BoyGenuis - Not Strong Enough | Single Review
March 31 | Written By Emily Whitchurch
Formed in 2018, indie rock supergroup boygenius consists of individual artists Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus, all hailing from the US. Not Strong Enough came out as a single on March 1, and is the first track on their second album, the record, released on March 31. With its striking lyrics, rousing bridge and effortless blend of vocals, Not Strong Enough is, ironically, an impressively strong start to the record.
Unlike much of their previous work, Not Strong Enough sees each member of boygenius take on solos as well as their much-loved harmonies. The track opens with Bridgers’ wistful voice describing a black hole in the kitchen, leading into subtle harmonies with Baker for the first chorus as they recall ‘staring at the ceiling fan and spinning out about things that haven’t happened’ in earnest introspection.
Baker continues into the second verse - she envisions ‘drag racing through the canyon’ while listening to The Cure, before her mind casually wanders to ‘getting scraped up off the pavement’. This morbid contrast is lightened by the upbeat guitar strums in the background, giving the track a somewhat satirical element, and a comforting sense of relatability.
‘Self-hatred is a god complex sometimes, where you think you’re the most fucked-up person who’s ever lived. Straight up, you’re not’, Bridgers explains.
This theme of duality is further explored in the music video, shot by Bridgers’ brother as a warm, lighthearted montage that feels like a nostalgic home movie. The trio enjoy Californian amusement parks and beach bonfires, laughing and grinning together while lyrics depicting black holes, bodies scraped off pavements and an unattainable godliness play out in the background. Listeners are likely to relate to this coexistence of carefree delight and existential dread, making Not Strong Enough a profoundly human track in its acknowledgement of messy, often contradictory, emotions that often make us feel more alone than we really are.
Dacus leads the anthemic bridge, delving further into the group’s idea of simultaneous self-hatred and narcissism as she repeats ‘always an angel, never a god’ against swelling instrumentals. Gradually, Bridgers and Baker chime in, and the voices of all three boygenius members melt into effortless harmonies before fading back out for Dacus to close the song - her rich voice surges as she describes having revelations and going home alone, perhaps moving on from the self-criticism of not being strong enough for someone else.
Not Strong Enough triumphs as a candid, pensive track, highlighting each artist individually while still feeling cohesive.
Its melancholy meditation on self-doubt and overthinking coupled with upbeat guitars and synth creates a lyrical dissonance that is sure to appeal to many listeners, with boygenius gaining traction as ‘the world’s most exciting supergroup’.