I’m Sure It’s A Bore Being You

Courtney Barnett “Small Poppies”

Courtney Barnett is the only vocalist on “Small Poppies,” but I hear it as a duet. As she sings about feeling anxious and annoyed by the way her relationship with someone is slowly dissolving, the lead guitar plays the role of the other person. That part is shimmering and lovely but aloof and elusive as it hovers around the core of the song in a noncommittal daze. Barnett’s lyrics are mainly about desperately trying to avoid conflict and refusing to become as vindictive as this other person, but as the song reaches its climax, she loses her temper. At first, it’s just her being strident – “I make mistakes until I get it right!” And then it’s her acknowledging why she was once willing to tolerate some behavior, but isn’t anymore: “I used to hate myself but now I think I’m alright!” And finally, she snaps: “I dreamed I stabbed you with a coat hanger wire.” That’s the one time she and the lead guitar seem to be on the same page.

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