Indie rock singer and songwriter Phoebe Bridgers’ newest album, Punisher cements why she’s considered to be one of the best independent artists today. On the 11-track project, Bridgers shows the listener why she is such a musical force. The album’s beautiful lyricism is Bridgers at her best as she writes about the effects love has on an individual’s life, but Punisher is not just an album about heartbreak or the pains of love. Joy and humanity are also prominent themes.
On “Halloween,” Bridgers takes a microscopic view of the small and minute details of her life, singing, “I hate living by the hospital/ the sirens go all night/ I used to joke that if they woke you up/ somebody better be dying.” While lines like these are dark and painful in nature, they also present a sense of humor distinctly Bridgers.
The song’s chorus, “baby, it’s Halloween/ and we can be anything/ oh, come on, man/ we can be anything,” explores the tradition of costume wearing as a potential metaphor for the speaker’s ability to become whomever she wants during the holiday. Throughout the album, Bridgers focuses on specific events and details in order to turn them over and over throughout her lyricism
“Savior Complex” is another song on Punisher that exemplifies Bridgers’ art for lyricism. In one of the song’s verses, Bridgers writes, “you’re gonna drown in your sleep/ for sure, wake up and start a big fire/ in our one-room apartment/ but I’m too tired/ to have a pissing contest/ all the bad dreams that you hide/ show me yours, I’ll show you mine.”
The illustration of grimy imagery and linguistic aggression in Bridgers’ lines create tension between her beautiful instrumentation and complementing vocals. This is all furthered by Bridgers’ distinctly dark sense of humor, which works to bring out the power of her song’s lyrics.
Punisher also features an impressive list of featured guests—which includes Boygenius and Better Oblivian Community Center. These collaborations add a sense of elegance and well-thought-out harmonies scattered throughout the album, starting with the second track, “Garden Song.” A song featuring a gruff, deep-bass male vocalist who starkly contrasts Bridgers’ voice in the best way.
The album ends with “I Know The End,” an intense and powerful album closer. The song is raw and helps to summarize Punisher as a whole. The song softly begins with Bridgers’ vocals backed by a finger-picked electric guitar that evolves into an orchestrated epic wailing then a screaming doomsday-esque swirling distorted sound. Finally, this all cuts outs and Bridgers’ whispers a roar into the microphone. In a final moment of Bridgers’ humor, she lets out a slight giggle of self-awareness at the end of her last roar, calling attention to the deliberate campiness of the album.
These elements all coalesce to create an outstanding performance on the behalf of Bridgers. The album’s lyricism, instrumentation, and production are all superb which helps to make Punisher a record which is certainly not to be missed.
Let us know what you thought of Punisher in the comments section below!
Stay connected with Phoebe Bridgers across your favorite social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
