The 16-track project features extensive production by Tony Berg, Ethan Gruska, and Jack Antonoff, alongside guest contributions from Bo Burnham, Alex G, and indie-rock supergroup collaborators.
From Pandemic Isolation to a Sprawling 16-Track Release
Bridgers’ last solo LP, Punisher, arrived in June 2020 during the early months of COVID-19. Although written before the health crisis, that record became a defining lockdown soundtrack characterized by gallows humor and the cathartic scream on closer I Know the End. Because touring was impossible upon its release, she hosted apartment livestreams before launching the Reunion Tour from September 2021 through April 2023, followed by the boygenius tour and a dozen dates supporting Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.
Following a nearly two-year break from the public eye, Bridgers reappeared in May at a 400-capacity venue in Roswell, New Mexico, for her first solo show in three years. After a string of phone-free pop-up performances, she headlined a Tidal-sponsored concert at Madison Square Garden on June 4, announced a fall tour the next day, and officially notified fans of the upcoming album on June 24, as reported by Billboard.
Production Credits and Sonic Collaborators on Dead Oceans
The new album reflects a turbulent and transformative period in the artist’s life, encompassing the launch of Saddest Factory Records—which has since merged with Dead Oceans—a high-profile breakup with actor Paul Mescal, the death of her father, and a new relationship with collaborator Bo Burnham.
Extensive production credits on the 16-track project are shared by Bridgers, Tony Berg, Ethan Gruska, and Jack Antonoff, with additional production from Alex G.
- Lost Boys: Vocals by Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, and Caroline Shaw; guitar work by Jack Antonoff, Tony Berg, and Harrison Whitford; mandolin by Chris Thile; strings arranged by Rob Moose.
- Kill Me: Features acoustic and baritone guitar, church organ, pedal steel by Greg Leisz, sarangi by Gabe Noel, and vocals including Jackson Bridgers and Maria Taylor.
- The Governor’s Waltz: Includes mandocello by Christian Lee Hutson, piano, and drums performed by Jim Keltner.
- Bobby: Features bass guitar by Jack Antonoff, viola by Caroline Shaw, and guitar work from Justin K Broadrick and Mike Kinsella.
- Lost Weekend: Contains a sample of
Notjustmoreidlechatter
by Paul Lansky, with lyrics co-written by Damien Jurado. - Haunted: Features contributions from Nickel Creek on violin and mandolin, harmonica by Jack Antonoff, and pump organ by Ethan Gruska.
Highlights Across the Tracklist
Among the album’s varied tracks, the 56-second interstitial Lost Parade
features electric guitar from Jon Brion and trumpet by Nate Walcott, blending a marching band melody with a live crowd cheering effect. The track Panorama
blends banjo, mandolin, and synthesizers behind a single poetic verse.
The driving track Never Going Back!
features a forceful rhythm driven by guitars and drums, opening with a cappella vocals running through the mantra, Never going back again/ The way it used to be is not the way that it is.
The track closes with a voicemail from her late father, connecting past grief to future momentum. Meanwhile, Other Plans
offers a simpler arrangement with Bridgers on piano and Gruska on synthesizers, pairing specific imagery—I got blood on my favorite shirt/ You were shaking like a final girl
—with broader emotional beats.
Critical Reception and Cultural Standing
Reviewers note that while Bridgers’ music avoids formal avant-garde experimentation, her precise, emotionally evocative songwriting draws clear admiration across modern pop and indie circles, influencing artists such as Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish.
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