Basking in the success of their first full-length album, indie rock supergroup Boygenius returns for an encore. Composed of three of the most paramount female voices within the indie circuit — Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker — the singer-songwriter trio received overwhelming critical and commercial success with early 2023’s “The Record.” The group’s popularity has reached new heights on the back of a devoted musical and personal friendship.
Their new EP, “The Rest,” features four tracks, serving as an aptly titled bookend to their previous project.
“The Record” is a transcendent series of love letters honoring the intense bonds that shape the band. Cuts like “True Blue” and “Cool About It” are my dreamy, melodic favorites. Though falling markedly short of its predecessor, “The Rest” is a worthy entry in the Boygenius catalog; its soft choruses, spiraling, earnest lyrics and enchanting vocal performances emphasize the trio’s immeasurable talent.
The opening track, “Black Hole,” begins with a gentle, bouncy piano instrumental. Baker takes the lead in the first half with a tranquil melody about inclement weather. The song builds to and is broken up by a distorted instrumental resembling a storm’s chaotic and destructive consequences. Bridgers and Dacus take over in the second half, harmonizing unwound lyrics with a stream-of-consciousness effect. Words like “bad boy, big fight, you’re a good guy” emphasize a rocky romantic relationship. The track is well-produced, pleasant to listen to and interestingly structured, but ultimately, the least memorable on the project.
“Afraid of Heights” is a peaceful, Dacus-led song backed by simple guitar strums. Its lively, upbeat melody details the dangers of being reckless and the importance of understanding privilege. The line “I wanna live a vibrant life, but I wanna die a boring death” encapsulates the track’s thesis –– not everyone gets the chance to live a life that isn’t dangerous. Its campfire song aesthetic, imaginative lyrics and harmonious chorus make it my favorite cut on the EP.
“Voyager” is a classic, melancholic Bridgers-led track about love and childhood. The production is relatively blank, featuring quiet guitar strums and angelic humming. Bridgers’s vocal performance is pretty but reserved. It’s a decent song, but it sounds far too generic to warrant a spot on the full-length album.
“Powers” is the most energetic song on the EP. Baker’s excellent vocal performance perfectly suits the track’s compelling lyrics about identity. Words like “Did I fall into a nuclear reactor?” and “Am I simply one of the universe’s failed experiments?” convey thoughts of feeling out of place in a hostile world. Baker embraces her differences as superpowers in the EP’s catchiest chorus. The song builds to the most memorable instrumental on the project: a soft brass section that lulls you to sleep, putting the EP to rest.
If you’re a Boygenius fan or enjoy any of the artists’ solo music, I highly recommend you give “The Rest” a listen. That being said, don’t go in expecting too much. After all, these tracks are essentially leftovers from “The Record.”
