Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit

I discovered Courtney Barnett after watching her on an episode of SNL. I fell in love with her instantly. This album is AMAZING. The songs are catchy, I didn't find myself skipping around much at all. I can listen to this start to finish and really enjoy the whole experience (and there aren't many albums I can say that about). I especially loved her lyrics; they are thoughtful, emotionally provocative, but still fun and clever at the same time. I definitely recommend outright buying this... but if you aren't sure or are on the fence, look up her performance on SNL. You won't be disappointed. :)

Okay, so the product arrived on time and well packaged. I love this artist and the quality of the recording. I have two small gripes; first, the cardboard envelope of the cd is so tight that the cd is impossible to remove without forcing thumb and forefinger deep into the package. Second, and most annoying, is that in all my previous purchases on Amazon music, the digital versions (mp3) were immediately available for download upon completion of the cd purchase. Not so with these cds of this artist. Still not even viewable on Prime music. So I guess I will have to rip them myself, but that does not put them on prime music library. bummer.

I just forced myself to turn this album off so I could share my impressions with you all. Yes, ALBUM. It’s hard to know what to call them when you download them, but album means something more than MP3 or CD or tape or vinyl, or whenever you are from. Those terms are like calling a painting paper. Think photo album. Think scrapbook. Think portfolio. Like all inspired artists, Courtney Barnett is doing more here than even she realizes, I would bet. But whatever, it all comes together in a hearty package that merits repeated listening. When I listen to a new album, I skim through each song quickly – sample the beginning, middle and end. If I don’t like the sound I’m hearing, I just move on to the next album. I sure stopped on this one. I was already a fan, from her two previous EPs, released separately and then together as A Sea of Split Peas. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that she had built on that sound and not abandoned it. Barnett’s words are not to be missed, and thankfully her voice is out front in her recordings. She is able to do that classic thing great writers can do – bring Ethos, Pathos, Logos together in what could simply be called humanity well shared. And she is hilarious when she chooses to be. Also, as great writers do, she writes out of her experience. You might be tempted to call some of it autobiographical, and perhaps it is, but she is very clever. Listen to “Depreston” and here her switch between the points of view of the real estate agent, the “you” in the song, and herself. Listen to the juxtaposition of the elements of “Dead Fox”. And the lines in the opening song, “Elevator Operator” just crack me up. You can’t see is all in one go. I think a lot about the ways we perceive various types of art – especially graphic art and music. I like putting these songs up on my “wall” and walking over frequently to take another look. Her guitar work stands on the shoulders of giants, as all of us do in our own endeavours, but it is uniquely hers and I loved it the second I heard it. She is comfortable in many genres that could be called grunge, country, blues and straight ahead rock, but really, you just need to listen for yourself. She also shows excellent taste in the musical company she has around her on this album. As I say in all my posts about music, you have no excuse for buying music you do not like. There are so many ways to hear it first. I know buying music is out of fashion, and I know artists don’t make much off sales, but I urge those of you who an afford it to invest in the artists you like – go the shows if you can, buy the merch if you like, and purchase your preferred medium of the recordings. And do give this album I love so much a listen.

Courtney Barnett is more of a storyteller than a rock goddess. She, and her able band, can certainly rock out and they're way past the three-chord limit, but the music is not really what she's selling. The tunes come from us via late 80s, early 90s indie pop and rock, and (for rock-ists) there's a lot to like about them, especially as much of that was influenced by tune-filled mid-late 60s, early 70s "classic rock". But the music is really not the point here: that much is clear less than one second after pressing play. The first track, Elevator Operator, starts out by her laconically telling us (rather than singing to us) the story of Oliver Paul who has found himself on the rooftop of the Nicholas building. But young Oliver is not contemplating suicide. Rather he's "just idling insignificantly". And with that you get Courtney Barnett. She's using music to tell fairly uneventful short stories with just enough of a hint of a twist and some intellectual depth and wit to appeal to everyone that has the time to sit around and listen to her words . Talk about targeting your demographic: her CD will be played in every coffeehouse, all day. And so it should. This is a good album and a solid contender to become a keeper. The professional reviewers like the house-hunting story that is Depreston and Dead Fox, a VU inspired paean to middle-class anonymity. I prefer the rocked out Pedestrian at Best and the tune she's hawking on the talk shows, An Illustration of Loneliness. But my larger point is that its all good. Music reviews are expected to point to sources and inspirations, so here's mine: Liz Phair, specifically Exile in Guyville albeit without the bj queen. But, and despite that great album, Liz really wanted to be a rock goddess and was never able to keep the momentum of the stories in that debut album. Time will tell whether Courtney's got the talent to stay but for the moment I'm enjoying this new voice. I am confident that others will enjoy this good, maybe great, set of insignificant stories.

Saw Courtney at Red Rocks with Spoon and Decemberists and she 'stole the show'. I had never heard of her. She and her two piece band reminded me of Crazy Horse, and her songs are literate and funny. This is a great album- the vinyl pressing is OK.

Mea culpa arrivo in ritardo di 6 anni su questa cantautrice "slacker" australiana. Ci sono arrivato per caso perché un pezzo (non presente nell'esordio ma su un EP precedente) mi ha colpito come sigla finale di una puntata del cartone animato Boojack Horseman. dopo aver guardato un po' di video di esibizioni su You Tube mi sono comprato tutta le discografia. Questo primo disco è zeppo di perle melodiche suonate con uno stile personale che affonda le radici nelle sonorità indie, alt-rock anni '90. Un tocco di chitarra tutto personale, suona con le dita da mancina, e una bella voce. Oltre che a un aspetto acqua e sapone che ha la sua grande sensualità. Brava brava brava. bella anche la grafica, disegnata da lei stessa e applicata anche agli altri prodotti della sua casa discografica la Milk! records.

Profundamente decepcionado: O material da capa é de baixa qualidade, muito maleável... A prensagem não é boa. Vinil veio completamente sujo e a capa totalmente avariada/amassada. Minha expectativa estava alta para receber esse disco... Infelizmente me frustrei bastante.

Todo bien.

amo este disco, las canciones... el arte es perfecto también. incluye las letras manuscritas y una foto de la banda.