Remember the stretch when Phoebe Bridgers seemed to appear on this site nearly every day? She’s back. Bridgers has been methodically staging a build toward unveiling Lost Weekend, her first solo record since 2020’s Punisher. Following a discreet run of phone-free pop-up performances that culminated in a headline show at Madison Square Garden, the member of boygenius revealed a cross-continental arena itinerary three weeks ago. Midweek brought the news of the album’s title and an August 14 release date for this long-awaited project. And now we finally get to hear some music from it.
The lead single, “Lost Boys,” just premiered. It opens with a synth-forward feint built around processed vocals and then unfurls into a midtempo folk-rock anthem in Bridgers’ unmistakable style. A notable departure here is the way the track balances softness and intensity in a way that isn’t typically heard in her catalog. In the chorus, a swinging bass line and bursts of brass encircle her refrain: “Lost boys never grow up, never go home/ Lost boys never spend their lunch money/ Lost boys never grow up, never get old/ Lost boys find me.”
The track is brought to life with production credits shared among Tony Berg, Ethan Gruska, Jack Antonoff, and Bridgers herself, with Alex G contributing additional production and serving as the opening act for Bridgers on the North American leg of her tour. Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus, both fellow members of boygenius, lend vocals to the track. The session also features Chris Thile on mandolin, Sebastian Steinberg on upright bass, Rob Moose handling string arrangements, and Nate Walcott from Bright Eyes on trumpet. Longtime collaborators such as Christian Lee Hutson, Marshall Vore, and Harrison Whitford also contribute to the recording.
In the accompanying video, directed by Lance Oppenheim and Pablo Rochat, Bridgers embodies a mystical elfin leader presiding over a troupe of medieval knights who traverse the contemporary world. Skyler Gisondo of The Righteous Gemstones fame portrays the gas-station attendant who becomes their newest recruit. Oppenheim previously directed Primetime, the forthcoming A24 film about To Catch A Predator, which features Bridgers in the cast.
Watch the “Lost Boys” video below.
Lost Weekend drops on August 14 via Dead Oceans.
