Boygenius - The Record

by Zena Grieg

published: 26 / 5 / 2023

Label: Interscope Records
Format: CD

Intense but accomplished alternative rock on debut album from supergroup trio Boygenius

Review

Boygenius, a supergroup trio of three alternative American singer-songwriters Phoebe Bridgers, who previously duetted with Taylor Swift and supported the Rolling Stones, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker have brought out a debut album, following up on their 2018 critically-acclaimed self-titled EP. ‘The Record’ balances softer acoustic songs with explosive indie guitar rock, underpinned by thoughtful, jocular wordplay and a layered, harmonious sound. Recorded in Malibu in 2022 at a frenetic pace of ten hours a day for a month, this is an intense collection which ably fuses three very distinctive voices and personalities in an appealing mix. Highlights of this twelve-track collection include: the a capella ode to friendship opener ‘Without You, Without Them’: “Speak to me, speak to me, speak to me/Until your history’s no mystery to me”; the rebellious, grunge-influenced guitar-driven ‘$20’; the tender apologia ‘Emily I’m Sorry’: “… can we/Make it up as we go along/I’m twenty-seven and I don’t know who I am/But I know what I want”; the Paul Simon inspired ‘Cool About It’, an exploration of the fragility of a post-breakup encounter: “I can walk you home and practice method acting/I’ll pretend bein’ with you doesn’t feel like drowning/Tellin’ you it’s nice to see how good you’re doing/Even though we know it isn’t true”; ‘Not Strong Enough’, tackling the way women musicians are viewed: “always an angel, never a god”; the ragged riff of ‘Satanist’: “Will you be an anarchist with me/Sleep in cars and kill the bourgeoisie”; and the alternative love song ‘We’re In Love’ with its deadpan humour: “Some October in the future I’ll run out of trash TV/And I’ll be feeling lonely, so I’ll walk to karaoke”. With ‘The Record’ Boygenius have announced themselves as a musical force to be reckoned with.

Track Listing:-

1 Without You Without Them
2 $20
3 Emily I'm Sorry
4 True Blue
5 Cool About It
6 Not Strong Enough
7 Revolution
8 Leonard Cohen
9 Satanist
10 We're In Love
11 Anti-Curse
12 Letter To An Old Poet