Written by: Delilah Stone / Staff writer
We have waited six years since “Punisher” was released and Phoebe Bridgers new album titled “Lost Weekend” recently came out Aug. 14. “Lost Weekend” is the third studio album released by singer/songwriter Bridgers and features 16 songs.
“Lost Boys” was released as the lead single for “Lost Weekend,” and the song received generally positive reviews. Bridgers wrote “Lost Boys” with contributions from Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, her boygenius bandmates.
Personally, I think the whole album is amazing. There are a lot of songs with little lyrics, but the empty space isn’t boring at all, which is what I love about this album. Six years have passed since her last album “Punisher” was released and I’m happy to hear this album after Bridgers has experienced many changes, including a break up and the death of her father on Jan. 3, 2023. Phoebe’s father is the core of this album. In interviews she mentioned he had struggled with substance abuse and abusive behavior. She described their relationship as a mix of being emotionally unavailable, yet strangely present. Despite their complicated relationship, they were able to repair it before her dad passed.
One of the less sad songs from the album, “Bobby”, is a full on love song, it is about, and ironically co-written by Bo Burnham. In late 2022 there were rumors of them dating, shortly after Bridgers and Paul Mescal split.
“Still Standing” is the ninth song on the “Lost Weekend” album and one of my favorites. Bridgers said, “This song is about my dad, who I miss very much,” on the “Lost Signal” broadcast.
It reflects on the difficult upbringing she had as a kid because of her dad. The lyrics, “I can’t imagine you dead, but you are, every day,” shows how hard it is to comprehend the reality that somebody from the past is gone forever.
Track 11, “Never Going Back!” builds on the complicated relationship she has with her father and how moving forward after a major loss is inevitable. The lyrics, “The way it used to be is not the way that it is” repeats while concentrating on the quiet but painful realization that you cannot return to the past.
“Lost Parade” is track 13 and has no lyrics, however I think it fills the space between songs well. It is the only instrumental song on the album, and while some people think this song was unnecessary, I think it gives the listeners time to process the lyrics of the songs before.
Track 16 is the last song featured and finishes it with a callback to the title of the album. It is also co-written by Bo Burnham and is about accepting that her father is not coming back while choosing to live by the things that he taught her.
