Portland, Oregon, U.S.A. – The debut album by the band boygenius (made up by Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, and Lucy Dacus) is a succinct album with delicate harmonies and strong lyrics.
Released in the spring, the record was met with praise from fans and critics alike. While fans loved the fact that the group reunited after their self-titled extended play release, critics enjoyed the musical and lyrical content of the album.
Before coming together to make the record, Bridgers, Dacus, and Baker received immense praise for their solo albums.
Bridgers came off the heels of her highly acclaimed sophomore album, Punisher released in 2020.
Punisher was rated the 10th best album of the year 2020 by Rolling Stone.
Dacus released her third album in 2021 named Home Video, which received praise from fans and critics alike.
Baker released an album in 2021 named Little Oblivions. It also received critical acclaim.
Although Bridgers, Baker, and Dacus are excellent songwriters on their own, as a team effort, the record is an excellent show of collaboration between the three artists.
One of the major collaborative moments of the album is the opening track, “Without You Without Them.”
The first lines of the song read, “Give me everything you’ve got/ I’ll take what I can give/ I want to hear your story and be a part of it.”
Despite the simplicity of the lyrics, they convey a feeling of longing as Dacus, Bridgers, and Baker sing together in harmony.
This opening song helps guide the listeners into the story of the record.
The record is an album detailing stories about love, friendship and the loss of love.
Each song blends into the next, creating a unique sound that is special only to boygenius.
Although some critics found fault with it, suggesting that some tracks sounded like B-sides to their solo projects, the record is still a great album.
The record is an amazing debut album to remember.
Dana Kim is a Reporter with Youth Journalism International.
