Faye Webster is one of the most unique indie pop stars. Although she’s been releasing music for over a decade, she has now made herself a coveted indie name. Webster is described as a unique blend of Mac Demarco and Lucy Dacus. Her natural talent for mixing awkward yet truthful lyrics with soft melodies instantly draws you in. Her soft-dreamy voice is inviting, drawing you into her songs.
Most know Webster from her Tik-Tok hits “I Know You” and “Kingston.” Her recent album “Undressed At The Symphony” takes a different approach to her soft voice and powerful instrumentals.
The singer suddenly announced her fifth album, “Underdressed At The Symphony,” in early January. She later announced her single, “Lego Ring,” featuring rapper Lil Yachty. Webster and Yachty are middle school friends who later reconnected as they became musicians.
“Underdressed At The Symphony” is a shift in genres for Webster. It features forty minutes of short melodies and jazz breaks with heartbreaking lyrics. Webster has always been able to capture her emotions and thoughts perfectly.
In her singles and first album, she has always delivered songs from her wholehearted thoughts and emotions.
This time, it feels like she’s holding back from us.
The first track on the album, “Thinking About You,” gives us a classic Faye Webster song. It tells us little about the album and what is next to come. The song is an excellent way to ease into the rest of the album.
The second song on the album, “But Not Kiss,” is overwhelmingly heartbreaking. Lyrics such as “I want to see you in my dreams, but then forget,” and “I long for your touch, but don’t miss” are just two examples of her powerful lyricism. The contradictory lyrics meshed with the overwhelming instrumentals transport you into an emotional state of longing and confusion, and its simplicity overwhelms you.
The song was initially released in July of 2023. The song is by far my favorite of the album. Webster describes her relationship with someone as she longs to be with someone. It relates to those who long to be with someone they can’t have.
The song bounces back and forth between intimate lyrics and loud instrumentals. Listeners go from soft, gentle voices to loud, overwhelming piano and drums. Mixing the two creates an explosion of emotions.
Moving onto the third track, “Wanna Quit All the Time,” is more uptempo than “But Not Kiss.” Webster’s jazz and R&B influences are heavy in the song. This time, she allows the lyrics to speak for themselves. Webster grounds herself and lets the listeners hear her true thoughts.
“Wanna Quit All the Time” was the first time Wesbter acknowledged her recent popularity in her music. She describes the feeling of wanting to quit music and hating attention.
“Lego Ring ft. Lil Yachty ” and “Feeling Good Today” have the same modern autone-like feeling. Both introduce a new level of Webster’s music style. The collaboration holds a childlike and playful feeling to it. The childhood friends enjoyed the song, blending the two music styles. Yachty’s hip-hop and Webster’s knack for instrumentals blend well in the uptempo rock song.
At first listen, many fans were displeased with the modern song. Many disliked the continuing autotune and more heavily produced sound. It’s vastly different from anything Webster has released.
Of all ten tracks on the album, “Feeling Good Today” was my least favorite. It was short and felt like an unnecessary interlude. The 86-second song was loaded with instruments and mundane lyricism. It was a short take at Webster’s signature songwriting.
“He Loves Me Yeah!” is a short, upbeat song. The track felt similar to songs off Webster’s 2021 album “I Know I’m Funny, haha.” I particularly like this song because of the upbeat tempo. It was a nice break from the slower, saddening songs—the simplicity of repeating lyrics describing the wonders of love in young adulthood.
The title track, “Underdressed At the Symphony,” describes Webster’s frequent trips to the symphony to ease heartbreak. Within the lyrics, she describes holding yourself back and wallowing in the sadness of a breakup. It’s one of her most honest songs on the album.
The tracks “Tttttime” and “eBay Purchase History” close the album. Both are classic examples of the Faye Webster style. Both are whimsical in their own way. “Ttttime” describes feeling lost and isolated, while “eBay Purchase History” is a little folkier, relishing in the instruments. The lyrics add the signature Wesbter’s playfulness. Uniquely, it describes how different and miniscule parts of our lives can give an insight into who you really are.
Overall, the album is just alright. It wasn’t my favorite Faye Webster album. As a long-time Faye Webster fan, I was expecting more. Every song felt the same, aside from “Lego Ring,” “But Not Kiss,” and “Tttttime.” These three songs added a variety to the album. The six other tracks followed the same tempo for the most part and tended to drag on.
The album lacked the same melancholy as her other albums. While the jazz influence is still apparent, my lack of enthusiasm comes from the lyrics. Every song felt like she was beginning to truly open up before shutting back down, wanting to keep everything a secret.
On prior songs and albums, nothing felt off the table. The constant repetition of lyrics in almost every song on the album felt like a disappointment. Every song seemed to end the same way, by repeating the same phrases over and over again.
The one thing that the album did right was help her grow. Longer songs let her explore with lingering instrumentals. And in contrast, shorter songs allowed her to highlight her more playful writing.
Webster perfected how to arrange the instruments around her voice. Before, she struggled to hone in on the balance between the two. Now, she found a way for her voice to be still wispy and soulful. “Underdressed At The Symphony” let Webster learn more about her band and let them help her shine.
