Album of the Week: 'The Record' by boygenius

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On their debut album, The Record, boygenius does not sound like a supergroup, they sound like a band.

When Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker first released music as boygenius in 2018, the term “supergroup” was quickly thrown at them. The trio referenced an earlier supergroup with the cover of their Boygenius EP, an homage to Crosby, Stills & Nash’s debut album cover. And just like CSN, boygenius is more than the sum of their parts.

The album opens with a showcase of the vocal chemistry between Dacus, Bridgers and Baker. “Without You Without Them” features three-part folk harmonies and is one of four songs on the album where the three members sing lead together.

The reverie of the gentle opener is quickly shaken with the alt-rock groove of “$20,” this time Baker singing lead. It is followed by Bridgers on “Emily I’m Sorry” and Dacus on “True Blue,” and while each of these songs contains elements of the respective singer's’ solo work, they do not sound out of place or like the work of an individual.

On “Not Strong Enough,”, another standout track, this point is hammered home. Bridgers takes the first verse, Baker the second, and Dacus leads the bridge and final chorus.

Listen to KAXE all next week to hear a supergroup that sounds like a super group.