The open storytelling of a singer-songwriter can bring realness in their words. They can bring out emotions inside you that you didn’t even know you had. But multiply that talent by three, and you get the supergroup that conveys its stories with an incomparable synergy: boygenius. The indie group is finally back as one after taking time on their respective solo projects. Five years after its debut EP, its new full-length effort proves that the group’s absence was worth the wait.

The trio — consisting of Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus — showcase a highly collaborative effort across their debut studio album, yet each have their respective moments to take center stage. The music ranges from quiet moments of serene reflection to heavy headbanging performances, exhibiting their widespread versatility across indie rock, folk, pop and grunge. They masterfully focus in on certain details they want to draw your attention to, like shining a spotlight on a certain sound, making every note count across the project’s 40 minutes.

“Without You Without Them” starts off with a gentle collaborative acapella tune that wouldn’t feel out of place around a sunlit kitchen table on an early Sunday morning. Each member croons a delicate melody in unison and sets the bar for their angelic harmonies that weave through the entire tracklist.

Then without much warning, we dive headfirst into one of their thrasher indie rock standouts “$20,” a complete 180 from the opener. Its driving guitar riff is an addicting head nodder with a more hardcore angle, yet the track maintains an easygoing listening quality. It’s also clear from the start that these three are not ones to conform to basic song structure — they’d rather take the music wherever it decides to go, reinventing the standard format of everyday pop songs.

The raw emotion and true effortlessness of each vocal performance never ceases to amaze me throughout the project, and “Emily I’m Sorry” stands as one of the best displays of pure vocal magic. Baker and Dacus provide heavenly harmonies in soothing, braided unison with Bridgers that feel so easy and natural, it sounds like they were born to sing together as one. The track’s charming melody tells hauntingly personal anecdotes of pain and regret, like it was torn from the pages of a tattered diary stained from old teardrops. Bridgers proves that it doesn’t take much exertion in her graceful, tender voice to create a truly enchanting experience that can make you melt.

“Cool About It” switches up the flavor once again, digging into the trio’s folk side that typically serves as the backbone of their best songwriting. Over a gentle-yet-warm acoustic guitar, each singer takes their turn telling a short story about the complications of friendship and the emotional burdens that often follow. Bridgers sings, “I can walk you home and practice method acting / I’ll pretend being with you doesn’t feel like drowning.”

This softer pocket of the album then swiftly transitions into the true anchor of the project, “Not Strong Enough,” one of the best tracks of the year thus far. With a breezy acoustic guitar intro that feels like something from an early 2000s Coldplay song, the track leans into an atmospheric buildup and quickly delivers arguably the most memorable, uplifting melodies on the album. The music feels cheerful and inspiring despite its contrasting lyrical themes of uncertainty and seeming to spiral out of control. Some songs you hear and know immediately it’s bound to stick for years to come, and this indie rock anthem is no exception.
Another one of the album’s defining features is its natural ability to change moods between tracks effortlessly, with the following song “Revolution 0” being one of the most soft, intimate experiences from the project. The sweet guitar melody and sparse piano notes feels minuscule, followed by heartfelt strings and tiny drums that wrap Bridgers’ voice like a warm blanket on a cold night. The increased layers and rising harmonies build toward the end, slowly ascending into the sunset. It feels like cleanse of the soul.

But of course, the tracklist picks right back up again with the fierce “Satanist,” one of boygenius’ heaviest bangers to date. The track immediately digs into a menacing, cyclical guitar riff that plays on the harsh grunge sound of the 90s. The early verses maintain control with laidback vocals, but by the instrumental hook, that control is completely lost with pounding drums and an angry guitar that are finally allowed to explode. Their craving for a more intense and thunderous outburst after their mellower tracks is finally released. The trio burst out their roaring screams by the second hook, which then fizzle out into a slowed down, delirious outro that feels like the head rush after banging your head into your pillow too many times.

Let’s just say boygenius snapped on this one. These rockstars can tap into any feelings of anguish or distress in a way that can make you cry or scream. They can make you reflect on life’s little mysteries with the pluck of a string or the stretch of a single vocal note. Minimalism is their strong suit, letting their powerful voices and masterful harmonies take the lead. They’re natural storytellers that can expertly blend the mellow nature of the music and vocals with the intensity and angst of the lyrical content. They’re not called a supergroup for no reason — if this is just the debut, their future as a group is bound for greatness.