Qualche mese fa vi mettemmo al corrente dell’avvio della collaborazione tra Kurt Vile e Courtney Barnett.

I due furono beccati in quel di Melbourne, dove, per un’intera settimana si sono rintanati nei Newmarket Studios insieme al produttore Callum Barter.

I due cantautori hanno annunciato il tour – che per ora tocca solo il Nord America – in cui eseguiranno i brani frutto della collaborazione. La coppia sarà accompagnata dai Sea Lice, super band composta da: Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney, Wild Flag), Rob Laakso (The Violators, The Swirlies, Mice Parade), Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint) e Katie Harkin (Sky Larkin, e turnista degli Sleater-Kinney e Wild Beasts).

Il primo album firmato da Kurt Vile e Courtney Barnett sarà pubblicato entro la fine del 2017 via Matador, Marathon Artists e Milk!.

Il disco è stato registrato in soli otto giorni, spalmanti però su ben 15 mesi e, della collaborazione, Barnett ha detto:

In 2014 I scored a support slot opening for Kurt at the Abbotsford Convent. We met briefly after the show but I was a bit nervous and didn’t wanna bother him, just grateful for the gig. Years later we started bumping into each other on the festival circuit all around the wide world and we became friends. He hit me up when he was coming to Melbourne next and said he thought we could work together.

L’ammirazione è reciproca, tant’è che Vile ha dichiarato:

I love all her music but the song that really hit me was “Depreston” -I know it’s popular but her voice is so good in that song and it’s so pretty and sincere. I’m a sucker for that kinda song: instant classic. “Smoke Ring” was one of my first purchases on vinyl. I was getting over a big break-up, unemployed and drifting and I would just lie on my bed and listen to “Peepin’ Tom” on repeat. One of the most beautiful and luscious albums I ever heard. Me and Jen fell in love to that album.