Boy, They’re Genius
Jan. 18 — to quote indie music listeners everywhere — was a “big day for annoying people.”
Even if being “annoying” places you in the category of an oat milk drinker, Doc Marten connoisseur, or just someone who desperately needs to attend therapy, the statement that this particular day was in fact “big” is both accurate and indisputable for one very important reason; this is the day that boygenius announced their next album, deeming them officially “back” in the eyes of the public.
Boygenius, despite the slightly misleading name, is an indie supergroup made up of three female solo artists: Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker. The group, which formed back in 2018, released their self-titled debut EP on October 26, 2018, toured the album, and then essentially went dormant, not sharing any official plans to collaborate again for nearly five years. During this hiatus, the artists cultivated their solo careers: Bridgers released “Punisher” (2020), Dacus released “Home Video” (2021), and Baker released “Little Oblivions” (2021). In November of 2022, a video of the trio taking part in what appeared to be a Nirvana-inspired photoshoot surfaced on TikTok, sparking rumors that the artists would soon be debuting a sophomore album.
Boygenius’ second studio album “The Record,” is set to be released on Thursday, March 23. With three singles already out, a Coachella announcement made, and tour sales underway, “The Record” has already received a great deal of commercial attention in comparison to “boygenius” (2018), which can likely be attributed to the artists’ flourishing solo careers over the band’s inactive period. This is particularly applicable to Bridgers, whose fan base exploded after the release of her second studio album “Punisher,” essentially making her the face of depressing indie-girl ballads. For new Bridgers fans that were unfamiliar with boygenius during their conception, “Punisher” quickly produced a pipeline to the group, expanding their audience and producing a well-deserved boost in popularity for Dacus and Baker.
While only three songs from “The Record” have been released, fans are anticipating the album will reflect the same gut-wrenching indie rock sound that the group is so well known for. With a fully released tracklist, including titles such as “Satanist,” “Letter to An Old Poet,” and “Anti-Curse,” it can also be assumed that the album will not be particularly light-hearted or happy (if you want happy I am not sure what you would be doing anywhere near this band).
“The Record” is out Thursday, March 23. If you want to have your current worldview and general contentment brutally destroyed, maybe take a listen. If not, perhaps you should just protect your peace and listen to literally anything else.
Written by Emma Ehle, Graphic Design: Alli Powell, Noa Shrikhande, Social Media: Sara Hartung, Kadence Cheang