the record. boygenius

Superbands, it's something that has been around since the mid 1960s, starting with, I'd say, Cream. boygenius is one for that category, a supertrio, consisting of three singer-songwriters gaining popularity in say the last six to seven years. They already recorded an EP together in 2018 and now there's a full album.

The strange thing is, that nearly all reviews on this blog were from the hand of Erwin Zijleman and not mine. I have, hardly, found my way into the music of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. Erwin is a fan for years, not me and yet, there's only one word for the record: Great!, including the exclamation mark.

The trio shows several sides of itself but all are exemplary. The sound is modern, while playing at times as if it is 1966 with Simon and Garfunkel as an example and rocking out as if Courtney and Kurt were recording together in 2023. Time sort of stops in some of the tracks on the record.

Not being a connoisseur of the trio's, individual, music I can't arrive at the famous one plus one is three, in this case four, conclusion. Only that it very much seems like it does. There's so much going on and so diverse that inspiration is abound here.

the record is a record that fits into a long tradition. One of my favourites in this genre is Hazeldine's 'Digging You Up'. Three women singing songs together in the American folk(rock) tradition. 'Cool About It' as the acoustic version of 'Homeward Bound', Paul Simon does not get a nod for nothing, I notice. boygenius explores the inner and outer edges of the genre and is not afraid of rocking a little and some more on the side.

It is all done in great taste and with a lot of inventiveness. Whether the trio draws neatly within well-drawn lines or escapes all boundaries like in the hard rocking '$20' the common denominator is quality. The great strength of boygenius is their harmonies. The three know how to make the best of their collaboration. Their joy in singing together is what truly jumps out of the record. Just listen to the subdued 'Revolution 0'. It's very atmospheric, with a synth sound leading the song, the voices at some point come from almost everywhere. They even get an almost spooky quality in line with the treated keyboard sound.

Do I have an explanation why I like the record and, so far, not the individual records and previous EP? No, I have not. It cannot have been a coincidence of listening to a record at the wrong moment. There are too many of them by now. I just have to enjoy the fact I like the record this much. It doesn't matter, does it? One record in the home makes everyone some money and I can play it any time I like on the stereo. Everyone wins.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order the record here:

https://xboygeniusx.bandcamp.com/album/the-record