Despite being only four songs in length, “the rest” adds a new element to boygenius’ discography.

On some level, it’s the same sad music their fans have come to expect from them, living somewhere between depressing and melancholic, but on a different scale, this EP brings something new to the table: brevity.  

Composed of legendary sad song writers and indie supergroup Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers, I always have high expectations for boygenius and the work they put out. With only four songs fighting for my attention, I’m able to give each song on this 12-minute EP larger bits of my short attention span, letting them consume more of me. 

The opening track, “Black Hole,” is impactful, hitting listeners right in the heart despite its lack of lyrics. Reminding me of their last album, “the record,” that was released at the end of March, this song kicks off with a lullaby-like quality, carefully and gently easing us into this new project. Baker’s voice, high-pitched and angel-like, acts as the appetizer for Bridgers’ and Dacus’ voices to take over. 

The first half of the song is loaded with imagery, painting a scene for the listeners, but the second half increases in pace, shifting to only listing phrases.

“Good day, good night, good talk, goodbye,”

My favorite song on the EP would have to be “Afraid of Heights.” It’s an incredibly eloquent depiction of a complicated relationship in which the two people have differing views of how many risks one should take in life. Dacus, the main voice on the track, adds the perfect level of emotion to her lyrics to get her feelings across. 

This song is also home to my favorite lyric on the EP: “I wanna live a vibrant life / But I want to die a boring death.” This lyric perfectly sums up Dacus’ point in the song and it’s been stuck in my head since first listening.

“Voyager” brings us back to the feeling of being serenaded; it’s yet another lullaby being added to their discography. The whole song feels like it’s being whispered to you across pillow cases and warm summer air. The distant humming present throughout the whole song furthers this feeling. 

Every song on “the rest” is soft, but “Voyager” takes that word to a new level, gently brushing across my ears as I attempt to digest the lyrics. 

The fourth and final song, “powers,” is long in comparison to the other three, but it doesn’t lose the listeners’ attention. This added element of exploring one’s identity adds another level to the song as it opens by wondering “Did I fall into a nuclear reactor? / Crawl out with acid skin or somethin’ worse / a hostile alien ambassador? / Or am I simply another of the universe’s failed experiments?”

I’m quite impressed with boygenius’ ability to hook me with only 12 minutes worth of content; they’ve once again caught the attention of my many playlists. The four songs are so lyrically complex that you can’t help but want to tear them apart and learn exactly what they mean.

Edited by Alex Goldstein | agoldstein@themaneater.com 

Copy edited by Grace Knight and Natalie Kientzy | gknight@themaneater.com

Edited by Sophie Rentschler | srentschler@themaneater.com