Punisher — Home — What’s Cool?

On her sophomore album Punisher, Phoebe Bridgers candidly establishes her artistic voice by depicting an array of sentiments from absolutely chilling to heart-warming. After enjoying aspects of her debut album Stranger In The Alps but seeing plenty of room for improvement, I was delighted in Bridgers’ maturation as a songwriter in a mere three years. The relatability with which Bridgers delivers reflections on solitude, sadness, and uncertainty is magnetic and compelling. While there is still slight room for improvement, I’m ecstatic and shocked that Bridgers is already delivering such an extraordinary album so early-on in her musical career.

“DVD Menu” opens the album instrumentally and ambiently, which is something I’m usually not fond of to open projects, but in this case, it sets the tone and mood for the tracks to come hauntingly. Lead single “Garden Song” follows, discussing the necessity to resist negative thoughts in order to manifest what one really wants in life. Even for a relatively upbeat track, this song’s lyrical content is conflicted and emotionally complex, just as its singer is. “Kyoto” initially sounds like an upbeat indie rock track, but is really discussing always wanting to be somewhere else, a concept not exclusive to Bridgers, but interesting nonetheless. I hear the influence of Weezer in the strained delivery here, which is a compliment in my eyes.

The album’s title track Punisher changes pace as Bridgers offers an after-dark contemplation of herself, those who inspire her, and the city she lives in. “Halloween” features some of my favorite lyrics on the album, such as “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”. In reality, though, this song is just as heavy and downright depressed as any before it on this project. “Chinese Satellite” speaks to me more than any other track on this album, as it discusses one’s complex relationship with belief and religion in a way I’ve never heard before. Specifically, the lines “Because I think when you’re gone it’s forever / But you know I’d stand on the corner / Embarrassed with a picket sign / If it meant I would see you when I die”, which is just a jarringly honest sentiment. “Moon Song” beautifully conveys a struggling relationship and the impossibility of providing another person’s happiness for them, although it is instrumentally one of the more understated and forgettable songs on the album.

“Savior Complex” is essentially a lyrical sequel to “Moon Song”, as it discusses the desire to want to fix someone else, or at least relate their pain to your own, which sounds strange, but is actually fairly common. “ICU” is one of my favorite songs on the project, as it beautifully explains the resistance to finding the right person, almost denying that happiness is possible after accepting, at the very least, a mundane life, if not actual depression. “Graceland Too” is a more traditional folk track, at least sonically, but the lyrical content comes off as repetitive to me, and besides the outro segment, this song could’ve been scrapped. “I Know The End” is one of the strongest closers in recent memory, as it jam-packs a variety of ideas and styles into a single track seamlessly. This apocalyptic fantasy indicates to me that Bridgers still has so much to say and so many ways left to say it. Bridgers’ closing screams are bone-chilling and terrifying, certainly a juxtaposition to the overt sentimentality found throughout this project.

Sometimes albums just catch me by surprise. While this album isn’t necessarily timely in the traditional sense as RTJ4 was in directly discussing prominent social issues, Punisher feels like it has been in the works for a very long time, as these topics which many relate to are discussed so seamlessly. I was particularly impressed by how clearly and directly Bridgers was able to express complex ideas and themes on this album. I’m thoroughly impressed by this must-listen album, and I highly suggest you check it out as soon as possible. Thanks for reading.

Favorite tracks: “Garden Song”, “Kyoto”, “Punisher”, “Halloween”, “Chinese Satellite”, “Savior Complex”, “ICU”, “I Know The End”

SCORE: 8/10