the b-sides of this album that will focus on Ethel’s teenage years and her relationship with Willoughby :) one of the songs will be 20 mins. then her next two albums after that will focus on Ethel’s mom, and then her paternal grandmother making it a trilogy. she also plans to write 3 books (of which she’s currently writing the first) and make 3 movies
Ethel Cain is a fictional character but also Hayden Silas Anhedönia's (the artist) stage name. Shady Grove, AL, '91 Intro Joseph Cain, Ethel's father, died ten years before all this, in a fire incident. On the literal side, I think "Jesus can always reject his father, but he cannot escape his mother's blood" might mean that since Mary gave birth a virgin, her blood's really the only one flowing in Jesus biologically, none from Joseph, his non-biological father. American Teenager (copy, paste) “Growing up I was surrounded by visions of NASCAR, rock’n’roll, and being the one who would change everything,” Cain said in a statement. “They make you think it’s all achievable and that if nothing else, you should at least die trying. What they don’t tell you is that you need your neighbor more than your country needs you. I wrote this song as an expression of my frustration with all the things the ‘American Teenager’ is supposed to be but never had any real chance of becoming.” We also learn about her drinking habits on this song. A House in Nebraska A torch song. It's about Ethel's ex-love, Willoughby Tucker who left Shady Grove. She's reminscing of him and that old house they used to hang out in together. It is actually not located on NE, they were just imagining it being there. Western Nights Here, Ethel met Logan, a man who is not the most uhh tame... Sometimes even violent to Ethel. Logan then later died on a police shootout; Ethel was able to run away. On the next two songs, Ethel contemplates about her past traumas while on the run. Family Tree So, on the genius page of this song, it mentions disturbing family secrets. I actively believe (and some other redditors too!) that that disturbing secret might be her killing her father 🥶🥶. "I've killed before and I'll kill again", "Take me down to the river, and bathe me clean". Hard Times Ethel then looked back when her dad used to SA her when she was younger and how it still haunts her up to that day. "I'm tired of you still tied to me" Thoroughfare Hayden herself confirmed that Ethel is an unreliable narrator. In this song, it talks about Ethel insisting on jumping into Isaiah's (a man she met on a thoroughfare, on Texas somewhere on the side of the road... 🎶) truck but on one of the official visuals of the album, it mentions that she was last seen being kidnapped by a man with a truck. I believe she's experiencing stockholm syndrome. Other than that, without these context and outside the album, this song does a good storytelling, it's all in there! Gibson Girl The two both reached California. Isaiah brought her to a club, fed her drugs and began pimping her. Ptolomaea "The song name is inspired from Alighieri’s Divine Comedy [specifically Dante’s Inferno] Ptolemea, named after Ptolemy, is a circle of Hell in which the betrayers/traitorous reside." She's hallucinating here. The final stop seems like Isaiah has began physically hurting her. (Ethel's father died in a fire incident and the lyric "I'm on fire, I'm on fire, I'm on fire..." comes to mind. Maybe that's her punishment for "betraying" her father.) August Underground - Televangelism The former is Ethel on her final moments. The loud bang at the end is not a gunshot but Isaiah slamming shut a door as Ethel dies. "As she closes her eyes in a pitch black, she opened it in a quick manner and suddenly, she sees light" That's how I felt when August... transitions to Televangelism's first note outta nowhere. Televangelism is Ethel ascending to Heaven. The broken notes toward the end signifies how broken she was throughout her life. Sun Bleached Flies As Ethel ascends, she looks back to her life one more time - all the best and worst things she went through. "So I met him there and told him I believe" probs means that she's finally in Heaven and finally forgave all the things as they come back to her. Strangers Ethel is watching down as to what Mr. Bastard is doing. Oh? he's eating her! Throughout the bridge, Ethel screams "Am I making you feel sick?" multiple times but is followed by a single "No", Wtf Isiah? She then said her last goodbye to her mother which concludes the album. We were bored and so we typed this - A bunch of daughters of Cain
I, personally, don’t think Ethel is Lana’s daughter if anything she’s Florence’s daughter. A lot of their music production is similar and even the religious themes they sing about are similar. Regardless Ethel is very much in her own lane!
