Grab yourself a tissue box as we dive into the new Boygenius tracks
On October 13, the all-female queer band Boygenius released their EP, the rest. Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker released their album the record on March 21 of this year and have been on tour since. Each of the artists also have their own solo careers, which are very popular and worthwhile to discover. As an avid listener, I’ve found this EP is more eerie than their previous work; it feels more emotional and gives me goosebumps. Here is a breakdown of the 4-track EP.
“Black Hole”
The track starts off by describing the stars on a dark night. Then, the music builds into this mesmerizing storytelling of a fight and a goodbye. It symbolizes the inner turmoil of being frustrated with someone while seeing the good in them. The song ends with the aftermath of saying goodbye to someone and having to fake being happy. The last lyric is longing and soulful; “Sometimes I need to hear your voice.” Hearing that feels as painful as actually being sucked into a black hole.
“Afraid of Heights”
My favourite from this EP, this track details the inner conflicts of an individual wanting to be more daring in life, and how their peer wants them to take risks. Dacus and her rich voice sings, “I wanna live a vibrant life / but I wanna die a boring death.” This song is for when you feel like you are stuck in a cycle of feeling like you need to do more in life, but fear you won’t have the chance or make that change.
“Voyager”
With any music, you can tell what songs were mainly written by one member of the band. From the ghostly whispers to the longing lyrics of “Voyager,” this is all Bridgers. She sings about a complex relationship, saying “You thought I’d never leave and I let you believe you were right.” This track is about feeling so connected to someone that you would do anything, good or bad, to be with them.
“Powers”
The last track on the EP is led by Baker, who is confused about how she has powers, which represents an individual questioning their identity and their purpose. She asks, “Or am I simply another of the universe’s failed experiments?” The album ends with the smooth sound of trumpets; an honorary ending of this deeply personal work.
The rest will transcend you to another place, far away. An interesting aspect of this EP is that each band member is singing about a similar experience, but explaining their own perspective. It’s about the complex connection between a person and another; one that you want to maintain forever but know that you need to leave. If you want new music to get you into the fall mood, the rest is an amazing new discovery! It can be your new favourite guiding voice to listen to on your walks while crunching on leaves.
