ALBUM REVIEW: the record - boygenius

the record - boygenius

There's this silly little account on Twitter that pops up on my feed from time to time. It's called "did phoebe bridgers release an album today?"

It's exactly what it sounds like. Every single day, they answer the question in their name. Sometimes they follow social media trends in answering the question. Sometimes they share quotes from interviews. Most of the time though, it's funny little jokes and memes.

Today though, their Tweet was simple. It just says, "YES, BOYGENIUS RELEASED THEIR DEBUT ALBUM TODAY."

I saw this Tweet and immediately put in my headphones to start listening. I needed the reminder that the album was finally out to start listening to it. Thank heaven for reminder stan Twitter accounts.

I'd be lying if I said this wasn't one of my most anticipated albums of the year. Phoebe Bridgers is one of my favorite artists, and I love Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker. I've been waiting for their debut album for a long time.

I think this album was worth the wait.

BACKGROUND

boygenius got its start when Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker met in 2016 in a green room and developed a friendship. A month later, Baker and Phoebe Bridgers became friends, and all three of them bonded over favorite poets and their blossoming careers.

Two years later, all three got booked together and went into the studio together. They expected to just make one song, but they left with six. Their debut EP, boygenius, came out in October 2018.

Fast-forward two more years, and everyone is in lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bridgers sent Baker and Dacus a demo that resulted in a shared Google Drive of everyone's songs. In January 2022, they took these shared songs to Malibu, California, and spent ten hours in the studio every day for a month.

That studio trip resulted in the record. It's the debut full-length album from the indie-rock supergroup.

They're playing Coachella in April, then will do a full headline tour this summer.

OVERALL SCORE: 8.11

While it's technically a debut album, it's clear that this is not the first time these three have made an album (In their solo careers, Dacus has released three, Baker has released three, and Bridgers has released two). Everything is so well thought out and so intentional. Every single piece fits perfectly.

TRACKLIST RANKING

1. Emily I'm Sorry

2. True Blue

3. We're In Love

4. Not Strong Enough

5. $20

6. Anti-Curse

7. Letter To An Old Poet

8. Satanist

9. Cool About It

10. Without You Without Them

11. Revolution 0

12. Leonard Cohen

THE GOOD

VOCAL HARMONIES & HEARTBREAKING LYRICS

Especially on "Without You Without Them", "Emily I'm Sorry", "True Blue" and "Satanist", the vocal harmonies shine. They were my favorite parts of the tracks. The way that all three voices blend together is perfect. Like they were meant to be.

"We're In Love" has some of the most heartbreaking lyrics probably ever written. It pleads "Will you still love me if it turns out I'm insane?" and "If you rewrite your life may I still play a part?". It declares "There is something about you I will always recognize". It's so earnest and emotionally raw that you can't help but relate. It's a masterpiece.

PRODUCTION

The production of this album is really the unsung hero.

The genre of this album changes with every track. You have tracks like "Cool About It", "Leonard Cohen", and "We're In Love" that feel like folk songs. You have tracks like "Anti-Curse", "Satanist", and "$20" that sound more like alt-rock. The ever-changing genre label could be a hard thing to tackle as a producer. Some tracks need a clean feeling, like "Without You Without Them". Some need this grunge-like feeling, like "True Blue". The main producer of this album, Catherine Marks, found a way to bring out the best in each track. It really makes the whole thing that much better.

THE BAD

BREAKDOWN IN "SATANIST"

I don't really feel like there's much to say about it.

While "Satanist" is still a great track, I could really do without the breakdown that starts at the 3 minute mark.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I wouldn't be surprised if this album is heavily awarded. The emotional lyrics, the shining production, and the stories behind each song make it easy to love. It's already an instant classic.

When I listened to this album, I did it with one AirPod in while I was doing homework. I didn't give it my full attention, and I really regret that. I wish my first listen would have been with my Beats headphones on, in a distraction-free environment.

When you listen, pay full attention to it. This album deserves it.