Indie darling Courtney Barnett heading back to Hamilton
Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett is heading to Aotearoa in November to tour her latest album ‘Creature of Habit’. Now living in Los Angeles, Barnett wrote and recorded much of the album in Joshua Tree, where she was based for 18 months.
Barnett’s wry observational songwriting has made her an indie favourite as a touring and festival artist. She’s also known for a very distinctive Australian sound.
Free FM show host Oliver Grey interviewed Barnett recently and asked if the change of location had impacted her work. Barnett said it was hard to pin down, but said the environment she’s in, the location and the people around her always play into her writing.
” I bounced around a fair bunch through the process of making the album. I was looking out a lot of different windows for sure.”
Barnett was last in Hamilton in 2021 with a solo show but is bringing her whole band this time, “It’s definitely going to be louder and have more energy than that last tour”
While she is excited to bring the band back and play some rock shows, Barnett said the 2021 shows, held shortly after COVID restrictions lifted, hold a special place in her heart, “because they did feel really intimate, and the crowds were so beautiful”
“I really loved that tour, and that was quite unique as well, because that was kind of a COVID restriction in a way, like budget. It was one of a kind, that tour.”
‘Creature of Habit’ features a collaboration with Katie Crutchfield of Waxahachie and bass playing from Flea of Red Hot Chili Pepper. She’s also collaborated previously with Kurt Vile, from The War on Drugs who she met backstage at festivals around the world.
Barnett feels these connections don’t necessarily come from a particular location, but a combination of things, including time in the business and “the process of making music and travelling and being open to collaborating with people”.
On the new album, Barnett has experimented with some new sounds. She said she is “always trying to try new things and be curious about different sounds and different instruments”. It’s something she said keeps it interesting in the studio and keeps the writing process spontaneous.
Barnett and band will be at BNZ Theatre on November 18. Information and tickets from Live Nation
