boygenius - the record
Critic Score
Based on 38 reviews
2023 Ratings: #9 / 757
Year End Rank: #1
User Score
2023 Rank: #87
Liked by 1,305 people
Sign In to rate and review

CRITIC REVIEWS

100
Evening Standard
The intense collaboration and deep mutual admiration betweenJulien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus is plain in every song.
100
The Forty-Five
Like ABBA and Fleetwood Mac before them, boygenius have made a record about each other: but unlike their predecessors, it’s a celebration and a reminder to always treasure our friends, because they might just be the ones that last a lifetime.
100
NME
Each boygenius may have separate artistic aims, but their talents coalesce to hit you right where it hurts.
100
The Independent
Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker deliver and then some on their keenly anticipated debut album.
100
Rolling Stone

The power of boygenius is how something weird, unpredictable, and slightly dangerous happens when these three musical minds meld. All over The Record, they prove they’re a band that can do it all, hitting peaks together that can’t be reached any other way.

100
Albumism
boygenius don’t have a sound, per se, but they do have an ethic: wielding a wide musical repertoire to drill into a core set of questions around relationships, mental health, and existential dread.
100
Spill Magazine

The Record is everything fans of Baker, Bridgers, and Dacus could have asked for. Their voices blend together flawlessly, the choruses are catchy, the storytelling is vulnerable, sad and authentic, and the melodies are meticulously crafted. It will become an instant classic in the indie rock scene.

100
DIY
A story of unbreakable friendship and mutual respect.
100
Dork
On ‘the record’, boygenius come together for something that is nothing short of seismic. Ambitious and inimitable, their first debut album is an earth-shattering feat.
100
The Observer
The US indie-rock supergroup skewer the male ego on this magnificent meeting of harmonies and minds.
100
The Skinny
Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus treat us to a full-length record and it’s everything a debut album should be: exploratory, explosive and full of heart.
93
Northern Transmissions
It is the individual contributions that work so well together, which make this album so worthwhile. Bridgers brings graceful melodies, Dacus a delicate mix of vulnerability and humor, and Baker delivers beautiful chaos to create what will be one of the best albums of 2023.
90
Uncut
It feels like Dacus’s metaphysical grace, Baker’s bittersweet bite, and Bridgers’ mordant wit have hit some perfect equilibrium, like a perfect three-way high-five.
90
musicOMH
The three talents of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker combine to produce something greater than the sum of its parts.
90
The Sydney Morning Herald
The group’s first full-length is a masterclass in clever, economical songwriting, capitalising on the best aspects of each songwriter’s craft – Baker’s understated literary bent, Bridgers’ strange symbolism, Dacus’ meticulous worldbuilding – to create a unified approach.
90
Louder Than War

the record is a work of pure beauty, self-reflective and yet forceful at each step. A modern classic already.

90
RIOT
Though they could have released these tracks as their own personal records, this collaborative piece allows each member to shine individually and as part of a group. Their artistic styles might be different, but they are united in their shared ability to produce songs that are guaranteed to grab the listener’s attention and hold it until the last word is uttered.
90
Under the Radar

Baker, Dacus, and Bridgers are each intensely personal songwriters. Each album from them has felt like a map of themselves and their lives. In turn, the record feels like a map of their relationship with each other, littered with treasured memories, callbacks, inside jokes, and shared inspirations.

83
Entertainment Weekly

The debut LP from Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker gives each star a chance to shine, but it's their chemistry together that elevates its songs to great new heights.

83
Beats Per Minute

Although boygenius have met and exceeded all hopes with The Record, it doesn’t sound the slightest bit laboured. They may have worked 10 hour days for a month to record and perfect the album, but the finished product smacks much more of fun and harmony than stress and effort.

82
Pitchfork
Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus devote their debut record to their singular bond. Each amplifies the other’s songwriting, enriches the detail, and heightens the emotion.
80
Exclaim!

Dacus brings a sense of wit and sensitivity; Bridgers a quiet melancholy; Baker a raw ferocity. the record combines those individual instincts into a group effort that's compelling in all sorts of ways — and one that's also charmingly (and, in a way, fittingly) imperfect.

80
PopMatters

Democratically curated and enthusiastic, Boygenius’ The Record is a testimony to friendship, the power of aesthetic commonality, and the magic of teamwork.

80
The Irish Times

There is a fusion of each of the songwriter’s signature characteristics on The Record that is a joy to listen to, but the most crucial aspects of its overall worth are the central bonds that tie the women together.

