A Concept Album by Ethel Cain
Ethel Cain’s, Preacher’s Daughter is a concept album that tells the story of a young girl dealing with religious trauma while also battling with her sexuality. The thirteen-track album follows Ethel as she grows up the daughter of a preacher and eventually meets a boy named Isaiah whom she falls in love with but Isaiah abuses her trust. I decided to highlight this album because of how well it touches on the subject matter and the way it connects with millions of people’s experiences, both with religious trauma and abusive relationships, both romantic and familial. In class I will be doing a presentation going more in depth about the album and the meanings behind each song and how they contribute to the overall story but right now I just want to do a brief introduction.
When concept albums are done well, they can tell a story from start to finish, touching on tough topics woven throughout the narrative. Ethel Cain takes on sensitive topics such as religion, love, abuse, murder, and cannibalism. At the start of the album, Ethel is reflecting on growing up as a preachers daughter and how religion has impacted her as she grows up. As Ethel grows up she begins questioning God, turning to alcohol to cope with her change in belief. As the story continues Ethel meets a few men that she seemingly loves however sometimes it not clear as to what her true feelings are. Eventually one of these men commits a crime and Ethel is made out to be an accomplice so she is forced to leave her small town, now having no connections back to her family. Once she is completely on her own is when she meets Isaiah who takes advantage of her naivety and innocence and they enter an abusive relationship. I won’t spoil how the story ends but it is a tragic ending for Ethel Cain. In my presentation I will select a few tracks to explain the narrative and to see how Ethel Cain addresses the effects of religious trauma and how it can lead to devastation in one’s life.