My
Autumn mini-tour of Bristol (11 gigs, 8 different venues!) comes to an end
tonight, and it’s in the company of an artist who’s been causing a bit of a buzz
of late; Courtney Barnett, an Australian singer whose 2015 debut CD, “Sometimes
I Sit And Think, Sometimes I Just Sit”, has invited comparisons to mid-90’s era
Lemonheads, with its’ deadpan, conversational delivery, insouciant, chilled
atmosphere and post-grunge, slightly countrified slacker melody. Oh, and La
Court’s habit of covering the likes of “Into Your Arms” as well…! I’d just
missed out on her sell-out Fleece gig earlier this year, but booked myself a
ticket in good time for this one.
On
the train as well! Wednesday’s traffic carnage around Cabot Circus had made me
think, crikey, what’s it going to be like for an early gig on a Chrimbo
shopping Friday night? Luckily a planned early curfew and a decently timed
final train seemed to fit well together, so I hopped on the 6.30 from Swindon and
walked the steady 20 minutes to the venue, gaining entrance through the
newly-installed airport style scanning archways and post-Bataclan searches,
thereby arriving midway through the support act, fellow Antipodeans and Barratt
acolytes Big Scary. However, they really didn’t do it for me “live”; they
mainly played variously discordant and oddly samey jazz workouts and insipid 80’s
wine bar funk, with the vocalists’ falsetto uncomfortably recalling Radiohead’s
Thom Yorke. There’s a comparison I’ve not used it a while…
I
wandered out to the lobby during their final number, and ran into the
Bristol-domiciled Kieron and Alison, plus friends, for a nice chat and catch up.
Wandered back onto the uncomfortably stuffed dancefloor, trying stage left
first, then back to my usual stage right spot, eventually finding a pocket of
space and a decent view. The diminutive Courtney, black clad with new INXS t-shirt
(a local “find” earlier today, apparently), led her 3-piece band on, and
straight into “Elevator Operator”, the laconic and witty, stream-of-consciousness
current CD opener, her dry, deadpan and heavily accented vocals to the fore. “Avant
Gardener”, next up, was a hooky slacker indie treat so redolent of “Shame About
Ray” era prime Dando, and “Dead Fox”, my favourite from the current CD, was a
laid-back Sheryl Crow Sunset Strip cruise with some strident harmonies to
finish.
A
good start; I wish I could say that this level was maintained... However, the slow-burn,
sprawling “Small Poppies” dragged, and I was distracted by the cartoon backdrop
of woodland monsters, before being snapped back by Courtney’s grungy howl at
the song’s climax, which suggested there’s actually a snarling riot grrl in
there if you scratch the surface… This juxtaposition continued throughout the
set – lots of enticing, intriguing material, played well, contrasted with some
flimsy, flyaway stuff which drifted along innocuously, and I couldn’t help but
wonder that this would have been an excellent 45min-1 hour set at the Thekla or
Trinity, but felt overlong and uneven as a 1 ½ hour job at the more cavernous
Academy. Don’t get me wrong, lots of good moments here tonight; a delicate “Depreston”,
initially recalled the stripped back US alt-rock of, ironically, Real Estate,
and climaxed with the quietest singalong I’ve heard at a gig (prompting a, “that
was nice,” response from the otherwise taciturn Courtney); “Debbie Downer” was
an ironically upbeat and bouncy C86-tinged shamble, and the set finale double
of the groovy 60’s influenced harmonies of “Nobody Really Cares If You Don’t Go
To The Party”, and the harsher, more confrontational “Pedestrian At Best” was
the set highlight. Shame it felt like there was a fair bit of padding in
between…
Courtney
dragged Big Scary on for the first encore, a rambunctious run-through of The
Saints’ “Know Your Product”, the support band’s saxophonist playing a starring
role here and making this 37 year old swaggering punk rock number sound fresh
and vital; then “oldie” “History Eraser” finished a set which overall was good,
but not great. I snuck out quickly after snagging Larry Lights’ set-list from
the mixing desk, then reflected on this on the swift walk back and train ride
home. Maybe a case of popularity outstripping depth of quality material at the
moment; maybe, in Courtney’s own words; “put me on a pedestal and I’ll only
disappoint you…” Either way, I’m sure there’s more to come from this undoubtedly
talented young singer, so don’t write her off – or overhype her! – yet…!
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