80
AllMusic
Collectively, boygenius feels heftier and hookier than Baker, Bridgers, and Dacus do on their own, and this collective instinct towards immediacy pays great dividends: it's bracing to hear such introspective singer/songwriters embrace the pleasures of a united front.
80
Paste

Boygenius’ collaboration is harmonious in more ways than one, and the record shows they belong among the ranks of the greatest American supergroups.

80
The Arts Desk
Subverting male hero worship is one of the things that’s so refreshingly brilliant about boygenius.
80
Mojo
Friends reunited. Supergroup prove they are definite article on debut album.
80
Gigwise
They’re all supremely talented artists in their own right, but when they get together something magical happens. An early album of the year contender, for sure.
80
Crack Magazine

The record, in showcasing and centering the friendship and musical partnership between three of the most gifted songwriters of the 2020s, could well be that moment.

80
Sputnikmusic
It’s a manifestly imperfect album, but irresistible nonetheless.
80
Spectrum Culture
Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker are able to perform as a unit while integrating their individual songwriting styles for a deeply layered and complex debut album.
80
The Line of Best Fit

This rebellious spirit, one that encourages listeners to mess around, make mistakes and quite literally take the wrong route, is what makes the record such a bright and brilliant listen.

80
The Telegraph
There is, perhaps, a sense that the production is more of an afterthought than core to the project. The album sounds like something knocked out almost live in a spirit of excitement, rather than with objective vision or commercial muscle.
70
The Needle Drop

Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, and Lucy Dacus jell together well on The Record.

70
Clash
Across an album that attempts to corral three distinct talents into one cohesive statement, it’s here that ‘the record’ truly shines: neither entirely sincere nor tongue-in-cheek, but a piece of art that elevates their points of collision.
60
No Ripcord

the record is not an epoch-defining instant classic. It’s just fine. Occasionally amazing, pretty in parts, patchy in others. It’s not uncommon for debut albums to be flawed; let’s try to enjoy the boygenius journey rather than trying to rush to the climax.

50
Slant Magazine
The trio struggles to find a collective identity or creative method that complements their myriad talents.
cfnugent
80

The hoes don’t sound scared on this, they sound sad 😢

Founded in 2018, indie rock and indie folk outfit boygenius consists of established indie singer-songwriters Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker. The trio sort of just fell into place, as all three were simply fans of each other’s music. After experiences over the years of opening shows for one another and generally running in similar music circles, the three formed a close bond, which also turned into a band. ... read more

MattsReviews
80

The Female Migos, call it Migas

“If you think three talented women can't come together to form a supergroup, you haven't listened to Boygenius - the only boy band I'll ever need.” - ChatGPT when asked about Nirvana

That’s only a joke of course… But is it? boygenius, a collective of three of the most prolific singer-songwriter indie folk artists in the last few years, may not stack up to create a grand record to the eyes of most, but to me it does. Starting with Lucy ... read more

Shaze1
82

I think the three of them could take on the entirety of the US Army

boygenius is a trio composed of female vocalists Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker, and the most beloved of them all, Phoebe Bridgers. This is their 2023 LP, very creatively called “the record”. There is a lot to like about this album. From the soothing vocals to the dense lyrics covering various topics regarding mental health as well as nice production to top it off, this album can present itself as therapeutic in some ... read more

90

The boys have done it! They brought together the bangers to make this masterpiece. This album is a great starting point from them and I can’t wait to see where the group goes together! There was only 2 tracks to me that seemed more boring than the rest but the rest was perfect. Love The Record

RealZzzz
65

I honestly did not get a lot from this album at all. A lot of slower, sadder songs. I do like more ambient music and saddening tracks. And although this is nice and well composed, I can’t shake the fact I wasn’t too much of a fan. It’s quite well made and sounds sweet af, but I don’t really get the craze over. Even after a relisten, it’s nice n sweet but it’s not all that imo

ThaLunny3
89

Great from start to finish, the right blend of like almost blind optimism and sad girl energy.

Shoutout Leonard Cohen 🤙🏻

Purchasing the record from Amazon helps support Album of the Year. Or consider a donation?
Become a Donor
Donor badge, no ads + more benefits.
Advertisement

Track List

1Without You Without Them
1:21
76
2$20
3:20
86
3Emily I'm Sorry
3:34
84
4True Blue
4:56
86
5Cool About It
3:00
82
6Not Strong Enough
3:54
91
7Revolution 0
4:17
79
8Leonard Cohen
1:42
74
9Satanist
4:50
84
10We're In Love
4:54
78
11Anti-Curse
3:18
82
12Letter To An Old Poet
3:07
83
Total Length: 42 minutes
Sign in to comment
19h
6d
1w
1mo
1mo


Added on: January 12, 2023