Faye Webster's fourth album I Know I'm Funny haha perfectly captures her as a person: she's genuinely charming, funny, charismatic, and full of love (and sadness). Although it seems like the ultimate finish line after a glorious run of fantastic albums, this is only the beginning. She has graciously catapulted into the hall of fame of current indie singer-songwriter greats.
Atlanta, Georgia's very own Faye Webster has quickly become one of my favorite singer songwriters in recent years. Webster started out with rootsy homegrown folk and country with Run and Tell in 2013 and further enhanced her country and folk roots with an Americana and indie flare on self-titled second album Faye Webster. Still being my personal favorite record of hers, she put her own personal spin on the genre. Newly signed to indie heavyweight Secretly Canadian in 2018, she would only put her personality and genuineness further with her next record Atlanta Millionaires Club. This time, she's really become her own with a unique combination of country, folk, jazz, R&B, pop, indie, and much more. She's got more backing instrumentation, variety, and most of all her lyrics have become more self aware, heartfelt, and often hilarious. Her questioning whether to go out or stay in cheekily coy fashion on "Room Temperature" reminds me of other wittily charming artists like Courtney Barnett. After Atlanta Millionaires Club I was certain that Faye Webster would just get better and better with her performances and with incorporating her self further.
And certain I was! Faye Webster brand new album, cutely titled I Know I'm Funny haha, is her most genuine and personal album yet. The album continues with the jazzy, folky blend of country-tinged pop and R&B that I loved form the previous album only to be pushed even further into even more satisfying songs and ideas. The songs themselves are Webster's love letters to her romantic partner and how happy and joyful she genuinely is around him. That isn't without the sad songs though... what's a Faye Webster album without a little sadness, truly? "Better Distractions" leads off the album with lyrics about finding distractions to forget her loved one only to be dragged back into wanting him back every time. It's silky smooth in presentation of sliding guitars, gentle piano, and light percussion over Webster's sweet honey-like voice is perfect to hear. "Sometimes" is the dreamy slow burning ballad with lush acoustic instrumentation that's meant to be listened to lying on your bed with the lights off while staring out the window. Oh, and it's raining too, by the way. The title track is the album's most wholesome and lovely tune on the record. It has all the love, humor, and joy that comes from a Faye Webster track; a song that references her boyfriend's family not recognizing her because they're drunk, or not paying the landlord because "f*ck him, he kept my money." The song along with its accompanying music video perfectly captures Faye Webster and who she is. She's genuinely funny, charismatic, and cares deeply about her friends and family even when she's screwing around.
"In a Good Way," released last year, is a soulful single that features bright acoustic guitar, sharp electric guitar, and swaying strings. The song's chorus "you make me wanna cry in a good way" is very on brand for Webster. "Kind Of," a big album highlight, has some of Webster's most emotionally stirring and confident vocal deliveries yet. I simply cannot get enough of it along with the tropical vibes of twangy island pop. "Cheers" may be Webster's most abrasive track instrumentally. Surprisingly, the single has noisy guitars full of reverb over a triumphant chorus that blasts into space. I mean it's not exactly the most abrasive thing on the planet but it is a different change of pace for Faye. "Both All the Time" has a satisfying galloping pace over some somber lyrics about being both lonely and lonesome. "Stranger" has some gorgeous (GORGEOUS!) strings and rich music behind Faye Webster's voice. It's miraculously crafted and it plays out perfectly, especially over her whispered talking interluding in the track.
"A Dream With a Baseball Player" concludes the trajectory of her obsession with the Atlanta Braves baseball team (go Braves!) and more specifically Braves' star hitter Ronald Acuña Jr. It's a song about her coming to terms with her falling in love with a celebrity sports star who doesn't even know who she is ("how did I fall in love with someone I don't know?"). I think we can all relate to when we relentlessly obsess with a celebrity, whether it be an actor, musician, or a sports star even though there is actually no reality behind the possibility of a relationship. It's another huge favorite of mine and the added saxophone is really, really great. "Overslept" features guest vocals from Japanese singer mei ehara it goes over quite swimmingly over the relaxing late-night jazzy instrumental. "Half of Me" perfectly concludes the album as a lo-fi acoustic ballad that's about Webster only being half of herself when she's alone at home and not with her partner.
So after the richly enjoyable Atlanta Millionaires Club (haha I made a funny), Faye Webster takes it up to a whole new level with I Know I'm Funny haha. Everything, and I mean everything is better than before: the performances are tighter, the instrumentals are richer and more gorgeous, the songwriting is funnier and more heartfelt. Most importantly what's improved is Faye herself. Like I mentioned earlier with one of the songs, this entire album perfectly captures Faye Webster as a person. She's charming, funny, charismatic, and full of love (and sadness). It sounds like the exact album she's been striving to make. Her previous album was simply a stepping stone in order to get to this destination, a destination she's been trying very hard to be at. Although I Know I'm Funny haha seems like the ultimate finish line after a glorious run of fantastic albums, this is only the beginning for Faye Webster. This is her best album yet and instrumentally, musically (and entirely) it's exactly what I'm looking for in a Faye Webster album. She has graciously catapulted into the hall of fame of current indie singer songwriters... right up there with Courtney Barnett, Angel Olsen, and among other greats within the current state of indie singer-songwriter music.
My Rating: 9 / 10
Favorite Songs: "I Know I'm Funny haha," "Kind Of," "A Stranger," "A Dream With a Baseball Player," "Better Distractions," "Overslept"