Faye Webster has become an indie starling for her works such as 2019's "Atlanta Millionaires Club" and 2021's "I Know I'm Funny haha." Now, the singer has returned with her fifth studio album via Secretly Canadian, titled "Underdressed at the Symphony."
Webster teased the album with singles such as the eclectic "Lego Ring," featuring long-time friend and rapper Lil Yachty, and "Feeling Good Today." Both tracks take a more laid-back approach to her writing style than previously heard before. While Webster's lyrics are meaningful and revealing, the production and vocal delivery sadly fall flat in this 10-track album.
Much of the album centers around a breakup, and Webster integrates a stripped folk-rock sound. It works on some tracks like "But Not Kiss" and "Lifetime," two songs that are the singer at her best. The first track is pretty grandiose, as Webster uses a brassy guitar and forceful piano keys to create an anti-love song.
She sings, "I want to sleep in your arms, but not kiss / I long for your touch, but don't miss / Don't want to regret any of this," hinting at returning to a former love but only for affection. Her vocals almost reach a near-growling sound as she holds out long notes in the second chorus, a technique the singer hasn't touched too much on in the past.
"Lifetime" has interesting instrumentation, incorporating sounds such as a Spanish guitar and orchestral strings to open up about not knowing who she is after a breakup. Webster sings about living an entirely different life while with her former partner, and it's honestly one of the most heartbreaking songs she's written.
Another major highlight is the title track. Stuck in grief, the singer can't seem to find happiness anywhere, as she sings, "I'm depriving myself of happiness / Something I'm really good at / I wanna see you again, see this is why I'm confusing."
Webster confronts her lack of enthusiasm toward love, unwilling to let herself get hurt again anytime soon. Therefore, other tracks, while lacking, provide a distraction for the singer from opening up. This is a signature element of Webster's artistry, even in her life outside of music.
She sings about this known part of herself in "Wanna Quit All the Time," wishing she could escape the attention her music gets. This sentiment is definitely one that has been repeated heavily in the music industry, especially as many musicians have had to take hiatuses for their mental health struggles, but Webster doesn't really dive into her own struggles.
The song, lacking in creativity, could've been much better without all the crooning repetitive lyrics. This theme continues with "eBay Purchase History" and "He Loves Me Yeah!," two songs that Webster totally seems absent from.
Using a terrible rhyme scheme, it's shocking to hear the lyrics that come out of Webster's mouth in the first track. She says, "You should see my eBay purchase history / You could learn a lot about me / I could build and paint all day / But then there's no one here for me to play," trying to make her songwriting more comedic and witty, but severely striking out.
Meanwhile, the latter track doesn't fit thematically with the album's focus on heartbreak, which could've been intentional but is also confusing. Revealing all the quirks she loves about her partner, Webster attempts to make a cute song that doesn't emit any love and appreciation she feels. Instead, it sounds more robotic.
Webster's collaboration with Lil Yachty helps save this album from falling apart. Even though this song lacks seriousness, the unlikely duo made an enticing song. Their voices actually complement each other quite nicely, and you can feel their chemistry as they sing about finding pleasure in buying random trinkets.
Overall, "Underdressed at the Symphony" is not Webster's best work and is, at times, underwhelming. With some redeeming tracks, it's worth a few minutes of your time but does not compete with the more impressive albums from Webster's discography.
Rating: 2 / 5
