Home Video by Lucy Dacus
This review was written for my personal RateYourMusic on account back on the 24th of June 2021.
With the release of the 3rd studio album by Lucy Dacus, the trinity comprising Punisher, Little Oblivions, and now finally, Home Video, from the members of supergroup boygenius after the release of their EP is finally complete. I've been patiently waiting for this album ever since the release of Hot & Heavy, and it does not disappoint!
Although I think Historian as a whole is my preferred record by Dacus, Home Video is a great collection of journal entry-like tracks that brings the listeners on a trip to Dacus' past. When it comes to variation, though, this does provide more of that than its predecessor. Most of them are pretty indie-rock-style songs, but occasionally sparse tracks like “Thumbs” and “Going Going Gone” come up. The oddest one here is “Partner in Crime”, where Dacus' vocals are drowned with auto-tune but fit the central theme of the lyrics rather well. The album is also sequenced really nicely, with “Hot & Heavy” as a perfect introduction to the subsequent tracks and the lengthy “Triple Dog Dare” as an emotional queer-romance-themed experience closer.
If you're planning to listen to this, do yourself a favor and read the lyrics while doing so because they're some of the most direct lines that Dacus has ever released. When it comes to the production, I truly appreciate the drums in this one. I can't describe it well, but I found them really present in this record. A minor criticism, though, is that I think Lucy's vocals could've benefitted from less processing, considering she sounds just fine without them (boygenius EP and her live performances). However, I suppose this is probably just a stylistic choice since Historian seems to have this same texture to her voice.
Overall, I'm satisfied and happy with how the album came out! I've listened to this only several times, but I'm anticipating that it'll be one of my favorite albums of the year.
Three Songs to Start With: Hot & Heavy, Cartwheel, Going Going Gone