boygenius’ ‘the rest’ reaffirms trio’s chemistry

Brett Price
Mon, 16 Oct 2023 23:47:45 +0000
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Boygenius’ Phoebe Bridgers has mastered a whispery, intimate delivery when songs call for it. Credit: Elizabeth Robertson (via TNS)

Nearly seven months after the release of its signature album “the record,” boygenius gifted listeners with “the rest,” a mellow four-song EP that delivers far more than its name suggests.?

Despite the overwhelmingly popular release of boygenius’ debut album in April, all four songs comprising “the rest” were produced in May and are certainly more than leftovers. While the trio’s chemistry undoubtedly shines in the new release, the group members’ individual talents are equally on display in each distinct track.?

In “Black Hole,” Julien Baker finds herself in a familiar place: “In a rainstorm. Suckin’ down a dart on the back porch.” She manages to navigate the clashing drums and rising tension with the help of Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus laying down the moody chorus.

There’s a lot to unpack in the brief 2:41 runtime of “Afraid of Heights,” which highlights Dacus’ witty writing style and heartfelt voice. Despite being so stylized and continually up-and-coming, relatable lyricism grounds the group where so many others fail. Dacus possesses an ability to paint distinct imagery in listeners’ heads, and it’s only made better when the full triad harmonizes the final lyrics.

“Voyager” is everything one would expect from Bridgers, capturing all the sad and regretful feelings she’s so good at portraying while calling back to her own popular track “Moon Song.” It’s softer and arguably more bare-bones than the EP’s other entries, but for listeners craving something new from Bridgers, it will suffice and then some.?

The encore track “Powers” feels the most complete, being led by Baker on guitar and vocals. The track calls back to “Anti-Curse,” which flashes similar heavy drumming and poignant lyrics on “the record,” but takes a more relaxed approach as the final 1:17 serves as an instrumental outro to the EP.?

With one show remaining on the group’s current tour, on top of securing its first No.1 song on a Billboard chart with “Not Strong Enough,” boygenius had little obligation to release new music. But that’s part of why “the rest” is so welcomed by both casual and loyal fans.

In an interview with Apple Music Friday, Bridgers explained the inspiration behind releasing “the rest.”

“I think we hadn’t made something together in a long time when we went to record ‘the record,’ and just our communication got so streamlined by the time we went to record this and we knew it was going to be great,” Bridgers said. “I think these four, I have no idea where any of them would go in the sequence. They make no sense, but they make so much sense together. It’s really exciting.”

Rating: 4/5