I guess the heavy guitar and disturbing lyrics kinda remind people of Ultraviolence. It does remind me, but I agree with you, she's more of a Florence daughter. Thoroughfare being the best example, it sounds like something out of High as Hope or Dance Fever to me
Family Tree (Intro) 0:47 American Teenager 3:45 A House In Nebraska 6:42 Western Nights 10:30 Family Tree 14:18 Hard Times 17:54 Thoroughfare 20:52 Gibson Girl 24:19 Ptolemaea 26:30 August Underground 29:34 Televangelism 30:55 Sum Bleached Flies 31:50 Strangers 33:52
@@AmyAberrantShe talks about the American teenager and American things. Dale is Dale Earnhardt who is a Nascar driver, which is something she sees as American
Here’s the entire Preacher’s Daughter storyline for anyone interested or doesn’t know: Family Tree (Intro) sets the stage for the story of Ethel Cain. Set in 1991, the album details the character's troubled relationship with religion, her old flame, her father (the titular preacher, a beloved member of the community), and her eventual kidnapping and murder. American Teenager - This song is an expression of Ethel's frustration with all the things the 'American Teenager' is supposed to be but never had any real chance of becoming. A House In Nebraska - Ethel thinks of her ex-lover, Willoughby, who left town before the events of the album. She remembers the good times they shared. She visits the abandoned house they would spend time in, imagining it was their own, somewhere far away from their hometown of Shady Grove. Western Nights tells the story of Ethel and her new lover, Logan Phelps. Logan is less than kind, at times violent, but Ethel finds herself hopelessly in love with him despite his faults. Family Tree - After the death of her boyfriend Logan in a police shootout following a bank robbery, Ethel finds herself on the run from the cops. Hard Times - Closing out Act One of the album, Hard Times sees Ethel reflecting on the sexual abuse she endured from her father when she was a child, and the complicated feelings she has in regards to him. Throughfare - Act Two of the album. Ethel, having run away from home, meets charming Isaiah, who offers her a ride. Together, they drive from Texas to California. Over the course of their trip, they find themselves attracted to each other. Gibson Girl - After Ethel arrives in California with Isaiah, he begins to pimp her out in the back of strip clubs and feed her drugs on the regular. Ethel begins to lose sense of reality. Ptolemaea - Under the influence of Isaiah's drugs, Ethel begins to hallucinate. She confronts the darkness. August Underground - Ethel desperately tries to escape Isaiah, who chases her into the woods. He eventually catches her, shooting and killing her at the end of the song. Televangelism - Ethel's death and ascension to Heaven. Sun Bleached Flies - In Heaven, Ethel makes peace with her death, and reflects on her life, her family, and the man she never stopped loving, Willoughby. Strangers - Murdered and cannibalized by Isaiah, Ethel says her final goodbye to her mother from beyond the grave.
about thoroughfare , Hayden (the singer behind the pseudonym of Ethel) made an art of a missing poster in which says that Ethel Cain was last seen being *forced* into a black truck. so there's some discussion that it makes Ethel an unreliable narrator for the whole thoroughfare song, she was actually being kidnapped and suffering from Stockholm syndrome and to cope she made this romance up in her head
I actually think the romance to her was real but for him it was all a set up to get her where he wanted her- like he says in his letter to his mom he didn’t want to do it but did it for her :)
@@kuu6667 Its about Ethel (The Character) remembering the sexual abuse she endured from her father as a child, "I'm tired of you stll tied to me", "I was too young to notice that some types of love could be bad", "Praying I'd be like you, and I still do, and that scares me."
@@SCLovesPancakesXD 1. haydens actual cross tattoos 2. ethel was religious and probably wore many religious accents on her person, like a rosary, a cross necklace, etc 3. scars, or bruises
@@zelvetithe crosses could be stab wounds, in both family trees we hear the flies hovering over her rotting body so it’s entirely possible that if she was murdered in that way it could refer to that. If it’s relates to her murder then it could also be a crucifixion of sorts.
