Pictured: Boygenius at their NPR tiny desk concert. PHOTO CREDIT: NPR
After a nearly five-year hiatus to focus on their individual music careers, the indie folk rock group Boygenius has returned with their ever-stinging lyricism and a reformed sound.
Boygenius, composed of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, released its self-titled EP on Oct. 26, 2018. While their individual releases are beautiful and equally heartbreaking, the combination of Bridger’s vivid storytelling, Dacus’ vulnerability and Baker’s vehement vocals have created a masterful blend of nostalgia and novelty.
To describe exactly what makes Boygenius’ discography so uniquely biting is to throw a flaming dart at a rotating target — so I’d rather let the group’s lyrics speak for themselves.
In the second verse of “Salt in the Wound,” the fifth track on the self-titled EP, Baker softly sings “Neck full of mockingbirds / All calling your name / I tried to sing it all back / Like I heard it, it doesn’t sound the same.”
Bridgers then joins in as Baker belts to finish the verse “I’m gnashing my teeth / Like a child of Cain / If this is a prison, I’m willing to buy my own chain.”
The piercing and soulful melodies of “Boygenius’” 2018 release have built up a fanbase eager for the group’s next endeavor, and on Jan. 18, the girl group gave us a taste of their debut studio album entitled “the record.”
Written individually due to scheduling conflicts, the three released tracks — “$20,” “Emily I’m Sorry,” and “True Blue” — have styles that are noticeably more reminiscent of the trio’s solo material. Still, the tracks felt like a musical punch to the gut — both heartbreaking and satisfying.
“Emily I’m Sorry” captures the feeling of hugging someone you used to love for the last time — wanting growth for yourself but being terrified to let go. This Bridgers-led track introduces the tranquility and romantic desperation that fans know from her solo work, and uses the delicacy of Dacus’ and Baker’s harmonies to further the emotional impact. According to conversations with my sad-song-loving friends, this track is quickly becoming a favorite.
Dacus takes charge in “True Blue,” offering a vulnerability in song and lyric as she recounts specific moments in a past relationship. The songwriter illustrates her partner moving to Chicago and struggling with a leaky faucet. Similar to “Emily I’m Sorry,” the other two vocals of Bridgers and Baker accompany the main voice in a calm and wrenching continuous harmony.
Dacus, describing the range of emotions that go along with being fully yourself with another person, croons “It feels so good to be known so well… I remember who I am when I’m with you / Your love is tough, your love is tried and true blue.”
Out of the three tracks, “$20” best demonstrates the fusion of the trio’s artistic strengths. Opening with Baker’s recognizable rhythmic guitar strums and soulful alto presence, the song sets up a theme of self-destruction and urgency for the upcoming album. As Bridgers bursts in with “When you wake up, I’ll be gone again,” it’s safe to say that my heart wasn’t the only one left shattered.
The song takes most inspiration from Baker’s style of dramatic drums, electric guitar and impassioned vocals, but allows Bridgers’ and Dacus’ backing vocals to linger like hot and haunting beauty. The three artists take turns digging deeper and deeper into the lyrics, pleading “So many hills to die on,” “There’s only so much I can take” and “Take a break.”
While Boygenius’ 2018 EP is characterized by an organized and careful combination of vocals, “$20” proves that the group’s upcoming album will poke and prod at their previous plan. The girls’ voices flow gently in “Emily I’m Sorry” and “True Blue,” but become a rocky shoreline and crash against the jetty in “$20.” It’s a new experience. It’s like driving through a storm with your windows open.
Many fans believe this song is a continuation of the boygenius track entitled “Souvenir,” featured in their 2018 release, where Baker sings out “Twenty dollars and a souvenir / Anything’s worth trying” in a melancholic tone.
Whether this is hinting at a connection between the self-titled EP and the upcoming album or not, it is clear that Boygenius fans are excited that the girls are back.
After almost half a decade, I am thrilled that Bridgers, Dacus and Baker have decided to further their project together. Available on March 31, the trio’s debut album, “the record,” will no doubt grow their reign over the indie rock pop scene — and I am not sure my heart is ready.