MUNA was released on June 24, 2022 as the indie-pop power trio’s self-titled and third album. After being dropped by their previous record label, MUNA made a triumphant return with “Silk Chiffon” featuring Phoebe Bridgers, released by Saddest Factory Records. 

“Silk Chiffon” is a celebration of queer joy, from the catchy chorus to the But I’m a Cheerleader-inspired music video. The carefree, fun, and iconic track has perfectly kickstarted a new era for MUNA’s Katie Gavin, Naomi McPherson, and Josette Maskin.

In March, MUNA officially announced the album with the release of their second single, “Anything But Me.” 

It’s a classic pop-bop about “trusting yourself and your instincts enough to walk away from someone while you still have love for each other and before it gets too bad,” according to MUNA’s Instagram page. 

In the song’s killer bridge, Gavin sings, “I would rather lose you, than who I’m meant to be,” before catapulting into the energetic outro.

In an interview with the New York Times, McPherson remarked that the album represents “self-definition and agency and identity and interrogating those things… And also knowing that nothing is fixed.” These ideas manifest themselves in the band’s third single, “Kind of Girl.” The song takes on a country-like quality, with guitar and strings as the backbone of the instrumentals.

As the heart of the record, the track expresses the freedom in allowing yourself to change and grow. It’s a true MUNA power ballad, building in layers until the last chorus surges in vocals, strings, and synths. The bridge describes the central message perfectly: “I’m a girl who’s blowing on a dandelion thinkin’ how the winds could change at any given time.” 

The band’s fourth single, “Home By Now,” is a floaty pop track that reflects on doubts and regrets from ending a relationship. The song’s steady beat seems to drag behind, rather than chase after something, like a thought that just won’t go away. 

Imagine dancing in your room and tossing yourself around. Imagine running across a field with the wind in your face. That’s what this song feels like. The scream-worthy bridge contains one of the album’s most iconic lines: “Why is it so hot in LA in late October?”

“Loose Garment” is perhaps my favorite track. The song almost breathes, as if taking the first shaky breath after a long period of suffocation. The words speak for themselves: “Used to wear my sadness like a choker, yeah, it had me by the throat, tonight I’m feeling draped in it like a loose garment, I just let it flow.” 

The lightly sparkling production and strikingly sincere lyrics truly make this track stand out. It leaves me with the feeling that it truly does get better, and hopefully it does the same for you too.

The 11-track album captures the essence of MUNA magic: solid, vulnerable songwriting, crisp production, and the trio’s stunning friendship. MUNA has truly done it again, somehow even better than before.

Overall Rating: 10/10

Favorite Song: Loose Garment

Most Likely to Recommend: Silk Chiffon