@littlesniffsofacat you’re right, particularly this album is better reacted from HTHAZE but just cause he was helped by her followers while listening and spoiling him
🪻TIMESTAMPS 🪻 Family Tree (intro) 0:48 ⭐️ American Teenager 3:45 ⭐️ A House In Nebraska 6:43⭐️ Western Nights 10:30 ⭐️ Family Tree 14:18 ⭐️ Hard Times 17:55⭐️ Thoroughfare 20:52 Gibson Girl 24:19 ⭐️ Ptolemaea 26:30 Ptolemaea Scream 27:42 August Underground 29:35 Televangelism 30:55 Sun Bleached Flies 31:50 Strangers 33:52 btw: Hold The Girl reaction is on Patreon, probably uploaded next Friday on RU-vid🤍
Sun bleached flies literally destroyed me the first time i listened... preachers daughter is just so good that i had to physically take a a break from listening to it 😭
Sun Bleached Flies was not an album fav for me on my initial listen, BUT NOW? I am fully scraping the poisonous paint off the walls of the shady grove baptist church, grinding it up into a fine powder, and doing the longest line since cokeheads in the 80s that fully sends me into another plane of existence ✨😌✨
Family Tree (intro) 0:48 ⭐ American Teenager 3:45 ⭐ A House In Nebraska 6:43⭐ Western Nights 10:30 ⭐ Family Tree 14:18 ⭐ Hard Times 17:55⭐ Thoroughfare 20:52 Gibson Girl 24:19 ⭐ Ptolemaea 26:30 Ptolemaea Scream 27:42 August Underground 29:35 Televangelism 30:55 Sun Bleached Flies 31:50 Strangers 33:52
i truly do not understand when people say this like..... either its a good album or it's not like i don't need a story or background info. i loooooove this album but it's because i love the sound like the story is interesting but to me it doesn't make the the album any better or worse.
@@jrdelrey3009 the difference between “album” and “concept album” is that a standard album can cover several themes, while a concept album is generally longer and all the songs contribute to one overarching theme, whether it be a narrative or something else. this is a concept album, but it would be better if people described it as a narrative album. its a great album on its own, but knowing the narrative makes it even better.
@@jrdelrey3009 no... most albums are collections of songs, often unrelated to one another. A lot of albums can have overarching themes or be cohesive musically (Melodrama is an example), but that does not make them concept albums. This album is telling a story in chronological order; it is literally like a book, with every song being a chapter. Another example would be Rosalia's El Mal Querer.
@@jrdelrey3009the storytelling explains the writing choices of each song. I’m genuinely curious how someone like you is able to understand what Strangers or Hard Times is about without the story…
This album being about the kidnapping, murder and consumption of Ethel Cain by a cannibal is wild! It’s absolutely devastating, and your reaction was entirely appropriate once you realized. (I’m crying with you, babe…) Also, her production is so reminiscent of Akira Yamaoka. Gives me the same feeling of pure, visceral horror 💀 Also, also, the fact that you didn’t realize how long her songs were is a testament to her artistry!
ethels music has always reminded me of the silent hill game soundtracks, especially when she leans into the ambient sound. not just cause of the tone of horror but the nostalgia she evokes as well. would be very surprised if there wasnt a direct yamaoka influence
Holy shit this comment just made me realize that Ethel Cain being eaten parallels Communion because she herself parallels Jesus throughout the album, so the crosses are both stab wounds from her murder and literal crosses because it’s a symbolic crucifixion.
Maybe a really dumb question but did Ethel for real experienced those things (kidnapping, murder, etc.)? Or is this just a story she’s telling? I’m new to Ethel!
@@kailoplaggenmarsch3652 this is a narrative album so it’s a fictional story based on Hayden’s (the name of the artist) worst fears about how her life could have gone if she did things differently.
@@kailoplaggenmarsch3652 as the previous commenter said, it’s a fictional narrative and Ethel Cain is the name of the fictional main character! it’s the first in a string of albums, novels, and even films Hayden has planned that tell the stories of the “Daughters of Cain” :)
Preacher's Daughter feels like the child between Dance Fever (Florence and the Machine) and Ultraviolence (Lana del Rey) born during midsummer. Ultimately, Ethel is her own woman and I am so excited to see where she takes herself because I didn't expect much when I first listened to this album (which is also my first listen of Ethel's music) but holy shit I haven't been this invested in a new artist in SOOOOOOO long.
