Squirrel Flower - ‘Tomorrow’s Fire’ review
Squirrel Flower by Alexa Viscius
Growing up singing in choirs and writing songs on the guitar, Squirrel Flower’s Ella Williams has always been made for music, not to mention her family’s musical background. One could easily say Williams has music in her blood.
Tomorrow’s Fire is her fourth album; her earlier discography, released between 2016 and 2021, includes Contact Sports, I Was Born Swimming, and Planet (I). She cites her influences for her latest release as Jason Molina, Tom Waits, and Bruce Springsteen. The title of this album came from a book Williams’ great-grandfather wrote about a troubadour. He was inspired by the French poet Rutebeuf who once penned: “Tomorrow’s hope provides my dinner/Tomorrow’s warmth must warm tonight.” A fitting statement for this album, as Williams says the fire is “a tool to wield in the face of nihilism (Bandcamp, 2023).”
Tomorrow’s Fire is about how humans find comfort and have to make the most of what they have and what brings them joy in trying times. In this album, Williams is starved of her energy and has no will to move forward, so she lets out her exhaustion into two tracks: “When a Plant is Dying” and “Full Time Job.” Both released as singles, they contain heavy, melancholic qualities that bring the listener into her desolate inner world.
In “When a Plant is Dying,” she starts out by singing “Kick you when you’re down/Can’t get much lower now,” implying her mental state can’t get any lower and she’s at her wit’s end – a sentiment many of us can relate to. A wailing guitar paints a dramatic, moody picture. But, Williams has regained her strength with the final lyric in “Full Time Job,” repeating the hopeful “I’m on my knees now.” This track is a bit rougher and has a bit more rock in it with thick distortion and compression – not just the song, either, but the whole album, compared to Squirrel Flower’s other music. She took things up a notch in making Tomorrow’s Fire (and we rockers are very thankful for that)!
“Alley Light,” Squirrel Flower’s other single, is sung from the perspective of a stranger or, perhaps, Williams as a man, channelling Springsteen at full power. The song begins with this fictional character seeing a woman he desires: “She looks so pretty tonight/Blue dress in the alley light.” However, the listener soon finds out that plans have changed: “I was gonna take her out tonight/But all her favourite spots closed down.” This points to the modern consumerist landscape where independent businesses are continually bought out by larger chains, leaving many regulars with no alternative. The drum and guitar give off a bit of a southern rock vibe. Williams’ soft vocals hint at disappointment and sadness, especially in the last line: “I could never take it slow/Maybe that’s why she loves me.” There’s a sense of loss present in this song that reverberates throughout the entirety of Tomorrow’s Fire.
May we all be alit by the fire Squirrel Flower has ignited in this new release. Great for anybody who’s a fan of music like Mazzy Flower or Mitski. This is certainly an album of iconic indie rock and not something to miss out on!
Tomorrow’s Fire from Squirrel Flower is out now via Full Time Hobby and available on all good streaming platforms.