Phoebe Bridgers "Punisher" Album Review

Phoebe Bridgers sophomore solo album, Punisher, was released June 19 on Dead Oceans Records.

Photo Credits: Olof Grind

Never having listened to Phoebe prior to the release I was delighted but didn’t know what to expect going into it. I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. In a melancholy fashion, Bridgers presented topics such as romance less relationships, depression, and caring about someone, who doesn’t care for themselves. This new indie rock album presents hints of folk influence such as song, "Graceland Too" and catchy melodies in "Kyoto." Her strong lyrics leave a heavy hitting impact on listeners as well, such as, “You're holding me like water in your hands,” in soulful piece, "Moon Song", or in "Chinese Satellite" statements such as, “I want to believe, instead I look at the sky and I feel nothing.”

Photo Credits: Alex Hodor-Lee

And it's definitely worth mentioning the talented band and producers working alongside Bridgers. For instance, Marshall Vore has a very noticeable presence on Punisher, being a writer on half the album, as well as drums and percussion. Just as previous album, Stranger in the Alps, Vore makes a distinct notable contribution. Artist, Christian Lee Hutson, also made a prominent appearance on the record as a writer, guitarist, and vocalist. As well as strong backbone mixing engineers, Mike Mogis and producers, Tony Berg, Ethan Gruska, and Bridgers herself creating a beautifully done album from a technical standpoint.

The eleven-song track list presents an alluring take on indie, folk rock and is already considerably of the best records this year. Personally, my favorite tracks are "Halloween" and "Moon Song", and I would rate the album as a whole an 8.5/10.