BeatRoute Magazine BC Edition October 2018

COURTNEY BARNETT
FINDING INSPIRATION THROUGH CREATIVE COLLABORATION
JAMILA POMEROY
Photo by Pooneh Ghana
Courtney Barnett let’s her songs speak for themselves on her latest release, Tell Me How You Really Feel.
Courtney Barnett’s second album, Tell Me How You
Really Feel, may have a smaller, more introverted feel,
but this change is reflective of the Melbourne based
songwriter putting herself in a more vulnerable
place.
While the critically acclaimed musician is known
for her wordy, wit-full lyrics and her commanding
stage presence, she explains that for the most
part, she keeps to herself and gets lost in her own
thoughts. “I don’t really talk that much,” she says,
followed by a laugh. “The songs probably come
around like that because I spend a whole lot of time
working on them. So it’s all of these thoughts put
together in a short amount of time. I think in real life
I just kind of keep quite quiet and keep my thoughts
to myself a bit. ‘Hopefulessness,’ the first track, is
pretty reflective my thoughts of the world in general
over the last few years.” Barnett chose to work with
producers Burk Reid and Dan Luscombe again,
which facilitated a space of comfort and creativity,
while rendering the high caliber production of her
previous work. “There was a great group of people
in the studio for the last album,” she says. “I always
feel quite vulnerable in the studio and it’s kind of
nice to be surrounded by such warm, friendly and
encouraging people.”
Joining the list of noteworthy creative
collaborators is cinematographer, Ashley Connor,
known best for her work on Mountain Rest (2018),
Our Idiot Brother (2011) and The Backseat (2016).
The two shot the music video for “Charity” in the
MUSIC
midst of her last international tour. “She has worked
on a some incredible films, and video clips as well.
I just think she is super talented and a really cool
person,” Barnett says.
Barnett speaks of often getting lost in thought,
keeping to herself and generally being an introverted,
quiet person. To be clear, she is an introvert until
you begin to talk records; lighting up with a great
contrasting energy. “Oh I’ve got a list, I just made
a list! let me look at it. I was about to update my
actual playlist,” Barnett says excitedly as she looks
through her playlist. “I’ve been listening to Marianne
Faithfull a lot; she is about to put out a new album
and I didn’t know that much about her so I delved
into her back-catalogue, and that is obviously a
big catalogue. A bit of Nick Cave’s albums I haven’t
listened to and some Joan As Police Woman, Anna
Calvi.” While these artists may not sonically reflect
the works of Barnett, they all have one thing in
common, unbelievable talented musicians with
unique personalities with the ability to turn anything
into a captivating story filled with emotion.
“Everything inspires me, whether its inspiring
in a good way, or a bad way,” she says. “I think to
be aware of the world around you is obviously
important and plays a big role. Not that songs are
specifically about those things, but I think it all adds
together.”
Courtney Barnett performs at the Vogue Theatre Oct.
9 and 10.
BØRNS
TRUE BLUE, BABY, I LOVE YOU
NOÉMIE ATTIA
With his latest and most dense album Blue Madonna,
Garett Borns offers multifaceted artistic compositions.
Between nostalgic references and new sounds, complex
art and a natural creative gift, his multiple flamboyant
personas and his light and humorous self, BØRNS is a
beautiful enigma, able to transport you in a pop bliss while
singing about broken hearts.
The sounds Blue Madonna are as much the result
of retro inspirations as experimenting in collaboration
with his producer Tom English. “We were both trying
instruments and referencing a lot of older music like the
Beach Boys and ’90s pop music, and tons of influences, just
to see where it lands. And it kind of created this universe
for Blue Madonna.” A mariachi, a theremin and hypnotic
retro California sounds, lit in blue and pink, make up the
mood for Faded Heart, the first track of the album.
BØRNS is passionate for visual arts: he recounts the
origins of Blue Madonna in a series of metaphysical and
humorous short films available on his YouTube channel. “I
wanted to show this psychedelic landscape, in Los Angeles,
and show me discovering all these sounds around LA and
gathering them and putting them into a record. I called
them The Lost Sounds because I feel like I was putting a
few different instruments and influences on the record
that I haven’t heard in pop songs in a long time.”
Indeed, BØRNS is resurrecting this very ’70s and ’80s
glamorous and arty side of pop music by impersonating
eerie, out of time and androgynous figures while pleasing
the ears of a large audience. “I’m really influenced by David
Bowie, I love how he can be in so many characters and
how his looks really depict his persona. I wanted to do a
look for every song in the album.”
On stage, he swings between delicate and iridescent
Sies Marjan silky getups and what he describes as “kinda
glammed out activewear” (understand, fringed bandana
red sweatshirt and pants he designed with Nike). The show
is one of aesthetics as much as a musical performance.
His satin pop music rises as much from his sleek looks
as from his opera-trained, malleable voice. “I like to make
my voice sound differently on albums. With the Blue
Madonna, I do all my background vocals. So some of it
might sound like a woman singing or some of it might
sound a lot deeper.”
Every one of his live performances is different: the
mood, the lighting and the channelled energy, which
influence the way his voice resonates. “There are shows
where I feel very introverted; and those are the shows
where I express more and I’m more wild and open. And
then there’s times that I feel more extroverted and I almost
force myself to be more closed off. I think it makes you
perform and sing differently, depending on your mood. So
I like to contradict my mood.”
BØRNS performs at the Orpheum on October 21.
Garrett Borns’ satin pop music on his latest, Blue Madonna, shines bright towards the heavens.
October 2018 21