Courtney Barnett: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Показать описание

Courtney Barnett can tell you a story like she's your best friend — provided your best friend is a funny poet with an Australian accent. Listen to "Avant Gardener," an autobiographical account of trying to turn a life around through gardening, only to be foiled by a severe allergic reaction. The tale that follows at this Tiny Desk Concert, "History Eraser," is a ramble in an alcohol-fueled dream state; it features some of the best lyric-writing in music today. Here's a sample from that song:

"I found an Ezra Pound and made a bet that if I found a cigarette I'd drop it all and marry you. Just then a song comes on: "You can't always get what you want" — The Rolling Stones, oh, woe is we, the irony! The Stones became the moss and once all inhibitions lost, the hipsters made a mission to the farm. We drove by tractor there, the yellow straw replaced our hair, we laced the dairy river with the cream of sweet vermouth."

The only downside for a fan like me is that these songs have been kicking around my head for more than a year. As she played them, I found myself hoping for something new, too. And so it was that Barnett graced the Tiny Desk with a brand-new tune, not yet on a record, about a suburb near Melbourne known as Preston; it's a song about house-hunting that she appropriately calls "Depreston." The song is thoughtful, acerbic and funny, just like the woman who sings it. --BOB BOILEN

Set List

"Avant Gardener"
"History Eraser"
"Depreston"

Credits

Producers: Bob Boilen, Denise DeBelius; Audio Engineer: Kevin Wait; Videographers: Denise DeBelius, Gabriella Garcia-Pardo, Olivia Merrion; photo by Jim Tuttle/NPR

Рекомендации по теме

Комментарии

"paramedic thinks im clever cause i play guitar - i think she's clever cause she, stops people dying" hahahahahahahahahahahaa
far out this is some great music

toastweek

I love her stream-of-consciousness lyrics, they are like beat poetry, so wild and free flowing, that if you aren't picking up on what she is laying down, it might not make much sense, but if you do follow her words, she is a lyrical genius!

conorhamptonmusic

She's so lovely and natural. No pretentiousness of any kind.

funeralgiggle

The subtlety of the turn in Depreston gets me every time. How she goes from funny and sardonic to sweet and sad in a few seemingly simple lines. That kind of observation and writing is rare.

josephyoung

I absolutely LOVE the acoustic version of Avant Gardener. Prefer it actually. Just beautiful.

ploomer

"Depreston" at 8:43. Just leaving this note for myself. Superb performance!

Bernard-Shakey

I know it's said already but her lyrics really are ingenious. There's so much subtlety, but not in a pretentious, inaccessible way. She's an amazing talent

gregk

It is so awesome to scroll through a youtube comment section and not read any negative comments. How refreshing!!!

dweeze

She's just sitting there telling you a story and a guitar happens to be on her lap with strings bussling through her fingers, its seamless, effortless, a breth, beautiful moment. few humans can do this this beautifully and humbly

dantecervantes

A+ for song.
A+ for guitaring
A+ for great hair!!

bobgure

Creatively soulful, rock and roll spirited, Courtney's music draws me in and spits me out feeling a little more alive than where I was before.

xXboingXx

one of the most poetic story-telling singer songwriters of the last few years, super dope. and that accent, love it

OthersOrSomething

Her music sounds great with the rest of her band, but when she plays solo like this it really highlights the quality of her lyrics! I had no idea the wordplay in these songs was so good until I listened to this.

lukemaskarinec

"Its a Monday. Its so mundane."
"You said we only live once, so we touched a little tongue and instantly I wanted to."
The play on words is so fucking good in these songs. A toothless bum could be reading this poetry and I would be still be aroused. Courtney Barnett is like some from Australia.

ShinSkillet