Overview

• Ethel Cain released her sophomore album Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You on August 8, 2025, positioning it as a narrative prequel to her 2022 debut Preacher’s Daughter.
• Critics praised the album’s cohesive Southern Gothic atmosphere and storytelling, noting its immersive mood-setting over standalone singles.
• About one third of the record consists of instrumental passages that weave synthpop, slowcore, drone and Americana into a haunting soundscape.
• Reviewers singled out the lilting pop single “Fuck Me Eyes” and the 15-minute closer “Waco, Texas” for their emotional depth and expansive arrangements.
• Hayden Anhedönia has indicated that this album cycle may conclude the Ethel Cain character’s saga, bringing her intricate narrative arc toward a close.