“When my mother sees me on the side of a milk carton in Winn-Dixie's dairy aisle, she’ll cry and wait up for me” “With my memory restricted to a Polaroid in evidence” 💔 I love strangers but the lyrics are heartbreaking 😭
Preacher’s Daughter is unlike you’ve every listened to before. It’s haunting, beautiful, and takes you down a sea of darkness you can never easily escape from. Ethel Caine is one of those artists who are genuine and don’t stick to the conventional methods of songwriting and creating music in general.
Ethel: * gets cannibalized * Ajay: "and I'm just hoping this album is predominantly fictional" (Jokes aside, I loved watching your reaction to this! It's such a great album and it really goes from 10/10 (imo) to 100/10 when you learn the narrative behind it!)
Her full unedited reaction to this album on Patreon was pure gold, she was fully immersed in it. Understandably so. It’s a masterpiece. AJay thank you for the reaction!!!
The fact Hard Times had me crying just like AJay when I first listened and read the lyrics gave me the closure and solace I needed. Heartbreaking song and a painful reality for some.. Overall, I am in love with Ethel Cain and the raw, extraordinary authenticity she brings us.
The Hard Times reaction broke me. I don't relate to this song at all but it is SO devastating to me. Seeing Ajay being traumatized by it just made the song even deeper and harder to listen to! But I love it. I really, really love it. Such a tragic, beautiful masterpiece of a song.
to me thoroughfare is a masterpiece. although it’s 9 minutes which seems like a lot, it can really tell a story and i think it’s great that ethel can so easily do if within her music.
It's also my favorite song on the album as it shifts into the storyline of her eventual death and the song feels so cinematic to me as the 9 minutes go by so fast when you're on a journey with the song
This reaction was so beautiful. The pure joy in the response to the music is exactly how I felt. I listened to this record for two-three months straight because I was so obsessed with the nostalgic/depressive/healing feeling. I think Ethel stands on a leg all her own with the lore and incredible story telling she does. And I love that her lyricism and the lore is not incredibly on the nose. The soundscape is immensely huge which is such a polarity to the story of a small town. Her talent expands over many different mediums and I can’t wait to see the rest of this story be told tenfold.
sun bleached flies rlly got to me when i finally read the lyrics (i’m more of a production first, lyrics second person) so when she says “i still remember that house in nebraska” i broke down. like that’s when she was rlly happy, with that guy from the house in nebraska, SHE WAS JUST A KID WHEN SHE WAS PIMPED OUT AND DYING LIKE OH MY GOD???
I hope she is aware that this is a concept album and tells a super tragic and violent story lol. And I can’t wait to see her feel herself to Gibson Girl lol
I never really get caught up and giving too much acclaim to any song or album, but Preacher’s Daughter is crippling perfection, front to back. Miss Cain is a damn WRITER. There’s something so visceral and operatic about this album. 🎉❤🤯✊
“Hard Times” breaks my heart cause I’m literally know how is scary, fight against this kind of trauma, every single day ! And how this makes your adult life complicated. Ethel Cain is an incredible artist. Deserves a long and beautiful career
That smile Ajay had during Televangelism speaks a thousand words. 9 ish songs of hell and then finally we reach something reaching a stage of euphoria, if theres one perfect part of this perfect album, its the pacing
Televangelism is my underrated favorite from this album. I don't think instrumental songs on albums get enough love but Televangelism is So Good. It sounds such like someone going into a church to play the piano when no one else is there, it just takes my mind away with it whenever I listen. Girl can write a song even if she's not singing
Same here babe😭😭😭😭. And funny thing is the first album I heard was her inbred.i just randomly heard the album when fantano reviewed it and I went to check it out.and boom more than six months later, I'm still hooked.😭😭
I never get tired of watching reactions for this album and I loved watching yours. You were so emotional and honest about what you were feeling and how it affected you. This album is such a masterpiece I’m glad you enjoyed it!
She just posted a few days ago but on her Patreon. She has actually posted quite a few album reactions over there. She probably just doesn't have time to edit them right now.
