Score 8.5/10

Written by: David Williams

Ella Williams, who records under the name Squirrel Flower, looks to the earth for guidance. The singer-songwriter based in Chicago, Illinois, uses the planet for self-reflection, similar to someone lost in the woods looking for the North Star to find a home. In her previous albums, Planet (i) and I Was Born Swimming, you will discover tender tracks that showcase her vivid storytelling that was intimate from the outside but chaotic of what was happening inside her. Now, with her third record, Tomorrow’s Fire, Williams appears as confident in her artistry as ever.

Williams’s slender build with her long dark curly hair appearance is akin to Ellen Ripley from Alien with the confidence to match. The folk-influenced rocker in her previous work stayed in a modest lane sonically with primarily acoustic guitars and dreamy synths. Still, now the volume has been kicked up a notch, creating a solid rock album with tunes that will stick to you like a piece of gum on your shoe. She excels at capturing the mood of the world she encompasses with each song, creating a vibey atmosphere for you to ponder or fall in love with the musical landscape.

The beauty in Tomorrow’s Fire begins with intelligent songwriting, coming from a genuine place that emotionally connects the listener to each song. Her elegant delivery is reminiscent of a modern PJ Harvey. Take the somber tone of “When A Plant Is Dying,” she uses nature’s resources, the sun, plants, and wind, to project what the meaning of life is about, singing, “There must be more to life/Than being on time/These days it takes a sunrise/To remember you’re alive.”

“Witch Rock” is the self-description Williams has helmed her style of music. What that exactly means is another discussion, but whatever spells she cast while recording made this album work. She enlists some help in summoning MJ Lenderman of Wednesday and Dave Hartley from the War on Drugs, who create a heavy riffing atmosphere to which you can rock out. Most notably on “Full Time Job” and “Stick,” both songs are loaded with distorted guitars that mesh exceptionally well with Williams’s introspective lyrics.

You can sense the spirituality within the album in the quieter songs like “i don’t use a trash can (Tomorrow’s Fire),” Williams sings in a soft hush tone, almost like it’s a hymnal verse. In “What Kind Of Dream Is This,” a haunting echo follows her like some evil spirit attached to the protagonist. Asking questions about the difficulty of being an artist today, “What kind of lie is this?/I do my dance and sing/In this life I cannot hold anything/In my hands, in my hands.” Both songs excel at just how strong a songwriter she has matured into at this stage in her career.

“Alley Light” is meant to play on a road trip driving through America’s heartland. The narrator reflects on taking a love interest out for a spin in their beat-up car. The descriptive lyrics and folkish electric guitar riffs could remind you of Boygenius in tone. “Intheskatepark” is pure summer high jinx fun with a pop-infused chorus and upbeat drum machine. It’s a song that can swirl around in your head like your favorite ice cream cone. Tomorrow’s Fire feels like a breakthrough for Ella Williams. This is the most confident she’s sounded on a record, transcending Squirrel Flower’s career into full bloom.