The centerpiece of Emily Fenton‘s debut album is her incredible voice. Over spare, homey folk that recalls the “I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning” era of Bright Eyes, Fenton sings in a vibrato-prone alto that’s so captivatingly strange and lovely that she encompasses joy and longing at the same time. Her melodies and phrasing throughout “Hello, from Planet Earth” — which was recorded live at White Water Tavern with the help of sound engineer Jordan Trotter — have a charming impulsiveness and whimsy that foster intimacy for the listener, making them feel close to Fenton, invited into her creative process as she decides down what path she’s going to toss her vocal cords.
Lyrically, the album often explores the beauty, wonder and melancholy of Little Rock listlessness. Fenton characterizes our city as the kind of place where you can become a local “star” even though it “doesn’t pay the bills, yet,” as she claims in “Down in Arkansas.” It’s also the kind of place where lazy romance abounds. In a town that moves this slowly, there’s plenty of time to fall “ruthlessly in love” with a “proto-bohemian,” she muses between “Ruthless” and the title track. On the other hand, Little Rock feels like a fairly existential place through Fenton’s eyes. “Roaches” depicts her rustling through the ashtray leftovers until she’s “sad and scared and stoned.” “Soul for Sale” has her feeling somewhere between worthless and infinite: “I don’t have anything to offer, to offer, except everything.”
Most importantly, “Hello, from Planet Earth” feels honest. Give it a listen on your streaming service of choice and catch the album release show at White Water Tavern tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 11. Annie Ford and Sleepy Zuhoski are set to open.
