When
Charlie Faye recorded her first album with the Fayettes, she didn't necessarily have a girl group in mind: the songs she wrote inspired her to form a trio with
BettySoo and Akina Adderley. Now that the Fayettes have one album under their belts,
Faye has a better idea of what the group can do, and that's evident from their second album, 2019's
The Whole Shebang. Its very title suggests something clever and splashy, and the Fayettes don't skimp on that front. Filled with bright, buoyant songs that deliberately evoke the hopping days before
the Beatles,
The Whole Shebang is delivered with gusto and a knowing wink. Charlie Faye & the Fayettes recognize their audience may be in on whatever jokes they throw their way, but everybody involved with
The Whole Shebang is making (and listening to) this music from a place of great affection: there is no irony here, just groovy good vibes. There are plenty of good songs, too. On the whole,
The Whole Shebang isn't as stylistically diverse as its predecessor -- the group wait until the end to unleash the smoldering Southern soul of "Riding High" and the go-go dancearama of "You Gotta Give It Up (Party Song)" -- but that speaks to
Faye's confidence with the Fayettes. With this second album, she knows precisely what she wants from her neo-girl group, and she wants to get as close to the source as possible without seeming like merely a throwback; it has to be lively, not a museum piece. Charlie Faye & the Fayettes succeed in making
The Whole Shebang a swinging party that is simultaneously familiar and fresh and wholly fun. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine