Australian indie-rock luminary Courtney Barnett, renowned for her distinctive lyrical observations and raw guitar stylings, has offered a retrospective on her formative musical experiences and the meticulous, yet often spontaneous, creation of her latest album, Creature of Habit. The album, released a decade and one month after her prestigious Grammy nomination, marks a significant juncture in her career, showcasing both a matured artistic vision and a steadfast commitment to authentic expression. Barnett’s journey from Melbourne’s bustling open mic circuit to international acclaim is a testament to her unique voice and an unwavering dedication to her craft, even when navigating the complexities of her own creative process.
Early Foundations: Rapid Transit and the Gritty Melbourne Scene
At the age of 18, long before she would captivate audiences globally with her distinctive narrative songwriting, Courtney Barnett was honing her skills in a different, equally vital arena: the open mic stages of Melbourne. This period of early experimentation quickly transitioned into her first official band, Rapid Transit. Formed in 2010, the Melbourne-based collective was steeped in a gritty, unpolished grunge aesthetic, delivering riotous, punchy garage rock that resonated with the city’s vibrant underground music scene. Melbourne, known for its fertile independent music landscape, provided a natural breeding ground for such raw, energetic outfits.
Rapid Transit’s existence was brief, spanning approximately one year, culminating in the release of a self-titled cassette in December 2010. Despite its fleeting nature, this phase remains a cherished memory for Barnett. Recalling the era during a recent interview from Los Angeles, she expressed genuine enthusiasm for the discovery of this early work. "It’s so cool that you found that," she enthused, "I loved that band. I love that music that we made." She joined at the invitation of a friend, Chris, with whom she worked at a local bar. The experience diverged sharply from her solo endeavors, offering a fresh perspective on collaborative music-making. "It was so different to what I was doing with my songs, and I loved it," she noted. Unburdened by theoretical constraints, Barnett embraced an intuitive approach to her guitar parts. "Actually, I’ve never really written like that. I didn’t even know what key the songs were in or what chords we were playing! I just remembered all my parts, but I didn’t understand absolutely any of the theory or anything that was going on." This early immersion in raw, uninhibited performance laid a foundational layer of instinct that would continue to shape her artistic development.
A Decade of Acclaim and Continuous Learning
Barnett’s career trajectory since those early days has been nothing short of meteoric. A pivotal moment arrived a decade ago when she received a nomination in one of the highly coveted "Big Four" categories at the Grammy Awards – Best New Artist at the 58th Grammys in 2016. This recognition, following the critical and commercial success of her debut album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit (released in 2015), cemented her status as a singular voice in contemporary indie rock. Her unique blend of deadpan lyricism, observational storytelling, and distinctive guitar work resonated deeply with audiences and critics alike, earning her widespread praise and a dedicated global fanbase.
Reflecting on her journey from novice performer to Grammy-nominated artist, Barnett emphasizes a philosophy of perpetual learning. "It’s wild to think back to that time now. I would still be scared to go into an open-mic. There’s something really nerve-wracking about it," she admitted. Yet, she views every performance and every stage as an opportunity for growth. "But I was looking at all those moments as a place to learn, and that’s something I’m always trying to do," she affirmed. This commitment extends to every aspect of her live performances, regardless of scale. "Every step of the way, with every different-sized show, it’s always good to remember that I’m just trying to serve the song and the storytelling. It doesn’t matter what size the venue or whatever it is, I always want to do a good show." This dedication underscores a profound respect for her art and her audience, prioritizing the integrity of the music above all else.
Crafting ‘Creature of Habit’ in the Desert Solitude
The genesis of Creature of Habit unfolded amidst the quiet, expansive landscapes of Joshua Tree, California. This desert retreat provided Barnett with an environment conducive to deep introspection and unconstrained experimentation, a stark contrast to the more confined settings of past creative periods. The album’s title itself hints at a tension between routine and the spontaneous breakthroughs that characterize artistic endeavor.
Barnett described the creative process in Joshua Tree as one of chipping away at her ideas, guided by an innate sense of what felt right. This pursuit of authenticity extends to her approach to guitar solos, often left to the eleventh hour and executed purely "based on feeling." This method, while sometimes inducing self-doubt – "I feel like I’m wasting everyone’s time," she mused – ultimately captures a raw, unadulterated energy. "I’m figuring it out in the moment, and I feel like I’m wasting everyone’s time, but then, at the same time, I think it captures something really raw; it’s right on the edge of falling apart, or you can hear me searching for the notes and I like that. It feels really, really honest." This embrace of vulnerability in the creative process allows for a direct, unfiltered emotional resonance in her music, a hallmark of her distinctive sound. The album also served as a crucial learning experience regarding the discipline of completion. "I think my biggest lesson for this album was about finishing things, especially lyrics," she revealed, acknowledging a past tendency to defer lyrical completion. She underscored the necessity of deadlines to avoid falling into a creative limbo, waiting for "some grand idea to happen."
The Unifying Power of ‘Mantis’ and the Album’s Core Theme
Among the standout tracks on Creature of Habit is "Mantis," a song that proved to be the conceptual linchpin for the entire album. Its creation offered Barnett profound insights and ultimately inspired the album’s striking cover art. "When I finished writing that song, I felt the album come together like that," she explained. "The song felt like the glue. I don’t 100 per cent know why, but it just made all of the songs make sense as a collection, instead of them just being random songs placed together."
