Album Review: Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel

Courtney Barnett's work is delicious - and this album another musical feast.

Like any great meal, it's best savoured rather than woofed down distractedly at your desk. Not that you can't enjoy it in stages or on the go, but if time and circumstance allow, set the table, get out a nice bowl and glass (as it were) and enjoy the experience.

Opener Hopefulessness begins with slow single electric guitar kind of meandering up and down to first find and then settle around a repeating melody. Finding its momentum it builds slowly while the lyrics court apparent cliches like "Take your broken heart and turn it into art/Can’t take it with you". Of course, Barnett doesn't stay at a stock standard self-help ballad, instead adding slow layers and gentle insights to make more out of the simple ingredients. Cue some gloriously placed distortion around the three-minute mark that builds to ultimately take the tune out, ending with a whistle that reminds of an old school kettle - a lovely audio metaphor for both the mundane and optimistic. Follow with chasers City Looks Pretty and Charity - irony with a lovely beat - thank you, I think I will.

Singles Need A Little Time and Nameless, Faceless make up the main course and album centrepiece - both extremely strong but also quite simple in initial presentation. Need A Little Time moves from exploration ("I don’t know a lot about you but/You seem to know a lot about me so...") towards apology ("I'll take a little time out"), then adds a few one-liners ("Shave your head to see how it feels/Emotionally it's not that different/But to the hand it's beautiful") for intoxicating texture. The chorus hooks of "You-ooo-oh" to "me-ee-ee" show a really clever move to where the song's focus lies. Musically it ends unresolved, another sonic metaphor - Barnett, you tease.

Nameless, Faceless begins as a gentle dig at a keyboard warrior/online troll. Not apparently angry, but stern and sonically playful. Soon Barnett shows, however, she's used the ingredients of her genre with great precision, uncovering a sinister threat. The brilliance of the line "I hold my keys between my fingers" - a nod to commonplace women's DIY self-defence - made this reviewer well up with musical #MeToo and kickarse melody. Ask the girl next to you, dear reader, if you don't know why — fucking masterful. Following is great Riot Grrrl mini-tribute I'm Not Your Mother, I'm Not Your Bitch and Crippling Self Doubt & A General Lack Of Self Confidence - each contenders for great titles of the 21st century and excellent tunes to boot.

Closers Help Your Self and Walkin' On Eggshells allow for a little shoegazin' and contemplatin' (no doubt both on and off the stage), each desserts whose flavours linger after eating slow. Ever a rule breaker, the final track is Sunday Roast - a classic dish, and lead vocals follows lead guitar to finish.

You'll leave extremely satisfied, and already booking your return visit to the table.