Is this the best album released in January? If only we lived in a world where we could discuss it for the music alone.

Let’s just get it out of the way. This is a really great album. It is full of wonderful moments of fragile beauty that have been captured for as long as humanity has functional digital equipment.

This is a quiet, considered album. At times there is just a lone guitar, or a lone piano backing that deeply human voice providing beautiful insights. When the full band materialises, it magnifies the impact in spectacular fashion. What makes it so special are the incredible observations captured within the lyrics. The album is full of small tender expressions chock full of humanity. “Skin on skin, can you press it all down on me.” “There’s a million black dogs in my head and they’re fighting with my heart.” “You are the mornin’, you make the grass grow, You are the hawthorn tangled in dog rose.” “I wanna be in my best friend’s house… There I am safe.”

“All three members of Boygenius pop up on production duties and have provided fierce support as fellow queer artists.”

Sadly in a month where Trump has just started rolling back hard won rights, Musk is cosplaying as Himmler, the far right feel increasingly emboldened across the world and more conservative groups cannot resist telling other people how to live their lives (whilst simultaneously acting horrified at the thought of others ‘cancelling them’ or attacking their free speech) we cannot just discuss the wonderful tunes. It seems likely that many of these wonderful, fragile observations come directly from the Trans experience. Being afraid of opening yourself up to vulnerability for fear of how others will treat you. Enjoying a simple moment of comfort or touch offered because so many would deny that to you. Much of this album does not dwell directly on being Trans and that is why it speaks so universally, however the elephant in the room is addressed on the last couple of tracks; ‘Transition’ and ‘Woman.’ ‘Transition’ is all shimmering confusion before ‘Woman’ stands tall and proud “Cause I know who I am, and I understand, That I am in my soul a woman.” Who are we to tell another human being how they feel on the inside? Why does it bother so many people that someone else wants to express a personal choice that does not directly affect them in any way? This album feels necessary, anything that helps to show Trans people are just normal human beings with normal human feelings is the most courageous way to respond to the wall of hatred getting thrown at them.

Anyway, let us get back to the album. An early support slot for Lucy Dacus led to a firm friendship that got the artist a home on Phoebe Bridger’s label. All three members of Boygenius pop up on production duties and have provided fierce support as fellow queer artists. The production is top notch, giving each song the space it needs to breathe, and they also provide uncredited backing vocals on the tracks requiring them. The end result is often stunning. ‘Guy Fawkes Tesco Dissociation’ and ‘Elephant’ are the standouts for me. Listen to this album, hold it close, and then be an ally to those facing persecution in an increasingly hostile world.