Lesser Than Average

Courtney Barnett “Hopefulessness”

Courtney Barnett’s previous album, her breakthrough, opened with a pair of songs so fast and forceful that it sound like she was breaking through actual walls. Those songs, “Elevator Operator” and “Pedestrian At Best,” are supercharged and overflowing with lyrical details and ideas. There’s a nervous energy driving them, but also a wild confidence. They sound like someone in a manic state.

Barnett’s new album opens with “Hopefullessness,” and it’s pretty much the opposite of all that. The first moments feel hesitant and uneasy, and her guitar part seems to take shape rather reluctantly. The woman who seemed to burst out of nowhere with free-wheeling charm now sounds scared and exhausted. The lyrics come at a much slower pace, and mostly seem like she’s trying to talk her way out of a dark mood. “Your vulnerability, stronger than it seems,” she sings. “You know it’s okay to have a bad day.” The song gradually moves towards a musical catharsis in artful guitar feedback, but the neutral grey mood never really shifts. It just carries over into the other songs, dimming even the most up-tempo numbers. The record itself sounds depressed.

Buy it from Amazon.