When indie-rock supergroup Boygenius formed by Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker announced they were releasing a new album on March 31 titled “The Record,” I’ll admit I was a bit nervous.

As a huge fan of Bridgers, Dacus, and Baker, my expectations for this album were through the roof. With three of my favorite artists returning to collaborate on a full-length record, there was a part of me that feared my sky-high expectations would not be met.

I was wrong.

Even from my first listen, I knew this album would be on repeat for the next several months. In its rawest form, “The Record” is an unadulterated look at the unconditional love between these three artists. The trust that they exude between each other is required to produce music with such profound and intimate themes.

The opening ballot “Without You Without Them” prefaces the album with this idea. The harmonious, acapella track features all three singers in tandem, immediately letting the audience know this is more than a mere collaboration of indie-rock artists. It’s a manifestation of friendship.

Boygenius’ first EP came out in 2018, with six hauntingly beautiful tracks that show these three artists know how to bring out the best in each other. The final song in “The Record” titled “Letter To An Old Poet” samples from a song in Boygenius’ original EP titled “Me & My Dog.” Both pieces address failing and toxic relationships, but it’s more than just the theme that connects the two.

The original lyrics “I wanna be emaciated” from “Me & My Dog” have always packed a powerful punch to the gut, but to hear Bridgers sing “I want to be happy” in “Letter To An Old Poet” with the same cadence left me nearly speechless. The complete story arc and growth that “The Record” demonstrates is something few albums can accomplish.

“The Record” is littered with these small lines that take a bit of context to truly understand. A few lines almost feel like inside jokes between Bridgers, Dacus, and Baker, referencing favorite authors and passages across the 12 tracks.

My personal favorite reference comes from “Anti-Curse” where Baker sings “Was anyone ever so young?” quoting late author Joan Didion’s essay “Goodbye to All That,” which outlines Didion’s experiences living in New York City and falling out of love with her former home.

The singles released before the full album dropped provided a perfect glimpse at what “The Record” had to offer. “$20,” “Emily I’m Sorry,” and “True Blue” each felt like they drew on Baker, Bridgers, and Dacus’ styles respectively while managing to amplify each other’s work in supporting roles.

While “Emily I’m Sorry” sounds like it could slot right into Bridgers’ album “Punisher” as Bridgers sings apologies and laments regrets from a past relationship, it wouldn’t have the same weight without the accompanying vocals from Baker and Dacus.

“Not Strong Enough” was the fourth and final single released for the album and felt like a true amalgamation between the three singer-songwriters. With the repeating mantra of “Always an angel, never a god” coupled with powerful accompanying instrumentals and a catchy refrain, the song quickly became my favorite single from the album.

“The Record” is littered with powerful and heartbreaking lyricism, but perhaps one of the most powerful songs on the entire album is track five, titled “Cool About It.” The entire piece is filled with devastating lines that don’t line up with the track’s name.

This is, without a doubt, a no-skip album for me. Whether it’s Dacus’ soft and compelling vocals on “We’re In Love” coupled with beautiful lyrics showcasing Dacus’ songwriting talents or the chaotic energy in “Satanist,” the entire tracklist is full of gems.

While Bridgers, Dacus, and Baker all have flourishing solo careers, I can only hope that their collaboration continues. Even with my soaring expectations for this album, I was still wildly impressed by the soulful storytelling, vocals, and artistry demonstrated on “The Record,” which has quickly become my album of the year.