After a nearly five-year-long hiatus from releasing music together, Friday saw the highly anticipated reemergence of indie group boygenius with the release of their new album “The Record.” The group — created by solo artists Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus — previously released one self-titled EP in 2018, leaving many to wonder when their next batch of songs would come out, if ever.
The trio certainly did not disappoint with this comeback release. “The Record” is a gut wrenching amalgamation of songs about relationships, heartbreak and growth.
In a bold and fascinating move, the album begins on a surprisingly stripped-back note. In “With You Without Them” — a completely a cappella track led by Lucy Dacus — a nostalgic feeling is cultivated, almost as if Dacus, Bridgers and Baker are singing a nursery rhyme to the listeners. It sets a somber tone for the album that is carried throughout — though in classically unconventional ways, as even the indie rock songs spark feelings of longing.
The tranquil sounds of “With You Without Them” is followed by two songs that were previously released this year, entitled “$20” and “Emily I’m Sorry.” Led by Baker and Bridgers respectively, these songs hold a classic boygenius feel. With beautiful harmonies being underscored by gritty guitar solos and poignantly heartbreaking lyrics, they capture everything there is to love about the trio.
At the end of “$20” Bridgers can be heard screaming in desperation, ending the song on an emotional high note as listeners can clearly hear the raw feelings in her voice. Her screams transition into “Emily I’m Sorry,” in which she takes the lead with a more apologetic tone.
“True Blue” — another previously released song — is certainly a stand out on The Record because of its touching lyrics and overall hopeful message. Dacus leads the group in a song about comfort in relationships, even those parts which are imperfect, singing “And it feels good to be known so well / I can’t hide from you like I hide from myself.” Songs with more positive messages about love rather than heartbreak — such as “True Blue” — are rarities from the trio and their solo acts, but absolutely not unwelcome ones. This song sets up relationship themes for the rest of the album and is a welcome reprieve from possible tears being shed after listening to “Emily I’m Sorry.”
Following the trio of singles, “Cool About It” is a purely acoustic folk track that draws inspiration from Simon and Garfunkel's “The Boxer.” With each of the artists taking a verse in “Cool About It,” their soft harmonies create a sound like a lullaby. This song is followed by the upbeat fourth single of the album, “Not Strong Enough,” which has garnered some attention on social media platforms such as TikTok over the past few weeks.
“Revolution 0” and “Leonard Cohen” prove to be sweet editions to The Record. Backed up by acoustic guitar, both songs pull on the heartstrings of listeners.
Soloed by Bridgers, “Revolution 0” sounds a lot like her solo releases, with a dream-like ethereal feeling mixing seamlessly with wildly poetic lyrics. In the chorus, the group perfectly encapsulates a feeling of being untethered and having a dependency on someone when they sing in unison, “If you’re not enough / Then I give up / And then nothing is.”
In the final moments of the album, “Satanist” and “Anti-Curse” bookend “We’re In Love.” With classic indie rock songs at both ends, the power of the melancholy love song “We’re in Love” is only heightened.
The final track – “Letter To An Old Poet” – is without a doubt one of the highlights of The Record. This track seems to be a continuation of boygenius’ famed “Me and My Dog” from their self-titled EP, which drew excitement from many fans upon first listening. The familiar harmonies and tones in the chorus lead up to the climax of the bridge, where they sing “I wanna be happy / I’m ready to walk into my room without lookin’ for you,” a complete juxtaposition of “Me and My Dog,” where they sing “I wanna be emaciated / I wanna hear one song without thinking of you.”
The differences in the lyrics of “Letter to an Old Poet” and “Me and My Dog” represent growth and hope for getting past heartbreak, and by ending The Record on a hopeful note, boygenius hammers home the true message of The Record.
This album does a uniquely great job of capturing the style and essence of Baker, Bridgers and Dacus without sacrificing the overall flow. In songs about knowing yourself and others, the trio is able to articulate feelings that underscore the lives and relationships of many, proving to be an incredibly relatable project as a whole. “The Record” is a work of art that left a crowd of teens and twenty-somethings crying in its wake.
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