SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JULIEN BAKER & TORRES – SEND A PRAYER MY WAY

JULIEN BAKER & TORRES
SEND A PRAYER MY WAY
MATADOR RECORDS

2025 has been a big year for the members of boygenius. Last month, Lucy Dacus released Forever Is A Feeling. Now, Julien Baker has released an album, Send A Prayer My Way, with TORRES (Mackenzie Scott). Instead of indie rock, which they are both known for, they decided to go country. This new direction works wonders and is thoroughly entertaining.

Send A Prayer My Way is loaded with excellent tunes, with some beautiful banjo accompaniment. “Sugar In The Tank” perfectly blends Americana, country, pop, and indie. Baker and TORRES’ outstanding vocals, a joyfully upbeat sound, a soaringly anthemic chorus, a fun energy, and gorgeously charming banjo and pedal steel guitar make “Sugar In The Tank” a must-listen. “Bottom Of A Bottle” has an even better chorus, with the electrifying vocals of Baker and TORRES being the main highlight. The utilization of the fiddle on this track is terrific, too. The hypnotic guitars, Baker and TORRES’ mesmerizing vocal harmonies, delicate banjos, sad atmosphere, and beautiful songwriting give the country ballad “Downhill Both Ways” a cathartic edge. The somewhat heavy, gritty grunge-tinged “Tape Runs Out” will delight fans of boygenius.

Baker and TORRES are an excellent team. Their voices are a great match, and the vocal harmonies are just as impressive as the ones in boygenius. Throughout the record, their chemistry is top-notch. “Dirt”, “No Desert Flower” and “Sugar In The Tank” are truly spectacular.

Lyrically, Send A Prayer My Way is just as elegant, heartfelt, and honest as their other work. The inspiring hopefulness of “Off The Wagon” is incredibly powerful, especially when paired with the gorgeously euphoric instrumentation. TORRES’ spoken word delivery, devastatingly vulnerable lyrics, and haunting vocal harmonies of “Tuesday” is full of authentic emotion. Most country music is overflowing with corniness and generic songwriting, but “Tuesday” is as sincere as they come. Meanwhile, “Sylvia” is a very sweet and wholesome tune written about TORRES’ dog Sylvia. Anyone who has ever had a pet will instantly connect with this endearingly heartwarming tune. It will undoubtedly bring up the happiest memories one has shared with their pet.

Overall, if there is one country album you listen to this year it needs to be Send A Prayer My Way. Julien Baker and TORRES are at the top of their game here.

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