AUDIOJUNKIE: Living up to the hype of boygenius
Published Apr 9, 2023 11:19 pm
boygenius photo from their official Facebook page (from left) Julien Baker Lucy Dacus Phoebe Bridgers cropped version
This ‘supergroup’ is a collaboration between three of the most talented, young singer-songwriters of their generation. Singer-songwriters Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers, and Julien Baker are the core voices that make up the indie, folk, rock, alt-pop trio boygenius. And while their names may not have the same ring as say their mainstream pop contemporaries, they are the top artists of the indie rock and alt-folk scene. And all three of them banded together back in 2018 and have since been called a supergroup for the 20’s. And rightly so as they prove themselves that they’re even better than their hype with the release of their first full-length album titled “the record.” [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIX\_ouNJsTs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIX_ouNJsTs) If anyone among the three has the most brush with the mainstream, it would be 28-year old Phoebe Bridgers. This is because she has been tapped by top acts such as Taylor Swift and Metallica for collaborations and is one of the brightest stars in indie folk, pop and rock and have already proved her mettle as a singer and songwriter through her solo releases that includes “Punisher” (2020) and her 2017 debut “Stranger in the Alps.” Meanwhile Lucy Dacus is a dulcet-voiced singer-songwriter that is of equal stature. The 27-year old music artist is already a top indie rock and pop act with a handful of well-received solo albums to her name. Julien Baker is likewise a 27-year-old indie folk rock and pop singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, with 3 solo albums to her credit and is also an indie pop and rock favorite.
boygenius official album art
Genre-wise, Phoebe, Lucy and Julien’s common thread is indie folk-tinged rock and pop. Their songwriting styles are similar too and have been noted for its moody atmospherics, confessional lyrics and it goes without saying that all three have beautiful, moving voices. As boygenius, all three have found a kinship in sound and purpose that can be heard in “the record.” Throughout twelve tracks of lilting songs, and sweet-sounding harmonies—among other good stuff—boygenius makes good on the supergroup claim. Starting appropriately so with the a capella “Without You, Without Them” where Lucy Dacus’ vocal leads and Bridgers and Baker follows (in that order) to sample how good their voices rub together. And then they pick up the pace right away with a mid-tempo rocker in “$20” that is more modern rock with its layered guitars (all three are solid guitarists) and more of those harmonies, this time mainly between Baker and Dacus. Is that Bridgers with the throaty wail at the outro? Or Baker? Speaking of the former, it is Bridgers at the lead on moody and lilting “Emily I’m Sorry.” On jangly guitar ballad “True Blue,” Dacus stands out as the robust, mid-ranged to low voice while Bridgers and Baker’s voices complement on the higher end. Best example of those voices covering the high-mid-low sonic spectrum is on folky “Cool About It” that comes complete with Baker’s deft banjo guitar playing. The album is an even mix of indie-rockers and atmospheric, emo-tinged confessionals. On one side songs such as the Bridgers-sung “Not Strong Enough,” the Julien Baker-led “Satanist,” and “Anti-Curse” keeps the album from getting sucked into a emotional, drama-filled drain. On the other hand, said emo-tinged confessionals are at the soul of boygenius. As Dacus, Bridgers and Baker equally dish out wise and wry observations about life and love that just comes out sonically as beautiful folk pop songs like “Revolution O,” “Leonard Cohen,” or the lovely Lucy Dacus-sung “We’re In Love” and piano-decked album closer and Phoebe Bridgers led three-way harmonies of “Letters To An Old Poet.” Definitely even better than the hype.