The Record (Boygenius album) explained

The Record
Type:studio
Artist:Boygenius
Cover:Boygenius - the record.jpg
Alt:Three hands in front of a pale blue sky, light shining from the bottom right corner
Released:March 31, 2023
Studio:Shangri-La (Malibu), Sound City Studios (Van Nuys)[1]
Genre:
Length:42:13
Label:Interscope
Producer:
Prev Title:Boygenius
Prev Year:2018
Next Title:The Rest
Next Year:2023

The Record is the only studio album by American indie rock supergroup Boygenius, consisting of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus. It was released on March 31, 2023, through Interscope Records.

The Record received critical acclaim, and was awarded perfect scores by the likes of DIY, NME and Rolling Stone. It went on to top the charts in Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, marking the first number-one album for all band members, and peaked at number four on the Billboard 200.

The Record and its tracks received a total of seven nominations at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year. It received three awards, including Best Alternative Music Album.

Background

After releasing their debut self-titled EP Boygenius in 2018, the trio had since been working on their solo projects and had all released their respective albums—Little Oblivions by Julien Baker, Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers, and Home Video by Lucy Dacus—before performing as a group for the first time in 3 years on November 19, 2021.[2] Rumours about a debut album from Boygenius began spreading in late 2022 to 2023, after the trio was spotted in a photoshoot together in November 2022 and after Boygenius was announced to be on the 2023 Coachella lineup on January 10, 2023.[3] [4] [5]

Release

On January 18, 2023, Boygenius announced the album, along with the release of three lead singles, "$20", "Emily I'm Sorry", and "True Blue".[6]

On March 1, 2023, Boygenius released the album's fourth single "Not Strong Enough", along with an accompanying music video edited by Bridgers' brother Jackson Bridgers.[7] The song was sent to adult album alternative and alternative radio in the United States on March 13 and 28, 2023, respectively.[8] [9]

The B-side of the vinyl version of the record ends with a locked groove at the end of "Letter to an Old Poet," resulting in the group repeating the phrase "waiting" until the listener lifts the needle.

The Film

On March 30, 2023, Boygenius released "The Film", a promotional short film for the album, featuring the videos for all three singles, "$20", "Emily I'm Sorry", and "True Blue". The videos are interconnected with visual details.

"The Film" was directed by Kristen Stewart, and was launched with a proper film premiere at the El Rey Theatre, a live music venue in Los Angeles. The premiere was followed by a live Q&A with the band, for the press and fans.[10]

Touring and promotion

The group embarked on two tours to support the album, the in June 2023, and their own The Tour from April to October 2023. The Tour saw the band notably play Coachella, Pukkelpop in Belgium, Connect Music Festival in the UK and Rock en Seine in France.[11] [12]

The band also performed "Not Strong Enough" on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and during Bridgers' opening set for Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour in Nashville.[13] [14]

Critical reception

On review aggregator website Metacritic, The Record holds a score of 90 out of 100, based on reviews from 26 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". A five-star review by NME raved that The Record was an "instant classic" as a result of each Boygenius member "getting to know each other artistically and collaboratively". Rolling Stone wrote that Boygenius were able to "transcend any kind of 'supergroup' cliché" through "recombining their individual styles into a different kind of chemistry for each song". Matthew Neale of Clash praised Lucy Dacus' contributions to the album in particular with tracks "True Blue" and "We're in Love". John Amen of PopMatters wrote, "Democratically curated and effusing a palpable enthusiasm, [''The Record''] stands as a testimony to the power of aesthetic commonality, enduring friendship, and the magic of teamwork, something we could all use more of these days."[15] Kyle Lemmon of Flood Magazine stated that The Record "just plain rips as an indie-rock record".[16]

Year-end lists

Numerous critics and publications listed The Record in their year-end ranking of the best albums of 2023, often inside the top-ten.

Publication/critic! scope="col"
AccoladeRank
BillboardThe 50 Best Albums of 20232[17]
DazedThe 20 Best Albums of 20235[18]
Entertainment WeeklyThe 10 Best Albums of 20233[19]
NMEThe Best Albums of 2023
PeopleTop 10 Albums of 2023
PitchforkThe 50 Best Albums of 2023
PopMattersThe 30 Best Rock Albums of 2023
Rolling StoneThe 100 Best Albums of 20232[20]
The IndependentThe 30 Best Albums of 2023
VarietyThe Best Albums of 20231[21]

Accolades

Association!scope="col"
YearNominated WorkCategoryResult
Grammy Award2024[22] The RecordAlbum of the Year
Best Alternative Music Album
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
"Not Strong Enough"Record of the Year
Best Rock Song
Best Rock Performance
"Cool About It"Best Alternative Music Performance

