Courtney Barnett x Kurt Vile – Lotta Sea Lice

An enjoyable work from the other Kurt and Courtney...

As collaborations go, this one is pretty much a no-brainer, and the fruits it bears are predictably pleasing. Kurt and Courtney perfectly complement one another with their similarly unhurried delivery, and the ongoing back-and-forth sounds at times like we’re overhearing a conversation between friends, something that’s heightened by a shared deadpan sense of humour.

The intricacy offered by dual guitars also provides added texture to each song in a way that isn’t always present on the pair’s individual projects, while reinterpretations breathe new life into previously heard songs – notably ‘Peeping Tom’, Barnett’s version of Vile’s ‘Peeping Tomboy’, and a beautiful joint cover of Belly’s ‘Untogether’.

While it wouldn’t be unfair to say that the best moments generally belong to Barnett, the combined force of the duo produces a piece of work that certainly doesn’t seem like too much a step down from the superb ‘Sometimes I Sit And Think…’ and ‘b’lieve i’m goin down…’ that had us all so captivated back in 2015.

7/10

Words; James Kilpin

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