Faye Webster has grown popular recently with some of her songs like “I Know You” and “Kingston” resurfacing on social media sites like TikTok. Most recently, the 26-year-old singer released her fifth studio album “Underdressed at the Symphony.”
The album is mainly a post-breakup album with a softer feel to it. That being said, the entire 36 minutes of it feel like a love letter to Webster’s band.
“Thinking About You” is the longest song on the album and welcomes the listeners to it. The song is quite gentle and while repetitive, highlights the music behind the words. A beautiful way to detail the rest of the album.
After the wonderful intro follows “But Not Kiss.” The music truly kicks in after the initial line of lyrics and emphasizes the emotional change. The instrumental behind the lyrics feels devastating and listeners go on the same journey shoulder to shoulder with Webster.
“I was kind of looking for other songs that were portraying this really anti-romantic-but-still-in-love feeling, and I couldn’t really find them. So that’s why I wrote that one,” Webster said in an interview with Spin.
The song presents a common feeling of wanting to reach out to someone, but not knowing if you’re disturbing them and not wanting to change anything.
Following is “Wanna Quit All the Time,” which tackles self-doubt, personal growth and the anxiety that comes from being known. Parts of the song feel hopeful with the idea that Webster can figure it all out in the end, a comforting thought.
“Lego Ring” is an interesting track as it includes Webster’s childhood friend Lil Yachty. The song itself is dream-like. The song changes tempo a few times which emphasizes its quirky nature.
“[Lil Yachty and I], we make songs all the time together. I feel it was just like another thing of sharing together and it just felt really fitting,” Webster said in an interview with Rolling Stone Australia.
The next song is “Feeling Good Today.” The song contrasts Webster’s autotuned voice singing about her day-to-day life with a soft melodic acoustic guitar. The song is simple in nature, but is a hopeful tune compared to the others.
“Lifetime” is the second-longest song on the album and one of the few romantic songs that describes a yearning for a loved one. The initial lyrics question how Webster could have lived a life without the partner at first. The song is repetitive towards the end to truly convey the love she has for her partner.
Similar to the previous song, “He Loves Me Yeah!” discusses a sweet romantic relationship where the flaws of the relationship are easily dismissed between the pair. The song is more upbeat and assures the listener that she is happy.
The album reverts back to a slower melody with “eBay Purchase History,” which discusses topics such as a longing for the past, satisfaction in life and Webster’s private life. That being said, the lyrics aren’t the focus of the song, but rather the instrumental.
“Underdressed at the Symphony” is the titular track for the album and touches on Webster’s emotions reeling after a breakup. Instead of just focusing on herself, she also wonders how the ex is doing and wonders why they haven’t told their mother. It’s slow but meaningful, and the piano at the end ties it all together.
The final song on the album is ”Tttttime,” which ponders how Webster spends her days and how much uncertainty she has in her life and her routine.
The album is a wonderful mix of heartbreak, uncertainty and hope. It felt truly human to experience partially because of the out-of-order lineup of songs. This is another Faye Webster classic.
Rating: 4/5 stars
