boygenius' debut, a self-titled EP from way back in 2018, was one of the watershed moments for rock music in that decade, a collection that steamrolled the critical press and moulded the sound of contemporary indie in its own image. Those six songs are some of the very best to have been bundled together in recent memory and it is scarcely believable that five years have nearly passed since their release. That EP was fundamentally blindsiding: at times biting and utterly arresting ('Me & My Dog', 'Salt in the Wound') while interchangeably warm and resonant. At its core, it was raw and novel. the record, by contrast, is lived-in and comfortable. It feels different even if it sounds essentially similar.

Like the original EP, boygenius tend to trade the spotlight individually on the record, only occasionally sharing joint custody. A majority of songs can have their DNA traced immediately back to a particular member: 'Anti-Curse' is staple Baker, emo-tinged and witheringly self-critical; 'Revolution 0' belongs to Bridgers, a candle-lit folk cut that is particularly vulnerable and disarming; while 'True Blue' is warm and richly detail-oriented, born out of Dacus' studied, reflective manner. It is irresistible and sweet like honey. Dacus has an unparalleled capacity to render friendship in the most beautiful light and is responsible for some of the most refreshing moments on 'the record'.

Each member of boygenius can now lay claim to three existing LPs, Baker and Dacus having released primarily solo material and Bridgers supplementing her discography with Better Oblivion Community Center alongside Conor Oberst, whose figure looms large over one notably incisive song. As a result, the record is more assured and varied than their debut, which bathed in the fuzzy spectre of 90s alt rock. Certain tracks still follow this lineage, but this time around they feel propulsive and kinetic. '$20' chugs with intensity before it folds into a swirling, orbital coda in which Baker, Bridgers and Dacus become a truly singular entity. The shimmering, glossy 'Not Strong Enough' is mesmerising in its interpretation of across-the-pond jangle pop. boygenius even draw from grunge on 'Satanist', brimming with confidence above a funk rhythm section before disintegrating into sultry, Duster-esque slowcore. Elsewhere, there is swing-time traditional pop to be found and an expanded suite of indie folk.

On two occasions, the established lanes that Baker, Bridgers and Dacus have individually carved stifle some of the creativity that bursted from the seams of their debut. 'Emily I'm Sorry' is Punisher-era revivalism from Bridgers that features an uncharacteristically weak vocal and her very first lyrical miss ("We can burn out / In the freezing cold / And just get lost"), while Baker's 'Anti-Curse' rehashes the echo-shrouded texture of 'Little Oblivions' with little update.

Let that not take away from the fact that boygenius really do show up here, in a way that only a handful of songwriters in the world could. 'the record' is an album of lyrical diversity and flair, a pure exercise in honesty and in writing for writing's sake. Each member goes about this task in subtly different ways. Bridgers tends to be responsible for those lines that land with the force of a gut punch, sometimes quite literally: "You think that you're a good person / Because you won't punch me in the stomach". For all the brilliance of her past material, she has perhaps never crystallised the essence of longing better than she does on 'Revolution 0': "If it isn't love / then what the fuck is it?". Dacus is an unwavering source of optimism for the band, wearing her heart on her sleeve on the bracing 'We're in Love' and imbuing 'the record' with humour. Take 'True Blue', where she brings up the one time a friend treated her badly before claiming “who won the fight? / I don’t know, we’re not keeping score". Her interpretation (mere weeks after Lana!) of Leonard Cohen's renowned navel-gazing is also hilarious. Baker, meanwhile, delivers thrilling star turns on a couple of the record's best songs. On '$20' she describes herself as an "arsonist" and minutes later on 'Not Strong Enough' she is getting "scraped up off the pavement". Is she really not strong enough to be your man? No: "I lied, I am / Just lowering your expectations".

Ultimately, boygenius are a reverent band, but the focus is squarely on each other. the record gives you the impression that Baker, Bridgers and Dacus are facing one another, passing the mic as they sing to each other directly. When they take turns offering their perspective on a reunion with a former flame, it feels absolutely cohesive, as if each thought has come from a shared mind. When they break into resplendent harmony, it feels like radiant love and the solidarity of friendship through your speakers. And they know that what they have already achieved is remarkable. On 'Letter to an Old Poet', Bridgers reprises 'Me & My Dog' in full knowledge of the significance of the original song. This time, however, she isn't just dreaming of escapism, she is "ready" for it. Her words are quiet but electric - "You make me feel like an equal / But I'm better than you" - and the sentiment is so personal that you might forget that her bandmates are singing it too. They are letting you in on a secret - boygenius are at the top of everything.

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Sam Gollings

4 April 2023