This week, WSN is featuring singles from boygenius, The Frights, Suki Waterhouse, and Dim Wizard. From the revival of boygenius’s masterfully heart-wrenching lyricism to Dim Wizard’s experimentations with prolific musicians, this week’s artists breathe new life into their music. 

“Not Strong Enough” by boygenius

Holden Lay, Staff Writer

boygenius’ latest single, “Not Strong Enough,” falls somewhere between the usual heartbreakingly confessional lyrics of the supergroup and the shimmering acoustic-forward pop sound of Fleetwood Mac. Made up of the combined forces of indie-folk stars Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus, “Not Strong Enough,” the fourth single from the trio’s upcoming album, “the record,” is as good a song as any to usher in their return after a five-year hiatus. The song features significant vocal contributions from all three members, musing on personal weakness in a relationship and leaning heavily on vivid images of isolation. Bridgers sings, “Black hole opened in the kitchen / Every clock’s a different time / It would only take the energy to fix it / I don’t know why I am,” and Baker dreams about “drag racing through the canyon.” Backed by driving drums, Dacus leads the three, repeating, “Always an angel, never a god” over and over. Baker’s atmospheric guitar ties everything together, making for a memorable showcase of the poppier, anthemic side of boygenius’ sound.

“To Love” by Suki Waterhouse

Ana Marks, Contributing Writer

The actress, model and singer Suki Waterhouse had a jam-packed weekend. Friday was the debut of the highly anticipated Prime Video series “Daisy Jones and the Six,” in which Waterhouse portrays a keyboardist in a 1970s rock band. The very same day, she released “To Love.” her first musical release of the year. The track combines Waterhouse’s staple hypnotic voice with an ethereal beat and a ’90s dream-pop guitar sound that runs throughout. Waterhouse provides layered, powerful vocals, adding a gospel-like quality that ascends at the end of the track.

In contrast to her previous EP, “Milk Teeth,” which tells the stories of Waterhouse’s past heartbreaks, “To Love” offers a glimpse into her state of pure contentment, paying no attention to the outside world. She basks in the glow of simply being in love: “And we talk of how lucky we got / As wе watched old lovers we dodgеd / While the world’s fallin’ apart / You make it so easy to love.” Stepping away from the heartbroken, nostalgia-driven lyrics that propelled her previous work, Waterhouse takes on a hopeful attitude towards romance with this track.

“Ride the Vibe” by Dim Wizard

Ethan Beck, Staff Writer

Founded by D.C.-based musician David Combs, Dim Wizard is to fuzzy indie rock what DJ Khaled is to pop rap. Whenever he has the time, Combs gets together with a group of his friends and works with them until a song arises, and “Ride the Vibe” is the latest product of Combs’ collaborations. The track features The Sidekicks’ former vocalist Steve Ciolek, was co-written by indie-punk legend Jeff Rosenstock, and was co-produced by Sarah Tudzin of illuminati hotties. Despite so many different contributors, “Ride the Vibe” is a cohesive work of power pop that recalls rockers like Dazy and Antarctigo Vespucci.

“When it feels like a wasteland / I wonder how much more I can take, man,” sings Ciolek, impassioned and exhausted on one of the year’s greatest choruses thus far. 

What anchors “Ride the Vibe” are the drums, which you can feel in your chest, and the assorted backing vocals, which add levity to the song. The track has been recorded since early 2021, so “Ride the Vibe” is likely only the beginning of this era of Dim Wizard’s star-studded collaborations.

“I’m a Beatle” by The Frights

Katherine Manatos, Contributing Writer

Starting off with a chant-like repetition of the song’s title, The Frights’ new single, “I’m a Beatle,” is either an ode to The Beatles or a mockery of the life of a rockstar. Released as the first single off the band’s new album, “Gallows Humour,” which drops on June 2, the song premises an edgier and more abstract turn for the band — at least in comparison to their work. “I’m a Beatle” flips back and forth between vague, angry chants with matching drum hits, and verses of calmly picked guitar melodies paired with worldbuilding lyrics.

Though contradictory in terms of sound, the two parts are tied together by the overarching irate nature of the song and the sustained repetition of certain lines. For example, the phrase “don’t think that I’m having fun anymore” — scathing commentary on the music industry — is repeated throughout the second verse. Other lines build upon this theme as well: “The record’s hot and you’re going on tour,” and “I want my drugs and I wanna record.”

Whether the band is aligning itself with The Beatles or making fun of them, The Frights make fans think about the legacy of the storied group and the influence of classic British rock on the music industry.

Contact the music desk at [email protected].