In the sense that Phoebe Bridgers has released music in a near-constant stream of projects since her 2017 debut, Stranger in the Alps, it would be categorically unfair to call her sophomore album "long-awaited."

Since Stranger, Bridgers has blended her voice alongside peers (Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus with boygenius) and forebears (Conor Oberst with Better Oblivion Community Center and Matt Berninger of The National), shepherded new artists (producing Christian Lee Hutson's forthcoming debut) and honored folk greats (on a Tom Waits tribute album) — leaving fans to wonder how she would synthesize all those varied creative experiences into her next solo release.

Her release of "Garden Song" today offers a first glimpse, building on Bridgers' foundation of sparse storytelling, steeped in melancholy. Similarly to "Everything I Wanted," Billie Eilish's reflection of her post-debut success, here Bridgers unravels past memories that anticipated growing up and concludes "No, I'm not afraid of hard work … I have everything I wanted."

We, however, don't have everything we wanted, as today's release comes with no mention of a sophomore album — but we can be patient.

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External Link

Phoebe Bridgers - official site