Less than thirty-six hours after announcing her long-awaited fourth album, Lost Weekend, Phoebe Bridgers delivered another delightful glimpse into the upcoming release with the new single “Lost Boys.”
The song is accompanied by a delightfully surreal video that plunges viewers into a Renaissance faire theme. Directed by Lance Oppenheim and Pablo Rochat, the visual narrative features Bridgers and a cast of costumed participants fully immersed in live-action role play alongside the Knights of Debracey Productions. This visual world continues the offbeat aesthetic introduced during the album announcement.
Adding an intriguing layer to the visuals, Oppenheim is not new to the themed realm, having previously directed a 2024 HBO documentary exploring Renaissance faire culture in Ren Faire.
The lyrics of “Lost Boys” offer evocative imagery, weaving together themes of enduring hardship and found solace. Bridgers sings about lost boys who never grow up or go home, finding her place amid a setting that suggests instant forgiveness: “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.”
This new material arrives with the weight of anticipation, marking Bridgers’ first solo album since Punisher in 2020. It follows a period filled with dynamic collaborations, soundtrack work, and balancing projects like boygenius.
Lost Weekend is clearly an expansive artistic statement, boasting an impressive roster of collaborators across the board. The production of “Lost Boys” was handled by Bridgers alongside longtime partners Tony Berg and Ethan Gruska, with Jack Antonoff sharing duties, and Alex G contributing to the soundscape.
The track itself is a rich tapestry of talent, featuring vocal contributions from Bridgers joined by boygenius bandmates Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker. The instrumentation showcases incredible virtuosity, with Nickel Creek and Punch Brothers legend Chris Thile adding mandolin, while Sebastian Steinberg contributes upright bass and Rob Moose handles the string arrangements.
The ensemble further features Caroline Shaw for vocal arrangements and harmonies, alongside instrumentalists including Blake Mills, Christian Lee Hutson, Marshall Vore, and Nate Walcott. The rhythm section is driven by Antonoff on drums, guitar, synths, and vocoder, with Alex G lending his drumming skills and a charming voice memo.
Looking ahead, Bridgers will support Lost Weekend on the aptly named The Lost Tour. The journey begins on September 15th in Indianapolis before winding through North America and eventually reaching the U.K. and Europe later this year.
Credit: Spin