Courtney Barnett Deserves A Thread

[Strat]

passion will always be vital.

Hmm. Maybe. I'm not sure if this is true of everything. Those performances felt passionate, but not vital. At least to me. I think passion is just one component of artistic vitality.

It's vital to someone somewhere precisely because of her passion. But it will fail to have a deep impact with a broader, older audience who's already been exposed to musicians of her ilk.

That's an interesting point. When you frame it that way, I could see how artists like her could lead to a larger resurgence down the road. It seems inevitable that at some point kids are going to start rebelling against what's popular now and looking for something different they can identify with, and a passionate, analog rocker like CB might look like a pretty appealing alternative to all the heavily-produced, electronic-based stuff that's in right now.

She is so goddamn retro she is ahead of the curve

[LoathedVermin72]

passion will always be vital.

Hmm. Maybe. I'm not sure if this is true of everything. Those performances felt passionate, but not vital. At least to me. I think passion is just one component of artistic vitality.

It's vital to someone somewhere precisely because of her passion. But it will fail to have a deep impact with a broader, older audience who's already been exposed to musicians of her ilk.

That's an interesting point. When you frame it that way, I could see how artists like her could lead to a larger resurgence down the road. It seems inevitable that at some point kids are going to start rebelling against what's popular now and looking for something different they can identify with, and a passionate, analog rocker like CB might look like a pretty appealing alternative to all the heavily-produced, electronic-based stuff that's in right now.

She is so goddamn retro she is ahead of the curve

Well, don't misunderstand me: I don't think "retro" is the future. A retreat from slick pop production might be, but I don't think rock can truly become relevant again unless it moves beyond "retro" and becomes somehow progressive and new.

[Strat]

passion will always be vital.

Hmm. Maybe. I'm not sure if this is true of everything. Those performances felt passionate, but not vital. At least to me. I think passion is just one component of artistic vitality.

It's vital to someone somewhere precisely because of her passion. But it will fail to have a deep impact with a broader, older audience who's already been exposed to musicians of her ilk.

That's an interesting point. When you frame it that way, I could see how artists like her could lead to a larger resurgence down the road. It seems inevitable that at some point kids are going to start rebelling against what's popular now and looking for something different they can identify with, and a passionate, analog rocker like CB might look like a pretty appealing alternative to all the heavily-produced, electronic-based stuff that's in right now.

She is so goddamn retro she is ahead of the curve

Well, don't misunderstand me: I don't think "retro" is the future. A retreat from slick pop production might be, but I don't think it can truly become relevant again unless it moves beyond "retro" and becomes somehow progressive and new.

I honestly think music is going to be exactly what it is today. Radio stations are now completely irrelevant as they all have the exact same playlist of top 20 songs. Pop music will dominate, gloss production etc. The masses will always eat it up. Then you will have all these other minor outlets to find music like spotify, through the internet, etc...but they will never crack the mainstream. everything sucks. everybody dies and only kanye and beyonce rule the world with every couple years Britney re-appearing in some new skanky bikini lip synching her terrible music.

[LoathedVermin72]

passion will always be vital.

Hmm. Maybe. I'm not sure if this is true of everything. Those performances felt passionate, but not vital. At least to me. I think passion is just one component of artistic vitality.

It's vital to someone somewhere precisely because of her passion. But it will fail to have a deep impact with a broader, older audience who's already been exposed to musicians of her ilk.

That's an interesting point. When you frame it that way, I could see how artists like her could lead to a larger resurgence down the road. It seems inevitable that at some point kids are going to start rebelling against what's popular now and looking for something different they can identify with, and a passionate, analog rocker like CB might look like a pretty appealing alternative to all the heavily-produced, electronic-based stuff that's in right now.

She is so goddamn retro she is ahead of the curve

Well, don't misunderstand me: I don't think "retro" is the future. A retreat from slick pop production might be, but I don't think it can truly become relevant again unless it moves beyond "retro" and becomes somehow progressive and new.

I honestly think music is going to be exactly what it is today. Radio stations are now completely irrelevant as they all have the exact same playlist of top 20 songs. Pop music will dominate, gloss production etc. The masses will always eat it up. Then you will have all these other minor outlets to find music like spotify, through the internet, etc...but they will never crack the mainstream. everything sucks. everybody dies and only kanye and beyonce rule the world with every couple years Britney re-appearing in some new skanky bikini lip synching her terrible music.

