Courtney Barnett
Nameless, Faceless
Milk! Records / Remote Control
Known for her witty, observational lyrics, Courtney Barnett said of her upcoming album, “I reached this point of ‘Ugh, what am I saying? There’s so many people saying powerful, inspiring things! I don’t feel like I’m saying anything important!’ I beat myself up about that, tried to write these impassioned songs, and they felt preachy and full of ego. I hated them.”
Despite herself, the themes in new single Nameless, Faceless are meatier than her previous songs, but still packaged in her signature slacker pop. Touching on her own experiences with online bullying, this is a retaliation with a good dose of sarcasm aimed at her trolls.
It also nods to the current social climate of people, particularly women, calling out their abusers. However, while harassment is becoming more visible it isn’t a new issue. The chorus borrows a quote from Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel The Handmaid’s Tale, “Men are scared that women will laugh at them… Women are scared that men will kill them”.
Intentionally or not, Barnett has made an important song and it will be interesting to see whether the album Tell Me How You Really Feel (out May 18) will continue in the same vein.
SHANNON FOX