Track listing

Notes

Personnel

The Tour

Concert Tour Name:The Tour
Artist:Boygenius
Location:North America and Europe
Album:The Record
Number Of Legs:3
Number Of Shows:36
Last Tour:Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers with Lucy Dacus Tour
(2018)
This Tour:The Tour
(2023)

The Tour is the second concert tour[26] by American indie rock supergroup Boygenius, in support of their debut album The Record.[27] The tour was announced on March 28, 2023, and began on April 13, 2023.[28]

Background

In 2018, Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus booked a co-headlining tour together,[29] and, after booking the tour, decided to record a six-song EP to help promote the tour.[30] The three ended up forming a band called boygenius, coming on stage together at the end of each show and playing the entire EP.[31] In 2023, the group returned with the announcement of their debut album, The Record.[32] [33] That same month, the group also announced they would be heading out on the .[34] With the Re:SET Concert Series only hitting select cities, the group announced a proper headlining tour to hit markets not part of the concert series.[35] In February, they announced their first concerts in the United Kingdom and Europe.[36] A final fall US leg of the tour was announced in July including shows at Madison Square Garden and the Hollywood Bowl.[37]

Reception

Reviewing the opening show in Pomona, Chris Willman of Variety described it as a "galvanizing gig", further commended Boygenius as they "managed to find the ideal balance and blend of voices, personalities and musical sensibilities".[38]

Set list

This set list is representative of the show on September 28, 2023, in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. It does not represent all dates throughout the tour.[39]

  1. "Without You Without Them" (from backstage)
  2. "$20"
  3. "Satanist"
  4. "Emily I'm Sorry"
  5. "True Blue"
  6. "Cool About It"
  7. "Souvenir"
  8. "Bite the Hand"
  9. "Revolution 0"
  10. "Stay Down"
  11. "Leonard Cohen"
  12. "Please Stay" (Lucy Dacus song)
  13. "Favor" (Julien Baker song)
  14. "Graceland Too" (Phoebe Bridgers song)
  15. "Voyager" (live debut)
  16. "We're in Love"
  17. "Anti-Curse"
  18. "Letter to an Old Poet"
  19. "Not Strong Enough"
  20. "Salt in the Wound"

Encore

  1. "Ketchum, ID"
  2. "Salt in the Wound"

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2023)! scope="col"
Peak
position
US Billboard 200[40] 4

Year-end charts

Chart (2023)! scope="col"
Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[41] 108
UK Vinyl Albums (OCC)[42] 14
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[43] 27

