“Punisher” by Phoebe Bridgers

By: Avery Wageman

Phoebe Bridgers released her sophomore album, “Punisher,” in June. The album is much moodier than her debut album, “Stranger in the Alps,” and often feels like it’s balancing reality and another dimension. 

The first track, “DVD Menu,” is an ominous instrumental that introduces the spooky mood of the album with an unsettling combination of electric bass and violin. This introduction shares the same melody as the final track from both this album and her previous album.  

“DVD Menu” transitions smoothly into “Garden Song,” a lighter, almost soothing song. Bridgers’ soft vocals are accompanied by the deep voice of her tour manager. The balance of voices mirrors the violin and bass of the first track. Bridgers explained that “Garden Song” was written to encapsulate the experience of all your dreams—both good and bad—coming true. 

“Kyoto” is arguably the most upbeat song on the album. It has a fun mix of horn and synth, along with drums that build up the tempo through the verses. Written about her first time in Japan, Bridgers expresses the feeling of always wanting to be somewhere other than where she is, and experiencing imposter syndrome while on tour. 

The title track, “Punisher,” is a sobering follow up to “Kyoto.” A gentle piano melody compliments Bridgers’ wispy vocals. She defines a punisher as someone who talks for so long that the eyes of the person they’re speaking to begin to glaze over. This solemn track is about her fear that she becomes a punisher when she meets her heroes, as her fans often become in her presence. 

“Halloween,” a calming but haunting song, features a sleepy tempo and a low drum beat. In the background, the sound of the wind howling, or maybe ghosts, can be heard. Bridgers pleads with her partner that for just one night, they should make their dying relationship interesting. As the song fades out, “I’ll be whatever you want” is repeated by featured vocalist and Bright Eyes member Conor Oberst. 

Following “Halloween” is the fast-paced and emotional “Chinese Satellite,” one of my personal favorites on the album. Bridgers’ poignant lyrics embody her constant longing for life to be more magical, illustrated in the lines “Took a tour to see the stars, but they weren't out tonight, so I wished hard on a Chinese satellite.” Her vocals are bolstered by guitar, bass, and echoing drum beats that are reminiscent of an 80s rock song. 

“Moon Song” slows the album down once again. It is a somber song about caring for someone who hates themself. This song is heart wrenching, especially Bridgers’ wistful line, “If I could give you the moon, I would give you the moon.” The eighth track, “Savior Complex,” is considered to be the sequel to “Moon Song,” written from the perspective of someone with a savior complex seeking to save their partner from their self-hatred. The melancholic lyrics are complimented with a beautiful, arching violin instrumental. 

“I See You,” a breakup song about her relationship with her band’s drummer ironically (or perhaps intentionally) has a fantastic crescendoing drum beat. The drums and her painful lyrics about the loss of her relationship make for a track to blast and sing along to.

“Graceland Too,” the album’s only folk song, features twangy guitar and a banjo. This track has a similar theme to “Savior Complex,” depicting the difficulty of wanting to help someone who doesn’t want it. “Graceland Too” features the vocals of Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus, Bridgers’ boygenius bandmates. 

The apocalyptic conclusion, “I Know the End,” is my favorite song on the album. The track is about the drive up the coast of northern California, referencing UFOs, conspiracy theories, ghosts, and the end of the world. “I Know the End” begins with a similar sound to the rest of the album: synths, bass, electric guitar, and Bridgers’ soothing vocals. As the song reaches the third verse, the tone changes and the beat picks up. Bridgers describes passing a “THE END IS NEAR” sign with the lines “I turned around, there was nothing there, yeah, I guess the end is here.” An eerie finale for the album, but a fitting line for the times.