Boygenius Revival: A Review on The Record
Written By Hal Lueking and Liz Garcia
Graphic By Hal Lueking
An anthology of raw, unfiltered emotion, The Record pushes you into a dark room with open arms waiting to embrace your heart.
After a five-year hiatus following the release of their self-titled EP, Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus make their long-awaited comeback as supergroup Boygenius with their first full album, The Record. The group teased fans, releasing three singles from the album earlier this year in January. “$20,” “Emily I’m Sorry,” and “True Blue” written by Baker, Bridgers, and Dacus respectively, previewed their individual styles whilst giving audiences a taste of their collaboration.
Pressing play on the first track, “Without You Without Them,” listeners’ ears are greeted with a bewitching three-part harmony a cappella style. Dacus’s rich voice carries Baker and Bridgers as they accompany one another to produce a lullaby-like tune. The song pays homage to those who built the path for us to exist: “Thank your father before you/His mother before him/Who would I be without you, without them?” This concept is a touchstone for The Record as a whole—the idea that our connections with others fabricate our very being. Boygenius’ friendship with one another is interlaced throughout the album, cherishing their bond as they fight through life together. Though, friendship is not the musical premise; it’s simply a conveyor of the tight-knit relationship that brought this album to fruition. On “True Blue,” Dacus sings: “And it feels good to be known so well/I can’t hide from you like I hide from myself”.
With the emotional ups and downs of The Record, the switch from upbeat songs to cry your heart out ballads showcases the versatility that the three hone in on when working together. Julien, Phoebe, and Lucy seem to have woven in their own stylistic undertones to every song on this album. There’s a culmination of collaborative harmonies and solos in The Record, which helps showcase even further that these three work phenomenally together. The songs “$20” and “Anti-Curse” are led by Baker, following “Emily I’m Sorry,” “Revolution 0,” and “Letter To An Old Poet'” led by Bridgers, and finally “True Blue,” “Leonard Cohen,” and “We’re In Love” led by Lucy Dacus. In each song, harmonies from the three are intertwined to support the “lead” of the song, helping each artist have their own special spotlights throughout the collective piece.
On top of their own solo moments, Boygenius comes together as a collective in “Cool About It,” “Not Strong Enough,” “Satanist,” and the previously mentioned, “Without You Without Them.” Evenly split two and two, their group numbers in The Record have more bright, upbeat undertones in “Satanist” and “Not Strong Enough” while serenading about complicated relationships and disassociation. Contrasting well with the previous two, “Cool About It” and “Without You Without Them” harbor more pensive, melancholic undertones; these two ballads talk about communication, as well as second-guessing yourself and anxiety.
Wrapping up the album with “Letter To An Old Poet,” Boygenius ties back to their original self-titled EP, in particular their single “Me & My Dog.” In both of these songs, Phoebe leads off the start of the song in her typical ballad manner, with Julien and Lucy joining in for the second half. Both fit together as a concept about growth and a change that has seemingly occurred since 2018. “Me & My Dog” has the three artists screaming out “I wanna be emaciated/I wanna hear one song without thinking of you/I wish I was on a spaceship/Just me and my dog and an impossible view”, while five years later, “Letter To An Old Poet” follows the artists to a softer, more emotional spot, singing, “I wanna be happy/I’m ready/To walk into my room without looking for you/I’ll go up to the top of our building/And remember my dog when I see the full moon”. The change in lyrics signifies that there’s still a reminiscent feeling of grief for someone and something that once was a part of them.
In classic Boygenius fashion, each lyric delivers an uppercut punch of emotion. The singers have perfected the art of honest lyricism that still makes you dissect each line to interpret its deeper meaning. Carefully crafted, captivating words swirl your mind, satisfying unevokable feelings. With Baker’s rock anthems, Bridger’s mellow tunes, and Dacus’s melancholic melodies, The Record effortlessly blends each member’s personal style into an idiosyncratic, alternative sound.
Liz’s Top 3 Favorites:
Not Strong Enough
Cool About It
Emily I’m Sorry
Hal’s Top 3 Favorites:
Letter To An Old Poet
Not Strong Enough
Revolution 0