In 2018, indie-rock supergroup Boygenius (stylized in all lower case) made their debut with a self-titled EP. Now, almost five years later, the group is back and better than ever with their first full album “the record”.

Boygenius is made up of three members: Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. All three have made names for themselves as successful solo artists – in fact, the band was started as a result of mutual fangirling turned friendship.

The album opens up with “Without You Without Them”, a short acapella song filled with haunting harmonies and lyrics that make it the perfect introduction to the rest of the album. This song is unique in its length and its style. Although there are other slow songs on the album, the choral-like style of “Without You Without Them” creates a clear contrast between it and every other song.

The rest of the album is equally as satisfying, with songs that clearly incorporate pieces of each artist’s individual style.

Typically, when I listen to an album, picking a favorite comes almost like second nature. In “the record”, though, there is no one song that calls out to me. Each has their own appeal, with vocals and instrumentals that range from angry and loud to soft and melancholic.

If I had to pick a song to highlight, though, it would be the sixth track on the album, “Not Strong Enough”. The lyrics, which describe a sense of anxiety, are matched with an almost panicked fast-paced melody. Dacus opens up the bridge with the repeated line “always an angel, never a god”. Gradually, Bridgers and Baker join in as well, adding layered harmonies to the same line, which becomes almost a mantra, until it transitions into the final chorus of the song. The melody of both the vocals and instrumentals, combined with the pure simplicity of the lyrics, creates a perfect sensation of an emotion that I can’t even name.

Best of all, this feeling is not unique to “Not Strong Enough”. Each song, no matter how short orlong, is able to capture its listener completely.

Often when writing reviews, I aim to find both the positive and the negative in the subject. With “the record” however, I have found myself coming up blank in the latter category. Through and through, it is a beautiful release, which has already integrated its way into my go-to playlists.