Underdressed at the Symphony, Faye Webster is Dressier than Ever
Faye Webster might put you to sleep. Of course, this speaks only to her phenomenal abilities as a musician – Webster possesses the ability to tie a number of wildly different genres into one mellow and lowkey sound that somehow is both coherent and consistently satisfying. Pulling from ’70s pop, country, R&B and folk, Webster masterfully weaves these different music styles present in her hometown of Atlanta together into a distinct sound. Her musical prowess has only evolved over the span of her now 5 album-long career. Webster started gaining traction when her third album Atlanta Millionaires Club, gained significant popularity online. Her song “Kingston,” went semi-viral, and its rich, slow and sweet sound quickly became synonymous with Webster’s artist profile. “Kingston” currently sits at over 195-million Spotify streams and her popularity is only growing with the release of her new studio album, Underdressed at the Symphony. Underdressed at the Symphony marks a big turn for Webster, with the album showcasing a richer and more mature side of her artistry, especially in terms of sound and production. On Underdressed at the Symphony, Webster showcases her signature tranquil, lulling sound while also teasing a side of her that’s hot-to-the-touch and sonically powerful – almost the antithesis of what she is known for.
“On Underdressed at the Symphony, Webster showcases her signature tranquil, lulling sound while also teasing a side of her that’s hot-to-the-touch and sonically powerful – almost the antithesis of what she is known for.”
Image courtesy of Kendrick Brinson
The album begins with the nearly 7-minute track “Thinking About You.” The song sets the stage for the album, with Webster singing about her intense infatuation for another person. She repeats the lyrics “I’m thinking about you” for several minutes of the song, which emphasize her all-consuming and inescapable obsession. The track is quintessential Webster, with wispy vocals and a lowkey guitar melody adorning the song. However, the instrumentals are more crisp and polished than ever before, showcasing Webster’s sonic development.
The second song and single, “But Not Kiss,” is one of Webster’s most experimental on the album. The track does a great job at encompassing her signature sound while also implementing unique instrumentals. The song opens with a quiet guitar strum before exploding into striking piano keys that create a sonic whiplash. The track often sways between a muted guitar and intense piano keys, creating a disorderly sound that is out of character for Webster. The song’s conflicting instrumentals represent Webster’s conflicting thoughts on love, with lyrics such as, “I want to see you in my dreams but then forget / We're meant to be but not yet,” highlighting such contrast. The third track “Wanna Quit All the Time” returns to Webster’s signature sound as she sings about her complex feelings regarding fame and self-doubt. In the chorus, she repeats the lyrics “I think I’ll figure it out,” which provide a positive contrast to the negative thoughts she shares in the song's verses.
On the fourth track “Lego Ring,” Webster collaborates with childhood friend and rapper, Lil Yachty to create a fun and unique track that incorporates both artists’ individual sounds in a hodge-podge way. The duo may seem unexpected, but they are able to create a track that wonderfully combines Webster’s whispy vocals and melodic instrumentals with Lil Yachy’s vibrant rap performance. The song captures a feeling of whimsy that reflects Webster and Lil Yachty’s long-standing friendship.
On the fifth track “Feeling Good Today,” Webster mixes delicate piano with an auto- tuned vocal performance to create a short but sweet track that details her daily life. The song serves as mid-album interlude that makes for a fun addition by Webster. The sixth track “Lifetime” is one of her most emotional and most lyrically simplistic songs. The track mimics both the repetition of “Thinking About You,” with the lyrics “In a lifetime” echoing for several minutes at the tail end of the track – as well as the theme of love. The song is about Webster’s intense infatuation with someone else, with lyrics such as “Can’t imagine me / before you” and “Every minute / you are in it / in a lifetime,” almost showcasing an escalated version of “Thinking About You.”
Image courtesy of Kendrick Brinson
The seventh track “He Loves Me Yeah!” provides a spunky energy boost after some more lowkey tracks. The song contains similar themes of love and infatuation found on “Thinking About You” and “Lifetime,” this time having more upbeat instrumentals and a punchier chorus that serves as a nice mid-album refresher.
Track eight, “eBay Purchase History,” has a mellow, laid-back vibe distinct to the rest of Underdressed at the Symphony. A mellow song is nothing new from Webster, but the groovy beat and conversational lyrics, such as “But you've been keeping me busy in my mind / But I'll keep my anonymity hid / I just learned that word I thought that I'd use it” set it apart from the rest. It has a similar mundane vibe to “Feeling Good Today,” but contains themes of love and romance found on many other tracks on the album.
The title track “Underdressed at the Symphony” follows suit with a return to Webster’s classic style and a departure from the rest of the themes contained on the album. The song tells the story of a recent breakup, with lyrics such as “I know you haven't told your mother yet / Cause she invited me over again / But I’m not surprised / It’s something you do all the time” painting the picture of Webster mourning the loss of her relationship. With themes of love and romance being so strong on the rest of the album, “Underdressed at the Symphony” is a jarring change of pace and one of Webster’s most emotionally potent tracks.
The final track “Tttttime” employs a similar day-in-the-life style as “eBay Purchase History” and “Feeling Good Today,” this time riddled with a stronger wave of uncertainty. In previous songs, Webster sings about being “sickly” in love, and now, she has nothing to occupy her time. The album’s theme of repeating lyrics at the end of tracks continues, with the lyrics “T-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-time” being chanted as the album concludes.
Underdressed at the Symphony is a huge triumph for Faye Webster. On the album, she manages to both maintain her established style while also incorporating more experimental sounds into her work. She might occasionally put you to sleep, but Faye Webster is not someone to sleep on.