COURTNEY BARNETT
Creature Of Habit (Mom + Pop Music)
Evolved from her charmingly unpolished, angstier albums like Sometimes I Sit and Think…, the songs on Courtney Barnett’s fourth album feel tidier, more grown-up, and an inevitable effect of aging. Which isn’t to say the Australian loses herself on Creature Of Habit.
The album opens with the bass-heavy Stay In Your Lane, reminiscent in all aspects of her earlier work. And there are still remnants of spunkiness in songs like Mantis, Sugar Plum, Same and Great Advice, though these all fall victim to a softer, more polished sound. From the first track, what is most unfortunate is the loss of Barnett’s characteristically ambitious rhyming and the esoteric appeal of her earlier lyricism, though her Antipodean twang continues to make even simplified songwriting charismatic and fun.
Another Beautiful Day is a fitting end to the album: plucky, slightly grumpy yet hopeful, acknowledging the progression of time – even if a little resentfully. Though musically Barnett has settled down over time, her moody optimism remains unchanged.
words MENNA WILSON
