If It's Too Loud...

When boygenius (the group made up of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker) released their EP back in 2018, I assumed it was a fun off one project from friends who felt like collaborating. Much like The Bens (the group of Ben Folds, Ben Kweller, and Ben Lee), we'd never hear from the trio again and it would be a fun little footnote in their careers. But boygenius kept going, and this year they released the excellent the record. And they got huge. They're at the level where it's cool to both love them and hate them. Their backlash now has backlash. We obviously love them, and with good reason. At no point do any of the songs on  the record  feel like a Phoebe Bridgers song, or a Lucy Dacus song, or a Julien Baker song. They've accomplished this feat where the entire album somehow sounds like all three of them, and something completely new. Plus, it's a wildly diverse album. "$20" is a full on indie rocker, "Emily I'm Sorry" is alt-pop ...

The three women of boygenius are having a moment, and I'm here for it. This is a multiple-Grammy contender, has the Taylor Swift seal of approval, has Rolling Stone apparently confusing Lucy Dacus with Julien Baker , and it just a musically superior album than most of what I listened to this year. Where the record ultimately excels is that, while you can probably figure out who was the lead songwriter from track to track if you're a fan of all three members, the songs do not end up being solo showcases with their friends as backups. There's a little bit of magic in this collaboration, and it's great to see everyone getting their due. The album itself? It's gorgeous singer-songwriter stuff sometimes ("True Blue," "Cool About It"), it's radio-friendly rock ("Not Strong Enough," a favorite track of the year period), or just loud indie rock ("$20," "Satanist"). The band easily shifts between dif...

Artist : Rachel Baiman Album : Common Nation of Sorrow Quick Thoughts : Rachel Baiman has solidified herself as a mandatory listen with Common Nation of Sorrow . Baiman's roots-focused folk is spot-on with this latest album that is as earwormy as it is contemplative, and yet somehow still feels surprising. I knew a few songs in that it was going to be a favorite this week, and longtime readers will find a lot to love here. Songs of Note : "Annie," "Self Made Man," "Lovers and Leavers," "Old Flame" Artist : Altın Gün Album : Aşk Quick Thoughts : I became addicted to this semi-cinematic indie genre over the last few years, and a favorite of mine ended up being Altın Gün. Their albums are catchy and interesting, but the new album levels up in many regards while also harkening back to their earlier work. It's a gorgeous and fascinating listen that's unlike anything else you'll hear this week. Make sure you take some time wi...