By Julia Kemp
On March 31, 2023, boygenius released their debut album: The Record. The up-and-coming indie rock band has blown me away with their personal lyricism and moving production. Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers, and Julien Baker, the three stars who make up boygenius, worked together perfectly to create the masterpiece that is The Record. In this article, I will be discussing my favorite songs, including my favorite lines, and how they enhance the album.
“Without You Without Them”
The Record starts off with a simply produced song, showcasing the talented, raw vocals of the three singers. This song could be interpreted as wanting to be more intimate with a loved one or friend, but I found it could also mean that the three are yearning to be closer with their audience through this album.
Favorite line: “Please, take what I can give/I want you to hear my story and be a part of it.”
“$20”
This song, according to Baker, is about the chaos of childhood and youth. It’s about the feeling of wanting to run away and have fun, and burn everything down in the process. My favorite part of the song is the end, where you can hear the music swell while Phoebe screams and begs for money.
Favorite lines: “In another life we were arsonists” and “Pushing the flowers that come up/Into the front of a shotgun/So many hills to die on”
“True Blue”
We’ve arrived at my favorite song on the album. “True Blue” is my favorite twisted love song. It discusses an intimate and exciting relationship; one that’s not perfect, but real and true. I also love how versatile this song is: I’ve danced, cried, and screamed to it.
Favorite lines: “And it feels good to be known so well/I can’t hide from you like I hide from myself,” “You’ve never done me wrong, except for that one time/That we don’t talk about/Because it doesn’t matter anymore,” and “You already hurt my feelings three times/In the way only you could.”
“Cool About It”
This song is meant for the anxiously attached. With an acoustic sound, boygenius talks about the isolated feeling of being with someone who you truly love, but who is struggling. It’s about wanting to help this person, but feeling like you have to hide your emotions in the process. While the song itself is simple, it contains some of my favorite lyrics on the album.
Favorite Lines: “I ask you how your doing and I let you lie” and “I can walk you home and practice method acting/Pretending like being with you doesn’t feel like drowning”
“Not Strong Enough”
I believe that “Not Strong Enough” contains the most important and central morals of The Record and boygenius as a whole. It covers that double-standard that women place in the music industry. “Always an angel, never a god,” repeats the three at the conclusion of the song. That line, addressing feminine portrayals in literature, shows how the three artists want to be strong gods, not weak, feminine angels. I also love the band’s nod to anxiety in the beginning of the song; they perfectly encapsulate the feeling of panic and anxiety.
Favorite lines: “I tried, I can’t/Stop staring at the ceiling fan and/Spinning out about things that haven’t happened” and “always an angel, never a god”
“We’re In Love”
This song is absolutely heartbreaking. It’s about that insecurity that comes with revealing yourself in a relationship. The song starts with, “You could absolutely break my heart/That’s how I know that we’re in love.” There are some connections that are so important, that being real feels risky. I love the slow and quiet feeling of this song, as these types of connections feel so slow and real.
Favorite lines: “Will you still love me if it turns out I’m insane?/I know what you’ll say, but it helps to hear you say it anyway” and “If you rewrite your life, may I still play a part?”
“Letter to an Old Poet”
To close out The Record, boygenius alludes back to a song on their EP called “Me and My Dog.” The song, which became one of their more popular on the EP, describes the claustrophobic feeling of ending an anxious relationship. I absolutely love the parallels between “Me and My Dog” and “Letter to an Old Poet,” and how the latter provides a more optimistic view of the relationship—it’s about moving on with purpose rather than running away.
Favorite lines: “You made me feel like an equal/But I’m better than you and you should know that by now” and “I’ll go up to the top of our building/And remember my dog when I see the full moon”