More about: boygenius

In some ways, boygenius feel like the successor to the supergroups of yesteryear, the likes of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and The Traveling Wilburys, but given a 21st-century update. On The Record, there’s a good mix of softer folk and heavier Americana rock, as Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus blend indie, pop, country, folk and rock to expert effect.

And there’s no star billing. Since the release of their self-titled EP almost five years ago, it would be fair to say that Bridgers in particular has blown up. But this isn’t the Phoebe Bridgers show – and we can see that from the start. It’s a group effort - though some of the tracks at the start were written separately - and the album is all the better for it. 

Album opener ‘Without You Without Them’ is short and sweet, with beautiful a capella harmonies front-and-center. It’s striking just how each voice is different but they all compliment each other brilliantly. 

It’s followed by '$20', which was one of the three singles released on the same day in January. It’s a contrast from the opener, but this Baker-fronted song is excellent. It conjured up images of driving on the highway without a care in the world, with lyrics about motorcycles, Chevys, and running out of gas, time, and money. It only gets better as it continues, turning into chaos with screams, changing time signatures, and a ramshackle crescendo that finishes suddenly to prepare us for the tearjerking Phoebe-led ‘Emily I’m Sorry’. It could have been a Phoebe solo song, in all honesty, but it works better with her bandmates being involved.

It’s a very strong start – almost flawless – as the trio all take turns showing off their vocals and allowing them to weave together. It’s evident that they’re all on the same wavelength, and their friendship shines through. You can feel the camaraderie between these kindred spirits making their way through their late twenties together.

Admittedly, with ‘True Blue’, the weakest of the three early singles, and ‘Cool About It’, which has shades of ‘Hey There Delilah’ in the melody, there’s a brief lull. But things promptly pick back up with ‘Not Strong Enough’, another single, and the touching ‘Revolution O’. It’s not that these tracks are poor by any stretch; it’s just that they’re sandwiched in either side by tracks that are really bloody brilliant. 

As a rule, Boygenius are at their strongest when they’re heavier, and as we dive into ‘Satanist’, it's breathtakingly good – the pick of the album. Looking at relationships, questioning whether satanism, nihilism, anarchism would be dealbreakers in quite a droll manner, accompanied by a chugging riff that adds a bit of meat to proceedings, the trio are at their best balancing silly lyricism, genuine sentiment and a good solid rhythm. And the pop-rock of ‘Anti-Curse’ nails that recipe as well. It feels uplifting, but with a darker undertone, alternating in intensity throughout the song for a powerful feeling of whiplash that all three members do to perfection in their solo work as well.

"It would be too simplistic to call it a ‘happy’ record or a ‘sad’ record, but it’s undoubtedly a record for the here and now..."

The Record has been a long time coming - after all, with their busy solo careers and various projects, for a while we didn’t know whether they’d leave it as just the EP. But The Record is more than worth the wait. It’s an album for long drives, summer days daydreaming (and day-drinking) with your mates, and just pondering life on your own. It would be too simplistic to call it a ‘happy’ record or a ‘sad’ record, but it’s undoubtedly a record for the here and now. 

It’s quite possibly the best thing they’ve done, solo releases included. Of course, they’re all supremely talented artists in their own right, but when they get together something magical happens. An early album of the year contender, for sure. 

Grab your copy of the Gigwise print magazine here.

More about: boygenius