“Savior Complex” sounds, instrumentally and melodically, like the happiest song she’s written. While Stranger painted a sparse, barren musical palette, Punisher offers a louder, fuller soundscape to distract from the unpleasant parts of life. This album finds a more elevated production approach, Bridgers experimenting more with her musical style than on Stranger in the Alps. On “I See You,” Bridgers sings, “I hate your mom / I hate it when she opens her mouth / It’s amazing to me / How much you can say / When you don’t know what you’re talking about.” Confronting and honest, Bridgers offers respite for everyone attempting to challenge the previous generation. “Everything” has morphed from one issue of humanity to another, testing our collective patience. The thought of “everything” can feel all consuming, enflaming, and a trigger for a rush of anger and anxiety.
Punisher is the perfect companion for all the trauma the first half of 2020 has caused. While her debut, Stranger in the Alps, featured a similar instrumental track in “Smoke Signals (Reprise)”, “DVD Menu” tugs harder, already bringing to mind the emotions that require more grappling. On “DVD Menu,” a haunting introduction to the next 37 minutes, a menacing guitar line is intertwined with a dirge-esque violin melody, one that will come back, a little different, and a lot stronger, in the album’s closer.
From the first track of her sophomore album, Punisher, it’s clear Phoebe Bridgers opened herself up completely for this round of writing.
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