The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas

My husband found Courtney Barnett a few months ago on an internet radio. My wonderful husband doesn't always have the best taste in music so I resisted his efforts to listen to this album for several weeks. Finally I broke down and added it to my iTunes library. Holy crap, I feel bad that I didn't listen earlier. This album is wise beyond it's years, the lyrics are interesting, funny and heartfelt. The music is simple with lots of depth and very strong. It is the perfect anti-folk, indie type of album. Her singing and deadpan delivery reminds you of Bob Dylan, but her Australian accent takes it to the next level, oh her accent is just wonderful. There is so much variety to this album. I love all the songs, my personal favorites are Avant Gardener, History Eraser, Out of the Woodwork, Scotty Says and Ode to Odetta. The lyric from History Eraser "in my brain I rearrange the letters on the page to spell your name" captures the mind of a young women with a crush so wonderfully. So for my husband's birthday I got this album on vinyl. The album sounds fantastic and the packaging is great. I have nothing negative to say here, Courtney Barnett is my favorite musical discovery I have made in years. This is a instant buy for any music fan.

Ms Barnett released this double EP in a reverse chronological order putting her mostrecent EP, How To Carve A Carrot Into A Rose, first. A wise choice given that her bestsongs are from that EP--all those songs are great,the songs Out of The Woodwork andAvant Gardener (multileveled play on words) are real standouts. Although the secondhalf of this CD (the EP I've Got A New Friend..) does not stick in my mind like the first it isstill quite good and is growing on me with every new spin.In my humble opine 4 1/2 staraverage for the whole CD.Courtney's voice reminds me of Cheri Knight's, not an instrument of striking beauty but likemost of my favorite artists the songs are more important than the "beauty" of singer's vocal delivery.She can spit out a bunch of words not unlike Michael Stipe in the prime of REM with witand panache. The instrumentation sounds (at least on the first half) like some of thealt-rock bands from the 80s-- Replacements at their loosest perhaps--sounds like theyare having a blast and the "fun" is contagious. Along with Jake Bugg, Valerie June andThe Deep Dark Woods this is one of my favorite discoveries of 2013.Great fun, buy this!

**** 4 Stars **** I love Courtney Barnett - she is one of the best hopes we have for the survival of smart and honest rock'n'roll in this age of Beyoncé and way-over-done Foo. But let's be clear - I've never read or heard Courtney discuss any influence she may have had, whether from the LA-based Paisley Underground movement of the 1980's, or anything else, frankly. But ... there is no question that the influence of those 80's rebels lives on in these EPs - if Courtney doesn't own up to loving 'The Dream Syndicate,' or 'Opal' or 'The Bangles' (or Steve Wynn) she is, in my opinion, a liar. If any of us ever saw or heard beyond the horizon given to us, it is because we have stood on the shoulders of giants ... I just want the awesomely talented Courtney Barnett to talk a bit more about her giants. As I have written this, I've been listening to Killing Joke's 'Absolute Dissent' - Courtney may need a tall ladder to get to those shoulders, but she'll get there if she's willing to earn it. Thanks for reading.

"Avant Gardener" was my first Courtney Barnett experience, listening to MN Public Radio, at work. It took me fifteen seconds to stop welding, drop everything, run to the stereo & turn the volume all the way up. Completely mesmerized by the sound, later that night I preordered the album.Clever lyrics & melodies pleasantly stick in your head after the very first listen. Guitars, keys, bass, percussion & lyrics are woven seamlessly together with rock & roll perfection. The melodies, warbling with tremolo, vibrato, phase shifting & reverb, are driven by guitar work tastefully colored with fuzz & tube overdrive."The Double Ep: A Sea of Split Peas" is a real treat. Find it on your favorite streaming audio website & give it a listen.

I first came across Courtney Barnett, as I'm sure many have, searching music on youtube. The song Avant Gardener is the perfect entry to her music and talent, catchy and with the lyrics and musicianship that immediately leave you craving more. Follow that song and video up with History Eraser and you'll be head over heels in love. Her band is equally skilled and versatile and while she considers the double EP release "practice" for a full-fledged album, I think you'll agree that this collection of songs points to greatness and puts what passes for popular music in our jaded world to shame.

Yeah, there's a lot of hype behind her, and you can pigeon hole it as typical slacker indie rock, but good lord, this is GOOD music. It rocks, the lyrics are clever, and idiosyncratic, the Melbourne accent is only charming, and for chrissake, she can play guitar. And if you want raw versions of these songs that really ROCK, go find the live show she did for KEXP radio that they have up on Youtube.I don't know why they call it a "double EP". It has 12 songs. It's an album by another name.

Courtney Barnett is great! Smart, funny, great storyteller. A little bit quirky, in all the good ways.

Heard a few cuts on a local college radio station (WWUH) and called the dj right away to find out who this was. The songs have a great groove and the lyrics are clever. I turned my 16 year old son on the her and she is spreading through his high school - especially through the art crowd. It's a shame that musicians such as Courtney cannot get airplay on commercial radio. Highly recommended if your tastes have wide guard rails....J