Courtney Barnett Album Launch At Red Gallery Review

Having released her new album on 23rd March, we were fortunate enough to catch the first performance of Courtney Barnett’s new album ‘Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit’ played in its entirety from start to finish for an intimate and eagerly anticipating crowd.

With the gallery itself laden with snapshots of previous live shows, revealing photos of Barnett in the recording studio throughout the process of making her new album as well as unique compositions that she had created herself, the scene was set for an artist that has garnered considerable attention both sides of the Atlantic with recent standout performances at SXSW and an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Sometimes considered as ‘slacker-rock’ due to her lo-fi garage band sensibilities, Barnett was anything but slack this evening powering through first track ‘Elevator Operator’, charming the crowd with her wry, witty lyrics and disarming stage presence. Backed by her exemplary bassist and drummer, she continued with the highly energetic lead single ‘Pedestrian at Best’ purposefully wailing the chorus “Put me on a pedestal and I’ll only disappoint you/Tell me I’m exceptional and I promise to exploit you” at the expectant crowd, with the self-deprecating awareness and humour in her lyrics that has made her one of the most acclaimed and exciting singer-songwriters of recent years.

Closing the set with mellow numbers ‘Kim’s Caravan’ and ‘Boxing Day Blues’ (without failing to mention set highlight ‘Depreston’) Barnett demonstrated her sensitive and introspective songwriting qualities, captivating the audience and further cementing her reputation as unique troubadour with a tremendous future.

By Thomas Curtis-Horsfall.