Every now and then an artist joins the ranks of musicians whose calibre puts them in the league of the undying. With the release of her 2015 debut Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, Courtney Barnett catapulted to these heights.
Sure to be remembered as one of the great Australian songwriters, Barnett shares the rambling yet profound storytelling abilities of Bob Dylan, yet cut with a distinct edge of deadpan witticism. While Barnett conjures the illusion that she wandered into the studio one day and sang out the first thing that came to her head, but the wordplay and profound insights peppered throughout her writing is nothing short of extraordinary. In 2017 Barnett teamed up with Kurt Vile and recorded Lotta Sea Lice. This combination of superpowers drew the best from both artists creating a remarkably interesting record of elliptical melodies.
Courtney Barnett has drawn listeners into her world and toured relentlessly since the release of her debut album; and her solo follow up Tell Me How You Really Feelshowed a darker, heavier side to Courtney’s music, amplifying her live performances and earning her an ARIA award for Best Rock Album.
Significantly, Courtney Barnett's oeuvre has strong ties to the city of Melbourne. Streets, landmarks and entire suburbs (see Depreston) often get name-checked in Barnett's winding indie-folk epics.
