Written by Ximena Garcia-Zequera

One of the most anticipated albums of the year was “the record” by boygenius. Boygenius is a supergroup that consists of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker. The supergroup was formed back in 2018 and they also released their self-titled EP that same year. “the record” was then released March 31, 2023.

The album opens up with the song “Without You Without Them,” which I think perfectly encapsulates what this album is about. The song is an acapella with just Bridges, Dacus, and Baker singing and harmonizing with each other, letting the listener know that there is some sort of vulnerability to come. If there was anything that the anticipation of this did, it was show a sense of community, which is written all over this album. What this album did was perfectly dive into the niche of each artist and allowed for the listener to truly understand who each artist is. The chemistry is also unmatched, there was never a moment where it felt like someone was trying to outshine the other. The production was also spectacular and so was the songwriting, which I applaud Dacus for. Overall, this album tells the trial and tribulations of life are hard, but going through it with friends by your side makes everything a little easier. This album is easily a contender for “Album of the Year,” and I give it a solid 9/10.