“the record,” a 12-track album, will tear you apart as you attempt to digest boygenius’ lyrics.
I liked this album more than I think I was supposed to.
Then again, I’ve always had a soft spot for sad, gut-wrenching songs — much to the dismay of anyone who has ever ridden in the passenger seat of my car.
boygenius, a supergroup composed of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, hit the nail of my music taste on the head with its album “the record.” The 12-track album released on March 31, and while the band has made music together before, its sound has changed drastically, giving this album a different vibe than their 2018 self-titled, six-track EP.
“Without You Without Them” kicks the album off. The lullaby-likeness of this track causes you to feel as if you’re being swaddled by the melody, leaving you in a tranquil mindset and setting the tone for the whole album.
The third track on the album, “Emily I’m Sorry,” was the first song from this album that I ever heard. Sad songs, like this one, are entirely my jam; I like songs that you could argue would be better as poems, and this song fits into that category.
Despite my hatred for my elementary school guitar lessons, “Cool About It” tempts me to pick the hobby back up. This song brings you back to the original feeling of melodic swaddle. You are tenderly cared for as the depth of the lyrics rip you open.
While most of the songs are slow, settling into your bones, “Not Strong Enough” — track six —is disguised as a happy track. Yet, the further you dissect the lyrics of the song, the sadder they become as you are relentlessly hit by them.
The waves of self-doubt that radiate from this song permeate into your soul. Specifically from the line: “I don’t know why I am / The way I am / Not strong enough to be your man / I lied, I am just lowering your expectations.”
If “Not Strong Enough” is a sad song disguised as a happy song, “We’re In Love” ditches the masquerade. Baker, Bridgers and Dacus’ voices blend seamlessly in this track. This song ties back into the lullaby-like sound of the first song, creating a feeling of cohesion throughout the album.
Each and every song on this album was the perfect mix of heartbreaking and eloquent, each lyric grabbing onto different parts of your heart and brain.
I will consider “the record” — for now and forever — a masterful collision of strong instrumentals and catastrophic lyrics.
Edited by Scout Hudson | shudson@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Matt Guzman and Lauren Courtney
