CD reviews

COURTNEY BARNETT

Tell Me How You Really Feel

THE number one most charming thing about Aussie indie-rock star Courtney Barnett is her down-to-earth vibe. Her works are never verbose, but she peppers her easy-to-relate-to songs with fine details and just enough wit to make you take a second listen. There is something mystifying and engrossing about her writing. And her music is equally appealing for those who grew up loving Britpop, grunge, punky indie-rock and all those sounds of yore. Her guitars can be sweetly strummed or rough and raw, sometimes within the same tune. Opener Hopefulessness is a slow-burning, anxiety-filled post-punk song that starts out low-key and builds into bursts of noise. “Take your broken heart, turn it into art,” she drawls. It’s like a motto for her career. On an album full of ’90s touchstones, this song has the poise of peak PJ Harvey. Speaking of rad rockers, Kim and Kelly Deal from The Breeders turn up to sing backing vocals, which is cool and a bit of a flex, like: “Check out my little black book, y’all.” The song, Crippling Self Doubt is surprisingly sunny while also passive-aggressive. Highlights abound, but particularly strong standouts include the furious, heavypunching I’m Not Your Mother and

Nameless, Faceless, the latter a tune that puts a spotlight on everyday situations where a woman might feel scared of physical violence. It’s not a chipper tune, but an important reminder nonetheless.