They used to say, if someone had an exceptionally beautiful voice, that they could sing the phone book. That would be a pretty short song these days, so thankfully Atlanta’s Faye Webster has updated the concept by singing a song she calls Ebay Purchase History.
It’s a goofy title for an artist who has peppered her gorgeous singer-songwriter fare with odder moments across five albums, the first one released when she was just 16.
Formerly signed to the underground rap label Awful Records, it’s not uncommon for a rapper to pop up amid her supremely mellow country pop. The guest this time is Lil Yachty, who it turns out is an old school friend, rhyming in alien Auto-Tune over the fuzzy bass and ringing piano of Lego Ring.
Somehow, it all fits, perhaps because Webster has such an easygoing, welcoming style that nothing feels out of place. She’ll sell you a yo-yo at her concerts and is relaxed and conversational in her lyrics.
Feeling Good Today is less than 90 seconds long and finds her singing what sounds like a voicemail to a friend in a sweetly digitised voice: “I got paid yesterday/I'll probably buy something dumb/Because I am pretty childish.”
Elsewhere, it sounds like she’s enjoying her own vibe so completely that she just lets songs run on without changing much. Both Thinking About You and Lifetime feature her repeating the titles long after most would have stopped, but it’s a lovely way to drift along.
Her voice is soft and intimate, comfortable sitting back when the music gets busier. The title of the album is a good metaphor for the way she can mix the complex and the casual. The song of that name is about a break-up, with detail that is understated yet heartbreaking: “I know you haven’t told your mother yet/Because she invited me over again.” When she sings the word “symphony”, a grand string flourish begins – a nice touch.
There are plenty more great moments here, lots of them suitable for filleting as TikTok clips. The belated popularity of her 2017 song I Know You on the platform has boosted her streaming numbers significantly. People will love the burst of dramatic piano that comes when she sings: “I want to see you in my dreams/But then forget” on But Not Kiss.
The rockier strut of He Loves Me Yeah! is another small gem and UK crowds will get the chance to experience the best of this album and her back catalogue at Koko in May. Oh, and if this new record makes her the star she deserves to be, she’ll be able to make a lot more reckless internet purchases.
