Faye Webster – Undressed At The Symphony
Review Score:
B+
March 1 / 2024
The singles off of Faye Webster’s 5th album, Undressed at the Symphony, had me slightly worried. This is not to say that I didn’t enjoy them. But as singles, they just didn’t hook me in the way I wanted them to. It was the opening track that really restored my admittedly shaken faith. “Thinking About You” is a nearly 7 minute groove that, dare I say, is even reminiscent of John Mayer. Its clean guitar tones lead the way. It’s accompanied by a light, plucky little piano line that really creates some of the song’s best moments. Webster and company really lean heavily on the piano here, an element that sets this album apart from her previous two.
The album’s final stretch is fairly strong as well. Webster’s songwriting is charming and relatable. On “He Loves Me Yeah!”, she sings “He pumps my gas so that I don’t get out” – the ultimate sign of true love. Or on “ebay Purchase History”, where she delivers the line: “But I’ll keep my anonymity hid
I just learned that word I thought that I’d use it“. I didn’t love all the songs on UATS. I wouldn’t say I disliked it, but “Lego Ring” wasn’t a very natural fit, in part due to Lil Yachty’s shaky, vibrato vocals. They’re a personal staple for him, but they don’t really fit as well as they could on the album.
I’d forgotten that the draw of Webster’s last two brilliant LPs was not in singles, but in the mood they create throughout the course of their runtime. She is at her best when you let her music entrance you. In that sense, I feel that Undressed at the Symphony actually surpasses her previous two albums in a way. This album grabs you from track one. And for the most part I feel like it successfully holds your attention in this kind of lovesick hypnotic state. It’s not as yearning or as lonely as her past two projects. The album is the sonic equivalent of an animated cat drifting through the air on the scent of a fresh pie on a windowsill. And for that, I enjoyed it.
Review Score:
B+
Gubb wrote this review. You can’t get mad at Gubb.
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