Since 2020, I have been a HUGE Phoebe Bridgers stan. She became my top artist faster than I’d like to admit, and I immediately started looking for more of her music. I stumbled upon a band named Boygenius and immediately became obsessed. I had heard of Lucy Daycus before, and was thrilled to see Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Daycus, and Julien Baker (who I did not know at the time but love now) had decided to collaborate on six songs for a self-titled EP. I had those songs on repeat for months. On March 31 these “boys” as they have dubbed themselves have released a new album called The Record which they are starting to tour. Since this release, they have gained traction and are all over my TikTok for you page for their recent Coachella performance.
- “Not Strong Enough”
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“Not Strong Enough” is one of my top Boygenius songs of all time, and TikTok loves it too. The first verse, “Black hole opened in the kitchen/Every clock’s a different time/It would only take the energy to fix it/I don’t know why I am” immediately had me hooked. Phoebe Bridgers’ voice sucked me in and I stayed for the harmonies of the three in the chorus. The song’s feminist undertones and commentary on men vs. women’s roles are so powerful and the depiction of various mental illnesses throughout makes for a perfectly heartfelt and devastating song.
- “True Blue”
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“True Blue” is a song about true love and about a connection between two people in which they know each other through and through. “But It feels good to be known so well/I can’t hide from you like I hide from myself” describes this amazing connection between the singer and subject of the song. Each verse describes how two people have gone through much together both bad and good, but in the end their love is loyal and strong. The vulnerability of the lyrics are why it’s one of my personal favorites!
- “Emily Im Sorry”
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This was originally my favorite song on the album (now I simply cannot choose) and was written by Phoebe Bridgers about being unsure of yourself, and apologizing to an old lover for what went wrong. Getting wrapped up in your own emotions and letting yourself spin out of control can be easy to do, but the uncertainty of it all can hurt the ones you love. Phoebe seems to have lost herself in this relationship and feels like she has become “someone only you (Emily) can love” (so sad). Phoebe knows she has lost herself and as a result been a bad partner in her past relationship with Emily. Not knowing what you want and feeling lost is something all too familiar to many of us, and is why I can’t get enough of this song!
- “Cool About It”
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This song is my current favorite (subject to change in 5-7 business days). It is absolutely gorgeous. I’m obsessed and the internet is too. My favorite line has got to be either “Once, I took your medication to know what it’s like/And now I have to act like I can’t read your mind,” or “But we don’t have to talk about it/I can walk you home and practice method acting/I’ll pretend bein’ with you doesn’t feel like drowning/Tellin’ you it’s nice to see how good you’re doing/Even though we know it isn’t true.” Each line encapsulates the meaning of the song perfectly. The singer is reflecting on a relationship that lacked communication, and this lack of communication was ultimately devastating.
- “$20”
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This song, sung mainly by Julien Baker and is a more powerful and faster pace song than the other tracks. This song was one of the three released before the official album came out (along with “Emily I’m Sorry” and “True Blue”) and I can’t lie, at first it wasn’t my favorite. The more I’ve listened to the lyrics and guitar though, the more I love it. The song is reminiscent of Julien Baker’s own “Crying Wolf” as both are about self destructive tendencies and acting on impulses. The girls sing about how these impulses can lead to destruction and how this will be the last time they do it again. The song ends in emotional pleas, asking “Can you give me $20” and “I know you have $20” sung by Bridgers, getting louder towards the end. I love the instruments behind this song and love the way it slowly gets more chaotic, resembling what these self destructive behaviors ultimately do.
If you love them, or don’t know them, I’d strongly recommend you give these Boygenius songs a listen! WARNING, you might end up crying.
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