Courtney Barnett Is Back And Ready To Go Home With "Rae Street"
Courtney Barnett certainly didn’t mean to define the world’s idea of what Australian singer-songwriters were capable of. But, with delivery and lyricism as unique and as singular as hers, she was never going to blend into the fodder. And after two albums, a Grammy nomination, a performance for MTV Unplugged and countless world tours under her belt, Barnett is back and she’s just after some peace and quiet. (I can relate.)
“Rae Street” marks the first single and opening track to Barnett’s forthcoming third album – Things Take Time, Take Time, due out Friday 12th November on Milk! Records/Remote Control Records. As per, it’s a song that showcases Barnett’s incredible ability to place the mundaneness of life under a microscope and turn it into whimsy, without ever compromising on sharp commentary.
In “Rae Street”, Barnett drily juxtaposes the trivialities of the everyday with broader insights about the state of the world – “All our candles, hopes and prayers/Though well-meanin' they don't mean a thing/Unless we see some change” is directly followed with “I might change my sheets today”.
That contrast mirrors the state of play we all faced when Barnett was writing the album over the past two years. As the era of COVID-core looms upon us, Barnett offers a different though relatable perspective – our minds flipping back and forth between questioning structures of society and government and focusing on whatever little chores will help speed the day along.
The pertinent closing lines of “Rae Street” also see Barnett express both the importance and the detriment of a sanctuary – “Yeah, seem so stable/But you're just hangin' on/Let go that expectation/Change the station/And find out what you want”. Our micro world gives us comfort and shelter, a fortress of drywall that we can hunker down in should we feel the universe around us is crumbling a little too fast. However, as soon as we shut that door, we can become ignorant to what plagues those around us. When the news becomes a little too heavy for us to handle, all we have to do is press a button and our anxieties are numbed.
The tightrope walk between staying healthy and staying aware is one every one of us faces daily. And, as Australia continues to grapple with the pandemic and we all, including Barnett, yearn for a semblance of normalcy – “Get back to normal” – that tightrope walk becomes ever-more precarious.
Courtney Barnett’s third album, Things Take Time, Take Time, will be released on November 12. The first single from the album, “Rae Street”, is out now.
Written by Jackson Langford, music contributor at MTV Australia. Hot takes at @jacksonlangford and hotter pics at @jacksonlangford.