This album is truly the only time that I’ve experienced what felt like a movie through music. It was such a life changing experience i wish i could find something else like it
Ethel Motherfucking Cain. Im not religious but this album was religious experience. American Teenager, Family Tree, Thorougfare, Gibson Girl, Ptolomea, August Underground, Sun Bleached Flies, Strangers....just wow. In Ethel Cain we trust.
I’M SO HAPPY YOU LIKED IT and the whole reaction was so fun to watch! My favourites are definitely Family Tree and a House in Nebraska but Ptolemaea and Strangers really grew on me, anyway I can’t wait for you to do a revisit knowing the whole concept/story behind it!
This album became one of my favorite albums of all time, I don't know what it is, but I listen to it almost daily. It's just so fucking good, and her voice, her story telling abilities are just so... Unique and amazing, the way Ethel sees the world and the way she explains herself... She's just amazing Edit: your reaction to Hard Times...yeah, that was me as well. The first time I listened to this album, it was 3am in the fucking morning, after this song I needed a good 10 minutes to recover and just get back to normal
I don't think Ethel is anyone's daughter, I believe she's unique enough.. and I've honestly never heard anyone like her before, especially the way her songs are produced 🖤
Spotify recommended me American Teenager randomly then I truly loved it because of the youthful touch to it and when I checked her album, I fell in love with Gibson Girl and Sun Bleached Files. Ethel's starting to grow on me and she might be one of my favorite artists soon. 😭
this was an unexpected surprise 😦 i knew hard times would hurt you 😭 without knowing the story behind the album, you were on the right track with a lot of your inferences! if you really want the full story, i agree with the people recommending to check genius.
The album reactions I will get on my knees and beg for (in order): 1. Desire, I Want To Turn Into You - Caroline Polachek 2. The Age of Pleasure - Janelle Monae 3. emails i can't send - Sabrina Carpenter 4. Hold On Baby - King Princess 5. Hold The Girl - Rina Sawayama 6. Dance Fever - Florence and The Machine 7. Good Riddance - Gracie Abrams 8. Special - Lizzo 9. Star-Crossed - Kacey Musgraves
When this video popped up on my timeline my jaw DROPPED! This was my #1 album from 2022… and it still cuts deep every time. “Hard Times” does NOT get enough recognition! It is such a beautifully haunting song, and the lyrics are so sad when you discover what it’s about. I’m so glad this album was written and so glad AJ gave it a chance!! 💘
What I love about this album is that the storytelling is SO good that I feel like it transcends music as a medium. Ethel’s way of using lyrics and different sounds besides singing to tell a story makes it so potent, for me cinematic. It’s a beautiful album, but more than that I cant think of another album that for me goes beyond “it sounds nice” and “the lyrics are beautiful” like preachers daughter does. It’s happy, sad, chilling, scary, longing, and so many other emotions rolled into one project
Ethel cain somehow how this way she can just make long ass songs pass by so seamlessly. Like when I first listened to Thoroughfare I was so scared I’d get bored… but hell no. To this day sense of time disappears when I listen to Ethel Cain. I need her songs to be longer at this point
I love this album the entire story is based on fears of Hayden who created the character Ethan Cain, the end of the album is crazyyyy the final song implies that Isiah who Ethel went to California with cannibalized her. Digging deeper into the album gives some crazy insight to this album's story and it's just so perfectly done.
I stumbled on this project by chance in Spotify months ago. Without any prior knowledge about the artist herself nor the background of the project; I cried to sleep listening to it. Family Tree, Hard Times, Sunbleached Flies and Strangers had me sobbing. The lyricism is beyond comparable.
if you never posted this video on the day you did at the time you did and if i didn’t go on youtube at the time i did then i wouldn’t have listened to this album. my favourite album of all time, i love it all, everything about it. going into this album blind is the best thing to do. hayden saved me with this music and i cannot wait for her next album
OMG I never thought you'd review this album! It's my favorite of last year, and of all time as well. Hayden is a timeless artist already, I can't wait to hear what she has for us next.
We'd love to see a revisit of this album when you get the concept. We recommend you check the comments section and Genius as they give an accurate explanation of the story of Ethel Cain "Who is also a fictional character"
I am so happy you did this. Months after first hearing I keep coming back and discovering new favorite songs and trust me it’s a grower if you ain’t vibing with it at first
