finally somebody said it!

Phoebe Bridgers, and the whimsical melancholy of PunisherPhoebe Bridgers’ debut album Stranger In The Alps was so commanding in its dry wit and angelic melodies that people simply had to sit up and take note.

There was something new to find upon every fresh listen; insight into the world Bridgers had been thrust into whilst growing up in Pasadena, California and beyond that, depictions of loss (Smoke Signals), abusive relationships (Motion Sickness) and even sexting (Demi Moore) - all the usual facets of someone in their twenties, but never explicitly tried to be one thing or another. Stranger In The Alps borrowed from 70s folk-rock traditions and 90s alternative and emo but never felt stale, partly thanks to dynamic production from Bridgers’ with Tony Berg and Ethan Gruska, and partly in the deep-set humour that underlies her work. That awareness and deconstruction of ego gave heart to the album, leading it to not just being one of the best albums of 2017, but a prolific moment on the indie folk-rock spectrum of the ‘10s.

In the few years since her debut, Bridgers has kept busy with side projects: boygenius, a trio with Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus; and Better Oblivion Community Centre, a recent collaboration with Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst. It wasn’t a conscious choice to sway from her solo material, instead laying the groundwork for a follow-up release, as she gathered experience and inspiration like feathers in a hat. Now Bridgers returns with a solo offering that’s equally, if not more, striking than the first one. The album, titled Punisher, showcases her talents as a sophisticated, clever songwriter whose ability to hit the mark with relatability and timely pop culture references is second to none.

Punisher is a collection of songs that toy with the transformation, decay and rebirth that comes with time. Take Garden Song as an example: the lead single sees Bridgers reappropriate her childhood memories, now wondering how it’s possible for time to pass so quickly between her teenage antics of hopping the fence of Huntington Botanical Gardens – an estate just outside of LA – and current visits that leave her staring into the lake, reflecting. Then there’s Halloween, a meandering track that compares the beloved American holiday traditions to the dark reality of masks we wear well into our adulthood; and Moon Song, where she reimagines a nautical-themed birthday party, but the right words never quite fall out. Each song is full of glimpses into Bridgers’ past but rarely are they explored in-depth, instead opting for vagueness that feels both shyly intimate and universally felt.

The sheer beauty of Punisher outweighs the melancholic nature of nostalgia and yearning - two things the album features heavily. In fact, Punisher is surprisingly light to digest, considering many of the songs grapple with relationship breakdowns, alcoholism and disassociation. A childlike whimsy grounds the record, making tales of ICU wards and abusive relationships seem untouchable, like bad dreams that disappear almost as quickly as they arrived. Snow White, storybook houses, The Wizard of Oz’ click of the heels, sing-song birds sitting outside her window and, hell, even Elvis’ Graceland blur into the same reality.

That’s the thing about Phoebe Bridgers – her words are visceral and cut deeply, but that’s easy to miss if you allow yourself to be swept up in her hypnotic voice. One would never usually assume something as venomous as “stuck your tongue down the throat of somebody who loves you more / So I will wait for the next time you want me / Like a dog with a bird at your door” could come out sounding like a modern-day lullaby but here lies the exception.

If there’s anything that paints a picture of where Bridgers is in her life right now, it’s the final song on Punisher. I Know The End starts slowly and thoughtfully before erupting into shards of horns, demonic screams and a chorus of faces bluntly proclaiming “the end is here.” It’s part apocalyptic, part self-reflective and part tongue-in-cheek (it is the album closer, after all), rounding out with Bridgers’ heavy breathing for the final few seconds. She ushers us through 11 songs, from a soft instrumental opening track titled DVD Menu – which, title alone, makes me wonder why no one thought of this sooner - to a complete cacophony of sound. This constant battle between tenderness, dark humour and emotional dissonance is quintessential Phoebe Bridgers, but on Punisher we see her push that vulnerability, on all sides, further than ever before.

phoebe bridgers in article 1

phoebe bridgers in article 2

I want to start with a particular side of the album that I found to be really interesting. You've made a career out of these beautiful but devastatingly emotional songs, but I found this album to be really whimsical. There was a lot of these storybook kind of elements, like you mention Snow White and clicking your heels - things like that. Was that intentional?

No, I don't really even think until I look back later, which I think is really exciting about making music. I'm clearly thinking about one thing, and it keeps recurring, but it's not on purpose. Does that make sense? You just see it later. Then the second time there's something whimsical on the album, you're like, "Oh! I can say that twice because I'm making the same record." I think that stuff is cool; I like it when people do that.

Yeah, because I find that often when people think about your music, they just think about the emotional heaviness of it, and this one surprised me because so much lightness to it.

Yeah totally, it does feel like there's like this... I don't know, I think I just love stories, and I guess I was maybe thinking a lot about childhood and trying to make it encapsulate a bigger piece of my life than just the first album, which is kind of one headspace. I feel like there are different typefaces on this album.

I can see that, with you mentioning childhood, plus Garden Song and a couple of other tracks seem to have a lot to do with time.

Yeah, for sure.

As you were growing up, did you have sort of an obsession with storybook and fairy tales? Were you someone who loves to fantasize?

Totally. I mean, I'm f***ing obsessed with Harry Potter and all things related. I actually have a Harry Potter shrine in my room. Narnia before that, I love that contrast.

Even the title song Punisher! It gets into the chorus section that's leading into "what if I told you..." and that tiny melody reminded me so distinctly of Once Upon a Dream from Sleeping Beauty. Have you noticed that?

No, but that's why I like interviews! Yeah, I'll check it out. I didn't realise that - that's awesome.

kevin samuels

My little hazelnut

You just going after Thomas left and right today

The avalanches

sahbabii for the rick owens wearing hipsters

idk that's a weird label to me

like people will call a white girl with a guitar "hipster bait music" just because hipsters could potentially gravitate to it but what if her intention is just to make some songs with a guitar

Postal Service is 🗑

All music can be considered hipster music at some point in it's lifecycle.

But! I still think some music is particularly aimed at demographics that would be considered "hipster" ; therefore, they would be "hipster-bat".

youre just imagining things

Neil Young
Bob Dylan
Tom Waits

Johnny Cash

Nine Inch Nails

jordan peterson for niggas

sadly

Nah I know what you mean, I'm talking more about music like "I discovered them first type people" that act pretentious will say

Childish Gambino

Run the jewels

Alright thread played itself out

it was played out on page 2 g

Weezer literally since people use it to e-date 10 years younger girls nowadays

cross demograph