By: Charlie Casterline
Ethel Cain released her cover of American Football's "For Sure" on Sept. 5th, 2024. The single is part of a cover album project American Football is putting together in celebration of the 25th anniversary of their first album, "American Football."
Hayden Anhedönia, most commonly known as Ethel Cain, is a multifaceted alternative artist inspired by southern gothic themes. She released her debut album, "Preacher's Daughter," under the Cain alias in 2022. The album earned Cain a widespread, devoted fanbase, primarily composed of teenagers with rural religious upbringings, similar to that of Cain, who grew up in a rural Southern-Baptist town in Florida. Although Cain hasn’t achieved the level of mainstream fame we see in artists like Billie Eilish or Ariana Grande, she remains extremely popular among a niche group because of her relatability in terms of religious trauma and growing up queer in an unaccepting community.
The lyrics of "For Sure" focus on feelings of uncertainty and dread towards the end of summer, and the relationships that will be left behind when summer is over. Cain's preferred style of music is a perfect match for this song. Her tendency to prioritize slow progression and gradual build up when making music emphasize the lyrical themes that grapple with reluctance to move on and fear of endings. Cain truly let her preference for lengthy songs to shine through when creating this cover, as she lengthened the song by six minutes and thirty-seven seconds.
A music video for the cover was also released at the same time, shot and edited solely by Cain herself. The music video highlights Cain as a perfect choice to cover the song even further, her personal film style meshing beautifully with the nostalgic energy of the song. Cain's videos—multiple of which are featured on her YouTube channel—put an artistic spin on the nostalgic digicam vlog-style. The music video is no exception, featuring many low-res grainy nature-shots and even what appears to be a bonfire and sparklers towards the end. Cain's filming aesthetic draws attention to the nostalgic feelings associated with summer, which is a primary feature of the song.
Cain's ethereal vocals and unique musical style put an interesting spin on the original version of "For Sure," giving tribute to American Football without copying them completely. I value this element of the song, and enjoy the fact that both versions can be enjoyed by people with differing tastes. This shines a spotlight on the quality of the song, proving that the musical material in its (no apostrophe needed) basic form can be enjoyed in different presentations and styles, and allowing each artist to display their individual talents. This quality is becoming increasingly important as the production of music becomes more accessible (no hyphen need) to those who value the profit and fame that can result from quick, easy, replicable music over artists who value the process of creating something unique and personal—regardless of how likely it is to become popular and/or profitable.
The two singles that have been released so far as a part of "American Football (Covers)" are "For Sure" by Ethel Cain and "Never Meant" by Iron & Wine. The full project is set to be released on October 18th.
Comments