New Artist Spotlight: Georgia Fearn

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Welsh indie singer-songwriter Georgia Fearn is here to invade your weekly playlists. Her debut album, Perfect on Paper, is a rollicking collection of lyrically-intensive songs that show just how far she is poised to go.Beginning with "L'Amour," Fearn treats us to spoken word verses that seem to be the foundation for a Laurie Anderson-esque record until the hook comes in and she lets that voice loose. Fearn doesn't have to hide her voice behind digital distortions and vowel breaking vocal techniques; she's a skilled vocalist whose haunting timbre sets her apart from other artists with similar sounds.On Perfect on Paper, when Fearn is pulling inspirations from books and television shows, she is at her best. Take, for example, the Celtic-infused "Misty Mae." Inspired by the character of the same name from American Horror Story: Coven, "Misty Mae" brings the fairylike and ethereality into a sultry audio package. Fearns knack for reinterpreting existing characters returns on "Sharp Objects," which, lyrically, bears a striking resemblance to the book and Amy Adams-led television show of the same name. The first half of Perfect on Paper is nothing short of exquisite from the tight production to that excellent bridge on "Does It Ever Make You Wonder" and the warbling bass on "Sharp," Fearn is creating deft hits.However, when Fearn leans into her balladeer side, the album starts to drag. Her uptempo songs are so skillful and well-produced that her ballads feel weak and bland in comparison. The second half of the album houses a few too many of the ballads and the redundant song structure does not bolster the quality of any of them. "No Need to Hide" in particular is the easiest track to pinpoint as filler on an album by an artist who is clearly capable of much more.Above all, Perfect on Paper is an extremely solid debut album that perfectly showcases the ability and potential of Georgia Fearn as both a lyricist and a vocalist.

Score: 68

Key Tracks: "Misty Mae," "Master of Jazz," "Sharp Objects"