boygenius - ‘$20’, ‘Emily I’m Sorry’, ‘True Blue’ - single review
boygenius - $20, Emily I’m Sorry, True Blue (HIVE)
For years now, sad queer girls across the world have found their lives soundtracked to the melancholic tones of artists Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. Their respective discography echos completely different sides of the same genre, each bringing something new to the table. So, in 2015 when it was announced that they were forming a supergroup, it is no wonder that these same listeners simply lost their minds. The trio came together to form boygenius; an amalgamation of everything that makes these artists great as solo performers and writers. The releases are their first under the moniker since 2018 and further cements their undeniable chemistry. Though they may have teamed up on Bridgers’ ‘Graceland Too’ on her sophomore album ‘Punisher’, this gives us all exactly what we’ve been waiting for.
Each song seems to be an insight into each member's music. Each is written separately so gives us that fix of each of their styles that we have been so desperately needing since their last respective releases. First up is ‘$20’, a track where Julien Baker so clearly takes the lead. Its fuzzy and energetic; a stark contrast from their EP and more like Baker’s last release ‘Little Oblivions’. It grabs the listeners attention by crashing in and getting straight to business, utilizing a full band to create a dynamic beginning to the brand-new era of boygenius. It is the most cohesive of the three tracks, giving each member a moment to shine within the last minute of the song. Baker keeps the group steady and continues the song through to the outro, Dacus joining in with her instantly recognizable harmonies. Bridgers’ first addition to the song is her manic screaming, reminiscent of her own album closer ‘I Know The End’. It all crescendos to result in an extremely cathartic and frenzied ending.
The other tracks, ‘Emily I’m Sorry’ and ‘True Blue’ are of course written by Bridgers and Dacus, respectively. There is a lot of speculation over who the former is about, with many saying Emily Bannon, but regardless, we can tell that this track shows Bridgers baring her all. Both of these tracks echo the same sound that a lot of both their solo material does, whilst also harking back to boygenius’ EP, using three-part harmonies and sparce instrumentals to entrall listeners, reach right into their hearts, and tug at their emotions.
The true genius of a supergroup is that it lets you have the best parts of everything at once. With boygenius we not only get a moment for each member to shine, but we also get an undeniable sense of unity within the members. They support each other throughout their releases instead of trying to outperform and outdo each other. They realize that they truly are better together and this fact alone makes the record hotly anticipated.
Rating: 5/5