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: January 18, 2023 . boygenius Announce New Album 'The Record': Hear Three Songs . January 18, 2023 . . en.
  2. Web site: Lavin . Will . November 21, 2021 . Watch Boygenius play first show in three years for San Francisco charity event . January 18, 2023 . . en-GB.
  3. Web site: Cox . Lauren . January 9, 2023 . 7 Of The Most Anticipated Albums Of 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230109130514/https://gigwise.com/features/3428369/7-of-the-most-anticipated-albums-of-2023. Gigwise . en-US . January 9, 2023. January 25, 2024.
  4. Web site: O'Connor . Siobhain . January 10, 2023 . Signs are pointing to boygenius being back and doing... something . January 18, 2023 . Dork.
  5. Paul . Larisha . Mier . Tomás . January 10, 2023 . Bad Bunny and Blackpink Make History as 2023 Coachella Headliners, Frank Ocean Makes Grand Return . Rolling Stone . en-US . January 18, 2023.
  6. Martoccio . Angie . January 18, 2023 . Boygenius Are Back in Town to Save 2023 . January 18, 2023 . . en-US.
  7. Web site: Strauss . Matthew . March 1, 2023 . Boygenius Share Video for New Song 'Not Strong Enough' . Pitchfork . en-US . March 1, 2023.
  8. Web site: Triple A Future Releases . All Access . March 2, 2023.
  9. Web site: Alternative Future Releases . All Access . March 2, 2023.
  10. Web site: Kristen Stewart and Boygenius Celebrate Their Bloody, Monster Truck-Filled Short Film at Premiere: 'It Felt Like a Fever Dream' . All Access . March 31, 2023 . March 31, 2023.
  11. Web site: Ruiz . Matthew Ismael . January 31, 2023 . Boygenius, LCD Soundsystem, and Steve Lacy to Headline New Re:Set Concert Series . Pitchfork . en-US . March 30, 2023.
  12. Rowley . Glenn . March 28, 2023 . Boygenius Announces North American Headlining Tour in Support of 'The Record': See the Dates . Billboard . en-US . March 30, 2023.
  13. Web site: Watch Boygenius perform 'Not Strong Enough' on 'Jimmy Kimmel'. Shutler. Ali. NME. April 22, 2023. May 17, 2023.
  14. Web site: Phoebe Bridgers Brought Out The Rest Of Boygenius During Her First Time Opening For Taylor Swift's Tour. Lane. Lexi. Uproxx. May 5, 2023. May 17, 2023.
  15. Web site: Amen . John . April 3, 2023 . Boygenius Celebrate Creative Chemistry on 'The Record' . PopMatters . en-US . April 3, 2023.
  16. Web site: Lemmon . Kyle . March 29, 2023 . boygenius, the record . April 4, 2023 . Flood Magazine.
  17. Aniftos. Rania . December 6, 2023 . The 50 Best Albums of 2023: Staff List . .
  18. Web site: December 14, 2023 . The 50 Best Albums of 2023. .
  19. Travis. Emlyn. December 14, 2023 . The 10 Best Albums of 2023. .
  20. Hyun Kim . Michelle . November 30, 2023. The 100 Best Albums of 2023. .
  21. Willman . Chris . December 11, 2023 . The Best Albums of 2023 . live . . https://web.archive.org/web/20231212210352/https://variety.com/lists/best-albums-2023/. December 12, 2023 . December 12, 2023.
  22. Web site: Bloom. Madison. February 4, 2024. Grammy Winners 2024: See the Full List Here. Pitchfork. en-US. February 4, 2024.
  23. Wilson . Carl . The New Album From Rock's Greatest Supergroup Shows It Finding a Style All Its Own . . March 31, 2023 . March 30, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230330220058/https://slate.com/culture/2023/03/boygenius-record-phoebe-bridgers-album-review.html . March 30, 2023 . live.
  24. Wang . Steffanee . About That "Me & My Dog" Sample on Boygenius' "Letter to an Old Poet" . . March 31, 2023 . March 31, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230331150622/https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/boygenius-letter-to-old-poet-lyrics-explained-conor-oberst-phoebe-bridgers . March 31, 2023 . live.
  25. Golsen . Tyler . The Boygenius song inspired by Paul Simon . . April 5, 2023 .
  26. Web site: Mier. Tomás. Boygenius Announce 2023 Summer Tour. March 28, 2023 . Rolling Stone. March 29, 2023.
  27. Web site: Hussey. Allison. Boygenius Announce 2023 North American Tour. March 28, 2023 . Pitchfork . March 29, 2023.
  28. Web site: Willman. Chris. Boygenius Sets Summer Tour Dates, With Carly Rae Jepsen Among Openers. March 28, 2023. Variety. March 29, 2023.
  29. News: Coscarelli. Joe. Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus Formed an Indie-Rock Supergroup. The New York Times. September 11, 2018. March 29, 2023.
  30. Web site: Bernstein . Jonathan . The Collaborative Magic of Boygenius. October 23, 2018. Rolling Stone. March 29, 2023.
  31. Web site: Read. Bridget. A Brief Oral History of Boygenius. October 31, 2018. Vogue. March 29, 2023.
  32. Web site: Monroe. Jazz. Boygenius Announce New Album The Record, Share Three Songs: Listen. January 18, 2023. Pitchfork. March 29, 2023.
  33. Web site: Anderson. Carys. boygenius Announce Debut Album the record, Share Three New Songs: Stream. January 18, 2023. Consequence. March 29, 2023.
  34. Dailey . Hannah . Boygenius, Steve Lacy & LCD Soundsystem to Headline New Re:SET Outdoor Concert Series . . March 29, 2023. January 31, 2023.
  35. Web site: Richards. Will. Boygenius share North American 2023 headline tour dates . March 28, 2023. NME. March 29, 2023.
  36. Web site: Boygenius announce debut UK shows – including huge outdoor London gig. NME. February 24, 2023. April 13, 2023. Will. Richards.
  37. Web site: Aswad . Jem . July 11, 2023 . Boygenius Announces Fall Tour Dates . October 13, 2023 . Variety . en-US.
  38. Web site: Boygenius Previews Coachella by Starting Tour With Galvanizing Warmup Gig: Concert Review. Variety. April 14, 2023. April 19, 2023. Chris. Willman.
  39. Web site: September 28, 2023 . Boygenius setlist at Westville Music Bowl . October 12, 2023 . setlist.fm.
  40. Morgan Wallen's 'One Thing at a Time' Notches Fifth Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200. Caulfield. Keith. . April 9, 2023. April 9, 2023.
  41. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2023. Ultratop. nl. January 7, 2024.
  42. Web site: The Official best-selling vinyl albums and singles of 2023. Official Charts Company. Ainsley. Helen. January 4, 2024. January 11, 2024.
  43. Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2023. Billboard. November 23, 2023.

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