Lost Weekend

3rd solo album from highly acclaimed L.A.-based singer-songwriter, Phoebe Bridgers. The gifted artist puts herself out there on this nearly double album set. Many of the song topics are highly personal: about her difficult relationship with her father, her past loves or her current boyfriend (Bo Burnham). The arrangements are stunning. Production is flawless (with help from Jack Antonoff, Ethan Gruska and Tony Berg). And Bridgers’ lyrics are sharp, revealing and often disarming. RIYL: Boygenius (super group that includes Bridgers), Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, Adrianne Lenker, Mitski.

Highly recommended: 2, 14, 5, 9, 1, 15, 4. No FCCs noted.

1. (3:58) The Outside — Robotic-sounding intro ballad. Space effects with Bridgers’ voice processed through a vocoder. Occasional breaks for unfiltered vocals and lovely keys. ***
2. (4:15) Lost Boys — An unforgettable earworm of a single. Tempo and key changes with an arrangement that builds into fully orchestrated power pop. ****
3. (4:42) Kill Me — Moody, breathy vocals over rich strummed guitar. Hazy, swirling soundscape with additional shimmering synths and guitars. Intense, distorted trail-out.
4. (3:28) The Governor’s Waltz — A gentle, music box-like waltz, but with biting vocals perhaps recalling an earlier relationship. Eerie, church-like backing vocals supplied by Caroline Shaw. ***
5. (4:00) Bobby — Another trademark Bridgers anthem. Big sound with march-like drums, twinkly keys, strummed guitar and soaring vocals. Rushes of powerful synths. ****
6. (3:39) Lost Weekend — Dreamy and atmospheric with a sustained glistening soundscape providing the bed for Bridgers’ halting vocals — before the melody bursts forth at around the 2:35 mark.
7. (3:35) Haunted — Folksy Americana. Strummed mandolin, fiddle and synths. Boygenius bandmates Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker harmonize.
8. (2:47) Panorama — Off-kilter chamber pop rock. A broad mix of instruments and effects including banjo, mandolin and guitar. Minimal lyrics.
9. (3:57) Still Standing — Mesmerizing, crystalline ballad. Recalling childhood memories of a complicated relationship with her late father. Angelic harmonies. ****
10. (3:18) Liberty Tree — Propulsive folk toe-tapper — with some unexpected twists and turns.
11. (1:43) Never Going Back! — Starts with Bridgers’ a cappella vocals, then she adds a strummed guitar, banjo, backing vocals and spoken words taken from one of her father’s voicemails to her.
12. (2:21) Other Plans — Fragile, intimate keys-based ballad.
13. (0:56) Lost Parade — Swelling, march-like, orchestrated instrumental.
14. (3:38) I Can’t Wait — Collaboration with Cameron Winter of Geese. Urgent, pulsing guitar powering a pop anthem for 2 minutes, before briefly transitioning into softer alt country, and then finishing in anthemic fashion. ****
15. (4:25) As Above — Begins as a meandering, piano-driven ballad. Builds into a showcase for Bridgers’ powerhouse vocals. Finishes quietly. ***
16. (2:09) Lost Weekend (Reprise) — Haunting closer with sustained church organ and synths, plus Bridgers’ airy vocals floating above.