When first listening to Soccer Mommy's song, "Your Dog" you are immediately drawn into the metaphorical scene she paints for you. This is of herself, Sophie Allison, being trapped in a toxic relationship like a dog is bound to their owner by a leash. Although in her case the leash is love. Unlike in Allison's other into low-fi, bedroom pop songs "Your Dog" takes on a punk vibe as she sings "I don't wanna be your fucking dog, that you drag around."
As she says this I can't help but think of Kathleen Hanna's demanding tone in Bikini Kill. Then Allison's tone changes as the verse continues, becoming not necessarily softer, but she elongates her words making them feel more dreamlike.
Listening to the musicality of "Your Dog," I noticed that I soon got sick of hearing it as it is fairly simplistic with its repetitive melody between the guitar and bass. Although this doesn't make the song any less of a pleasingly catchy song with a relatable narrative. I believe that this relatability is what attracts me so much to this song, that is, besides the bass line. It's by distorting the guitar that Allison is able to capture the hazy dreamlike effect that occurs in one's brain while trapped in a relationship like this and it is not until the end when the instruments intensify and she sings, "I want a love that lets me free, I've been choking on your leash," that she truly stands up to her oppressor and the song is allowed to dissolve away.
By listening to Allison sing "Your Dog" you become a part of the story, as her raw, vulnerable, emotions are put on display she empowers you to take charge and free yourself of whatever or whoever is holding you down.