I don't know about that. I get why you say it, and I get why it's totally possible, but when in history has music ever remained completely static like that? Everything has always been a progression. Hell, even just in the last 5-10 years, the sound of what's popular has changed a lot, even if it has remained primarily pop-oriented. But pop was still present, relevant, and popular in the '90s when bands like Nirvana and Metallica also rose to dominance. Pop will remain, but it will not necessarily retain a complete stranglehold on the culture. Artists get restless, and it's only a matter of time before one comes along that taps into something culturally vital, something that connects with people and excites them, and that can set off ripples of creativity and start a new movement. I think it's bound to happen. It may or may not be rock, but something new will come and things will shift.

[VinylGuy]

fucking hell that was great

probably a stretch, but their performances remind me a lot of Nirvana

I thought the same thing during the second song. Definitely some Nirvana influence there.

For sure. But going back to the "rock is dead" comments made by someone somewhere on RM this morning, does anyone else feel like for all Barnett's obvious passion and sincerity, there's something inescapably retro/throwback about this sort of music now?

I don't know if it's purposely a throwback, it's just that we're seeing people creating music who are influenced by the same bands we grew up with. So inherently it will remind us of 'the glory days'

I think it's more than that. The music, from what I heard, feels like its looking backwards. It doesn't feel like any kind of evolution from things I've already heard. It doesn't sound new or different - just solid rock music. It doesn't feel exciting or vital to me. Which makes it seem like it's dwelling in the past.

I dont listen to her, i dont know her albums at all, but i saw those songs in SNL and thought about Nirvana...but not a good way.

[tragabigzanda]

Top 10 maybe?
Hello Morning
Close Captioned
The Kill
Place/Position
Do You Like Me?
Latest Disgrace
Recap Modotti
Nightshop
Break
Life & Limb

I'd maybe bump Life & Limb for Epic Problem

[LoathedVermin72]

passion will always be vital.

Hmm. Maybe. I'm not sure if this is true of everything. Those performances felt passionate, but not vital. At least to me. I think passion is just one component of artistic vitality.

It's vital to someone somewhere precisely because of her passion. But it will fail to have a deep impact with a broader, older audience who's already been exposed to musicians of her ilk.

That's an interesting point. When you frame it that way, I could see how artists like her could lead to a larger resurgence down the road. It seems inevitable that at some point kids are going to start rebelling against what's popular now and looking for something different they can identify with, and a passionate, analog rocker like CB might look like a pretty appealing alternative to all the heavily-produced, electronic-based stuff that's in right now.

She is so goddamn retro she is ahead of the curve

Well, don't misunderstand me: I don't think "retro" is the future. A retreat from slick pop production might be, but I don't think rock can truly become relevant again unless it moves beyond "retro" and becomes somehow progressive and new.

I think Pussy Riot is probably the most recent widely-relevant rock band.

That wasn't for musical reasons, though. No one actually listened to them.

[BurtReynolds]

I dont listen to her, i dont know her albums at all, but i saw those songs in SNL and thought about Nirvana...but not a good way.

those two songs aren't entirely representative of her music methinks.

[chewm]

I dont listen to her, i dont know her albums at all, but i saw those songs in SNL and thought about Nirvana...but not a good way.

those two songs aren't entirely representative of her music methinks.

I agree.

[tragabigzanda]

[VinylGuy]

I dont listen to her, i dont know her albums at all, but i saw those songs in SNL and thought about Nirvana...but not a good way.

those two songs aren't entirely representative of her music methinks.

Cool.

I felt she was really trying, seemed honest, but everything screamed ¨ ey i like the 90s so so much!!¨ i was waiting for J Mascis or Kim Gordon to appear.

[chewm]

I kinda get what you say, especially after these performances but I really dont get that feeling when listening to her albums.

[tragabigzanda]

[zeb]

I felt she was really trying, seemed honest, but everything screamed ¨ ey i like the 90s so so much!!¨ i was waiting for J Mascis or Kim Gordon to appear.

[BurtReynolds]

A Courtney Barnett, J Mascis, Kim Gordon combo sounds kinda awesome to me.

[zeb]

Yes it does.

[zeb]

http://www.tonedeaf.com.au/480095/court ... -night.htm

[chewm]

[surfndestroy]

I dont listen to her, i dont know her albums at all, but i saw those songs in SNL and thought about Nirvana...but not a good way.

Possibly not that big a difference from Nirvana but I find Courtney to be very similar to Breeders. Cannonball would not stick out an any of Courtney's albums.

[tragabigzanda]