Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Faye Webster is an American indie folk singer – President Barack Obama proclaimed Better Distractions from this album as one of his favourite songs of 2020 – I doubt Donald Trump could spell Faye, never mind appreciate a song by her.
Her fourth album, I Know I’m Funny haha, is a measured, chilled slice of country indie music – the music rarely breaks from its floating along, twangy pace – “lolling” is the word I am reaching for (God bless the thesaurus).
At times she sounds so lonesome, you want to jump on a bus and head off to Atlanta to give her a hug (I am not sure the 89 goes there though and Uber says it will cost £6,857.75…almost worth it to see how they’d manage the Atlantic…).
Don’t get me wrong though, this a fantastic album, perfect for a Sunday morning and Faye embraces loneliness and finds a power in it that drives this idiosyncratic and diverse album – the pace may not change much, but the mix of indie, buzzsaw guitars, country, lounge, soul, rock, folk is fabulous.
It’s a woozy and self-deprecating joy - A Dream With A Baseball Player recalls her teenage crush on Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr – “How did I fall in love with someone I don't know?”.
Meanwhile A Stranger details her frustration of not thinking of a sad song she’s heard first – “And today I get upset over this song that I heard, and I guess was just upset because why didn't I think of it first”.
And she is indeed funny - Both All The Time has the killer lyric “I’m loneliest at night / after my shower beer”. Check her out – funny and smart and 24. This is wonderful stuff.
For fans of: Lucy Dacus, Better Oblivion Community Center, Aldous Harding