Indie supergroup Boygenius (consisting of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker) released one of the year’s best albums, The Record, earlier this year. After embarking on a support tour, the trio has released The Rest — an epilogue to their debut album.
Full of ambient sounds, and a spotlight on each of the women that make up Boygenius, The Rest isn’t strong enough to make an album. But it is a great example of a group doing a project they care about. A true passion project, The Rest is more than just leftovers from their debut album.
The Rest review
According to the band themselves, The Rest isn’t just four songs held over from The Record. Whether that’s true or not is something only the three members of Boygenius know.
And that’s pretty clear given that none of the four tracks, which run for about 12 minutes, really sound like The Record. Boygenius’ sound on The Rest slightly evolves from that, with the exception of “Powers,” which opens with an acoustic guitar strumming pattern akin to “Anti-Curse” from The Record.
Each member of the band gets their time to shine. Some tracks do have three-way harmonies, which is Boygenius’ strength, while others let the singer go solo. Baker, who gets plenty of time in the spotlight on The Record, is the MVP of The Rest. She opens and closes the EP with “Black Hole” and “Powers.”
Of course, Bridgers gets the strongest song on the EP. “Voyager” is a classic Bridgers ballad, melancholy and all. Baker and Dacus and their humming backing vocals compliment Bridgers’ already-angelic voice. “Voyager” is almost like the sister to “Garden Song” or “Halloween.”
A minimal EP
Each track features ambient guitar playing in the background. No song hits the fast tempo of “Not Strong Enough” or “$20” from The Record, but slide guitar and synthesizers occupy the background of the songs.
It’s a very minimal EP (I don’t know that a drum ever appears on the EP). “Voyager” is Bridgers singing, with a little guitar melody being played, and Baker and Dacus’ backing vocals. “Powers” is probably the most complex of the song, as echo-y backing vocals create a hypnotizing effect. Even then, the song is still primarily Baker singing and a guitar part. That is, prior to the horns coming in and closing out the final minute of The Rest.
Should you listen to The Rest?
The trio are very close, and it’s transparent on The Rest. While their touring band and recording of The Record enlisted others, The Rest is Boygenius stripped down and playing with each other. Maybe they do need an occasional drum beat or upbeat track like “Not Strong Enough” or a ballad as strong as “Emily I’m Sorry,” but The Rest feels like a passion project first. Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker are here to stay after an abnormally-strong 2023.
None of the songs soar as much as The Record did, but if the intent was for Boygenius to wet the appetite of their fans, mission accomplished.
Grade: B-
The Rest is out now.
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