In August of this year, indie-folk-rock star Phoebe Bridgers released her third studio album “Lost Weekend,” breaking a six-year silence of solo projects from the critically acclaimed artist.

Due to this long drought of releases, the album’s announcement was met with incredibly high anticipation- which can prove to be both a blessing and a curse for artists. Though it is obviously a great sign to have people waiting impatiently for your music, this excitement from fans can be the very thing that kills a career’s momentum. Large sums of excitement can skyrocket expectations. This leaves Phoebe with a difficult challenge.

Could she conquer the age-old struggle of meeting expectations, after her previous release “Punisher” had half a decade to marinate with fans? You could point to the fact that “Lost Weekend” earned a successful 13.8 million streams on its first day, but it is hard to judge a music’s true success based on a list of numbers. 

What do Phoebe’s fans, the people who really care about and appreciate her work, think of “Lost Weekend?” Many describe the sound as haunting and atmospheric. It is not only a step in a new direction sonically, but more lyrically personal- an attribute Phoebe was already known for, but one that has now been taken to another level. She makes harshly obvious references to her public relationships, triggering a plethora of lyric breakdown videos made by avid fans who seem to know more details about her love life than I thought possible. It is a little bit unnerving, but equally impressive. 

Besides pondering over romantic relationships, she sings a great deal about her relationship with her late father. These personal lyrics carry so much weight and make each individual song feel almost like a diary entry. This intimate feeling is reinforced by an interlude showcasing a real voicemail from her father, which is likely a part of why so many describe the album as “haunting.” The majority of Phoebe’s music is special because of how tender it feels, how poetic the writing is and how boldly she wears her heart on her sleeve. Fan-favorites have not been so well-received because of how the songs sound (although the songs sound incredible nonetheless), they are well-received because they feel full of experiences. 

Her fans know that good things like these take time, especially those things that are rooted in such heavy emotion. The best part of music, especially music that feels potent with life, is how it can be connected with more and more over time. Looking at the rest of her discography, it is fair to assume that by the time Phoebe Bridgers returns for her fourth studio album, “Lost Weekend” will be considered yet another essential indie-folk record from the singer.