Boygenius, the supergroup featuring Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, and Phoebe Bridgers, announced their debut full-length album, “the record”, and shared three new songs from it: “$20,” “Emily I’m Sorry,” and “True Blue.” There was much debate over which of the three songs we liked best, with a strong case made for “True Blue.” We’ve settled on “$20,” which is led by Baker and the more rocking of the three tracks.
As solo artists, Baker (27), Bridgers (28) and Dacus (27) inspire a level of devotion that borders on zealotry – drawing frenzied audiences, spawning memes and tabloid gossip. They are queer-identifying, vocal about issues from abortion to trans rights to colonialism, while their songwriting, which tends to be smart, introspective and somewhat melancholic, has handed each of them the peculiar charge of articulating the feelings of a generation.
As Boygenius, the “supergroup” they formed in 2018, the intensity of adoration has only magnified. Perhaps not since Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt united for 1987’s Trio has a songwriters’ supergroup incited such anticipation. The expectation around their debut album, “The Record”, is fevered. “I want people to like it because we like it,” says Dacus, sitting beside her bandmates in a photo studio in lower Manhattan.
“The record” is due out March 31st via Interscope.
Boygenius formed in 2018 and released their self-titled debut EP the same year via Matador. The trio self-produced “the record”, which was recorded at Shangri-la Studios in Malibu, California. In June 2020, a week after she released her acclaimed sophomore album “Punisher”, Bridgers sent the demo for “Emily I’m Sorry” to Baker and Dacus and asked if Boygenius could record music again. Baker then created a Google Drive folder called “dare I say it?” and the three songwriters began adding potential songs to it. Then after all three were vaccinated, the trio got together in person in April 2021 to truly begin writing the album. The band then recorded “the record” at Shangri-la in January 2022 over the course of a month, working for 10 hours every day.
Technically, “True Blue” I do really like the song and Lucy Dacus’ evocative storytelling, “$20” is a cleaner hit to the gut. But had “True Blue” been the only boygenius song released this week.
The debut album from the indie rock supergroup of Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus. This highly-anticipated collection takes the artistry of each member to a whole new level, combining the elements that make their music great. Dacus adds a touch of irreverent wit, Bridgers offers a gentle melancholy, and Baker brings ferocity. Imperfect but beautiful, this combination creates an unforgettable listening experience.
“My favourite thing about this band is that it’s fun for me, it’s a respite for me,” says Baker. “My real-life friendships with you both are among the dearest relationships in my life,” she tells Dacus and Bridgers. Releasing an album feels “like you’re at the top of a big rollercoaster that everyone keeps hyping because they’re excited about you being good at what you do. I was super-anxious there wouldn’t be time to cultivate our friendship. I was precious and protective of it.”
It was recently announced that boygenius will be playing Coachella in America this April, which sparked speculation that new music from the trio might be on the way.
Dacus’ latest album, “Home Video”, came out in 2021 via Matador . Baker’s last album, “Little Oblivions”, also came out in 2021 via Matador.
The debut full length album from boygenius; Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus.
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