IN REVIEW: Phoebe Bridgers - "Punisher"

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Following the subdued but brilliant, largely acoustic tones of her acclaimed 2017 debut Stranger in the Alps with a slew of side projects and collaborations lent an air of mystery to the release of her second solo LP; she participated in no less than two all-star bands since that record's release, one with fellow critical powerhouses Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus (Boygenius, whose 2018 EP beautifully crackles with intensity) and another with indie mainstay Conor Oberst (Better Oblivion Community Centre, whose 2019 LP is one of that year's most underrated listens). She's also appeared on tracks by artists such as The National's Matt Berninger and The 1975. Considering the breadth of talent she's aligned herself with in the three years since Stranger in the Alps, who could tell what direction her music would go in?

As it turns out, Punisher isn't a vastly different experience from Stranger in the Alps, at least on the surface; Bridgers still trades in somber, smart and observational songs that are often punctuated with sparse instrumentation. The differences are, like the songs, subtle; an instrumental flourish here, a new influence integrated there. These changes are small, but they frame their creator as a more assured vessel, one who's learned from her musical and life experiences and resurfaced a more confident writer and performer who's willing to take just a few risks.

Even if it's not a quantum leap in creativity from her debut or a real threat for Album of the Year honours, Punisher is still a stunning album that offers hints of both of those things happening for Bridgers in the future.

June 18, 2020 • Dead Oceans
Highlights Garden Song • Halloween • I Know the End

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