Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel

Courtney Barnett for the last few years has really blown up on the Indie scene.  The first time I heard her "The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas", I was actually really caught off guard.  This was a compilation of sorts, combining a few early EP's of Courtney's.  But the content of this compilation came off more solid of an album than most debut's nowadays.  Tracks like "Avant Gardener" and "History Eraser" quickly became crowd favorites.  But it was Courtney's performances that really won me over here.  Time after time, her lyrics were deeply personal, almost too personal at times.  But it made me get to know Courtney ridiculously quickly, introducing her as one of the freshest faces in Indie.  Courtney returned in 2015 with "Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit".  This album for the most part, showed Courtney cleaning up her sound and giving us more of the same, most of the time even better.  There were raucous rockers like "Pedestrian at Best" and "Nobody Really Cares if You Don't Go to The Party".  But there were also charming, observational numbers like "An Illustration of Loneliness" and "Depreston", which were once again very wordy.  Obviously, it wasn't for everyone, but I certainly was into it.  So it's been quite some time since we've heard from Ms. Barnett.  But she's back, and for the most part, it really does seem like she's made some major tweaks to her style.  But these tweaks to me, seem to have seriously ironed out a few of the kinks that I've always had with Courtney.  Let's chat, shall we?

(A personal favorite of mine!)

This album starts off with “Hopefulessness”.  Now, one thing that shocked me about Courtney’s collaboration with Kurt Vile last year, was just how bluesy and rugged it was.  And what do you know, this intro seems to be along the same lines.  It’s just so broken down and grimy, especially for Courtney.  But I absolutely love this as an intro, it brings in the much more grim and realistic sounds of this album.  There’s even a lot of tension here, and this track just comes off so intense even though Courtney isn’t usually that sort of performer.  To be honest, her very calm and sweet vocal performance works as a great contrast to just how tense this one really is.  Lyrically, if you’re a fan of Courtney by now you should know what you’re in for, her style hasn’t changed THAT much.  Overall, “Hopefulessness” works as an opener wonderfully.  Then we have “City Looks Pretty”, which is the sort of peppy, energetic track that I really needed to hear after that opener.  Now, say what you will about Courtney’s more wordy verses, cause I know that’s where it starts and ends for some people.  But I think she pulls it off so well most of the time.  But in this case, this is incredibly charming.  I love some of Courtney’s wordplay here, and just how clever this tune really is, and Courtney sounds at her most confident.  It’s actually pretty incredible to think this is the same shy young lady we met on her first few EPs.  But this one is just so driving, I love the rhythm of it, and of course, we get this pretty wild, spacey jam towards the end just when you think you have it all figured out.  “City Looks Pretty” is simply put, the most ambitious tune Courtney has ever touched.  The more upbeat, straightforward tracks continue with “Charity”.  I love moments like this where Courtney comes out of her shell as a seriously above-average guitarist.  We forget it, but Courtney can really rip when she wants to.  Then we have the verses here, which will just about put any doubter or hater of her more wordy performances to shame.  This is easily one of the most straightforward tracks of the entire album, but it continues to play to all of Courtney’s strengths.  And even though this is much less observational, it’s still ridiculously personal and biographical.  And Courtney, my dear, those vocal harmonies have never sounded better.  Then we have “Need A Little Time”, which is once again much more in the slower, busier direction.  And while I have to commend Courtney on this lyrical performance, because this deeply personal break-up jam is unbearably so at times.  But for me, I don’t know if I’m totally behind some of these much slower tunes, I’ve had this problem since her early days.  I do have to commend her for her songwriting.  But compared to just how grimy and stripped down this album’s intro was, this isn’t nearly as stunning.  This does have some great elements though, like the lyrics and that emotional guitar solo.

Then we have “Nameless, Faceless”, which actually still blows my mind every time.  I love the more peppy tone to this one, which is combatted by just how grizzly and current lyrically this is.  Similarly to the U.S. Girls album earlier this year, Courtney has taken a very real, horrible occurrence and crafts it into a sort of Pop tune that refuses to leave you. But it really is a knockout for Courtney, and it’s a sort of tune that I feel like you really need to hear to take it all in.  That’s all I have to say.  Then we have “I’m Not Your Mother, I’m Not Your Bitch”, which is a serious shot out of left field, as Courtney breaks out a legitimate Punk Jam.  Not only that, but one that’s seriously fueled with emotion and rage.  It’s a little too straightforward to be completely mind-blowing, but to hear Courtney this explosive and pissed off and wild is worth a listen in itself.  Like, this is literally heavier than most Punk tunes I’ve heard this year, which is NUTS.  Then we have “Crippling Self Doubt and a General Lack of Self-Confidence” which in so many ways, from the title to the lyrics, is a sort of mission statement for Courtney.  It’s catchy in a way that she only could do, but it’s also seriously clever and well written.  It’s another short and sweet, impassioned jam, and a legitimately great one at that.  Then we have “Help Your Self”, which once again has Courtney taking a shot out of left field.  Courtney slows it down once again here.  But this time, she’s going for a sort of blues jam, but with some weird of Funk thrown in.  Once again, it has some really great moments.  For example, that chorus is one of the best of the entire album, and it’s just so hypnotic.  As a matter of fact a lot of this track is just so hypnotic.  But for me, this more stripped down tune with Courtney’s wordiest performance of the entire album is just not entirely what I want to hear from her.  It does have a great guitar solo and all, but this one overall doesn’t stick with me.

Now, for me, as far as a slower tune goes I would much rather hear Courtney take on a track like “Walkin on Eggshells”.  This is the sort of Electric Blues she tried out on her collaboration with Kurt Vile that worked wonderfully.  And it’s just as charming and breezy as you could ever think.  I love just how grand and epic this one comes off, even if it is on the lighter side of this album.  It’s moments like this that Courtney’s more wordy performances don’t just come off better, but I feel like I could listen to hours of this.  This album ends off with “Sunday Roast”, which is a sweet, airy finale if I’ve ever heard one.  It’s easily the lightest track here, but I will be damned if it’s also the most endearing track here.  I’ve never heard Courtney this so “in-love” with anything, and it’s really great to hear.  While I don’t really think this should have been the finale, as it doesn’t really wrap anything up, it’s still pleasant. 

Rating: 8.1/10

Give A Listen To: “Hopefulessness”, “City Looks Pretty”, “Nameless, Faceless”, “Crippling Self Doubt and a General Lack of Self-Confidence”

Least Favorite Track: “Help Your Self”

Genre: Indie Rock / Alternative Rock 

Overall Thoughts:  This is a much different Courtney Barnett than where we left her a few years ago.  Not only that, but I feel like if you were wary of Courtney’s work in the past, you should absolutely give this a shot.  This album isn’t as rambling in parts, and Courtney’s vocals have never been more passionate.  That’s because, to be honest, her lyrics have never been so urgent.  The once observational sweetheart telling us about her life in the most interesting way possible is now more current and cutting than ever, and that makes this deserve a listen as it is.  Not only that, by adding in Bluesier elements and an honest to God Punk jam, this is easily Courtney’s most versatile album.  Now, after all of these years, I’m still just so iffy on her slower numbers, some of them really bringing this album down a lot for me.  But Courtney handles herself just fine, for the most part, making for one of the more well-written Indie albums you’ll hear this year.