Fable – Shame | Album Review

Everything was going right for Fable.

Slots at prestigious festivals like Glastonbury and high profile support slots showed an artist very much on the ascendancy. Then personal tragedy struck and she withdrew from the music world entirely for years to heal. The end result of that time away is Shame, her debut album proper and an exploration of self as much as it is of the pop landscape. Landing in similar art pop spaces that Hayley Williams explored with Petals For Armor, it refuses to confine itself to those pastures and branches into electropop, rock and soulful R&B across its 12 tracks.

‘Fall Away’ is the understated opener, building from solitary piano to swelling strings and Fable’s own idiosyncratic voice. She doesn’t quite sound like anyone else; there’s moments of grit, as well as soul and deep vulnerability that are all conveyed with an air of self-assurance only earned from deep reflection. ‘Womb’ is similarly subdued while it explores identity as well as a determination to keep going; “relax, it will come / gotta work, get it done” and “asked myself, who are you? / She got up, left the room / that’s the truth” she intones through bridges and choruses. It’s laid-back, underpinned by Fable’s voice that carries soul and strength.

The first departure from this more relaxed style is ‘Guilt Of The Act’; a bluesy bass stirs playfully before horns and guitar interject for its chorus. The song still manages to keep that lackadaisical air but it’s spirited and almost playful despite its lyrics (“can’t walk in these shoes, I’m giving them back” and ” been killing myself with the guilt of the act”).  It’s a short-lived spurt of energy as Sandcastles soon pulls back into chill-hop beats; similarly ‘Heal Yourself’ is relaxed but for stirring vocal hooks. 

The oft understated, less is more approach taken across Shame certainly works in its favour, allowing Fable’s unique voice room to soar where needed or be emotionally raw. Striking a balance between the urgent beats of Heal Yourself and the more laid-back instrumentation is no mean feat but it’s done with panache. The title track comes close to channelling a more Billie Eilish sound in its opening moments but it remains entirely its own as it explores far more art pop soundscapes. By the time Shame closes on the swelling, dramatic Swarm and blissful saxophone of ‘Onion Brain’, it’s been an emotionally raw journey that culminates in some form of self acceptance, or at least recognition of struggles. Her time away from the industry has proven fertile, musically; Shame draws on peers in contemporary pop while retaining its own clear identity and plenty of space to grow and explore in future.