The boys are back in town, and this time they mean business. On January 18, the three wise men of indie rock supergroup Boygenius—Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, and Phoebe Bridgers—surprise-released the first three songs of their debut album The Record, which comes out March 31. Ever since their self-titled EP rocked my world in 2018, I’ve been awaiting their comeback and subsequent global domination. Let’s get it ladies!
To be clear, this is less of a music review and more like me begging and pleading with you to listen to Boygenius, as well as each members’ solo stuff. As a fan of Boygenius since their infancy (and for Baker, even longer), there is absolutely no way for me to be impartial. I’ve loved $20, Emily I’m Sorry, and True Blue from the first listen; and I know that I will scream and cry and throw up when the clock strikes midnight upon The Record’s birth. Boygenius is my joker, my one and only parasocial relationship. If Boygenius has a million fans, I am one of them. If Boygenius has one fan, it is me. If Boygenius has no fans, I am dead.
I think part of what makes Boygenius so compelling is their embrace of female friendship. Oftentimes indie music made by women get labeled “sad girl music” from the likes of Twitter. However, some of the lyrics I am most struck by are the ones that reflect the mutual admiration and care that Julien, Lucy, and Phoebe have for one another. Does the lyric “And it feels good to be known so well / I can’t hide from you like I hide from myself,” from True Blue not ignite something in even the coldest of hearts? The chemistry between the trio also translates well on stage. I consider it my one braggable offense in life that I was at the first ever Boygenius show at the Ryman Auditorium in 2018. It was truly a sight to be seen when Lucy and Phoebe got down on their knees and bowed to Julien mid-shred during Salt in the Wound. The reverence they have for each other not only as artists but also as people is palpable, and all the more endears the women of Boygenius to me.
The lyricism on these initial tracks are true to the style of Julien, Lucy, and Phoebe’s music, which is to say that they are nothing short of perfection. As songwriters, they are able to put into words things that are otherwise difficult to articulate, like loneliness, identity, or friendship. Other lyrics are just straight up beautiful. A line that I keep coming back to is “In another life, we were arsonists,” from $20. Julien is a master storyteller, and I cannot wait to scream this at a concert.
If the singles are a measure of what’s to come, then I think Boygenius fans are in for a real treat. In true Boygenius fashion, I’m 20, I don’t know who I am, but I know that I’ll cry at the show with the teenagers.