The inspiration for "Mantis" arrived serendipitously during a moment of personal vulnerability. Struggling with the chorus, Barnett found herself in a period of feeling "really lost and really sad." It was then, looking at her windowsill, that she spotted a praying mantis. This small creature, in its quiet resilience, became a powerful symbol. "This tiny little mantis felt like this weird sign from the universe. This supportive little creature was kind of telling me I was, I was going in the right direction, and so it became this symbol for me." This moment of connection with the natural world not only unlocked the song but also provided the overarching theme for the album. The phrase "creature of habit" emerged during her daily writing routine, a reflection on the patterns and routines that define existence. "Around that time, I was getting up every morning, I was making a coffee, and then I was sitting down to write, and one of the phrases I wrote one morning was something about being a creature of habit," she recounted. This line, chosen at the last minute as the album title, encapsulated the collection of songs in both abstract and concrete ways, highlighting the balance between structure and serendipity in her creative life.
Signature Sound and Collaborative Spirit: ‘Site Unseen’ with Waxahatchee
Barnett’s captivatingly jagged and raw approach to the guitar is a cornerstone of her musical identity. While she acknowledges falling back on familiar patterns, such as the G-A-G chord progression and the pentatonic scale learned in childhood, she consciously strives to push beyond these comfort zones. "I always pick up a guitar and I’ll go to the same chords I learned as a kid with my guitar teacher, and the pentatonic scale," she explained. "When I’m soloing or finding notes, I find myself following similar patterns, and then I have to force myself to kind of break out of that." The tremolo arm, a frequent companion in moments of creative uncertainty, serves as a tool for generating noise and exploring new sonic territories. Her "go-to" strumming pattern often leans towards a country-style rhythm, revealing an undercurrent of diverse influences in her otherwise distinct sound.
Collaboration has been a recurring and fruitful element throughout Barnett’s career, and Creature of Habit continues this tradition with its lead single, "Site Unseen," featuring Kathryn Crutchfield, known professionally as Waxahatchee. The creation of this track exemplifies the iterative and often circuitous path of artistic development. Barnett penned the song at the eleventh hour before a recording session, the melody emerging almost subconsciously during a conversation with her girlfriend. "I was so distracted, because I was like, ‘Oh my god, what if I forget this song that I’ve kind of written as we’ve been talking…’" she recalled. A quick voice memo captured the nascent idea, but fully fleshing it out proved to be a lengthy endeavor. After multiple attempts and versions over more than a year, the song finally clicked. Barnett then envisioned Waxahatchee’s voice for a specific harmony. "I asked her if she would be interested in singing this harmony idea that I had floating around in my head, and I thought her voice would be so perfect for it," she said, expressing admiration for Crutchfield’s songwriting and artistry. Waxahatchee’s enthusiastic response and contribution ultimately completed the track, demonstrating the power of thoughtful collaboration in refining and elevating a musical idea.
Sonic Shifts and Environmental Influences
A notable characteristic of Creature of Habit is its pronounced return to a more overt, guitar-driven sound, a deliberate shift that Barnett acknowledged in early discussions about the album. This move came after her 2021 release, Things Take Time, Take Time, which featured sparser, more intimate arrangements. The public’s observation of this stylistic difference prompted Barnett to address the change directly. "Lots of people seemed to comment that my last album wasn’t guitar-heavy," she noted. "It seemed to be a bit of a comparison, not so much for me, but a few observations from other people. But this does feel bigger, wider and louder."
Barnett attributes this sonic evolution largely to the differing environments in which the albums were conceived. Things Take Time, Take Time was a product of the confined spaces of a small apartment during the COVID-19 lockdowns, primarily written on acoustic guitars. This context naturally led to a quieter, more introspective sound. In contrast, Creature of Habit was born in the expansive, uninhibited setting of the desert. "With this album, I started writing it in the desert with big landscapes and no kind of noise restrictions," she explained. This freedom allowed for a greater embrace of electric guitar and a generally more expansive sonic palette. "I was just playing more guitars, playing electric guitar instead of acoustic on that album. I think, sonically, they’re so different." This comparison highlights the profound impact that physical environment and external circumstances can have on an artist’s creative output and sound.
Central to Barnett’s guitar sound is her iconic lefty Fender Kurt Cobain Jaguar, a constant companion throughout her musical career and a key instrument on Creature of Habit. She downplays its significance with characteristic modesty, stating, "I’ve just been using it for so long, and I don’t have that many guitars." Her preference for working with a limited, familiar arsenal speaks to a deep connection with her instruments. "I don’t like rotating between a lot of guitars and always come back to it like that," she explained. She regards the Jaguar as a reliable "workhorse" capable of fulfilling all her sonic requirements. "It feels like such a workhorse and it does everything I want it to do; I can play all my songs on it. They all sound good to my ear on that guitar." Alongside the Jaguar, a white Stratocaster comprises her current two-guitar setup, emphasizing her belief in the Jaguar’s versatility.
The Journey’s End and New Beginnings
More than a decade after her breakthrough, Courtney Barnett reflects on her career with a sense of both elapsed time and rapid progression. "It’s funny that 10 years feels so long ago, but also so like it was kind of just yesterday as well," she mused. The release of a new album, even after years in the industry, continues to evoke a familiar mix of nerves and vulnerability. "There’s always this feeling of nerves and vulnerability as you’re just about to release something," she admitted. Despite this, she expresses immense pride in Creature of Habit, a project she has dedicated three years to. "I’m so proud of it and I’m just excited to release it and to perform the songs. I have been working on this for three years, so it feels like such a journey."
The release of an album marks a transition, transforming deeply personal creations into shared experiences. "But when other people listen to the music, it kind of becomes something else. People interpret it in different ways, and often I learn more about the music once it’s released," she observed. This process of external interpretation allows her songs to evolve and gain new meanings over time. For Barnett, Creature of Habit represents a significant period of emotional and creative growth. "I sat with these ideas for so long. I struggled with a lot of the lyrics. I went through a lot of emotional turmoil and I learned a lot. Now, I can let it go and I can move on with all these lessons learned and perspectives gained. It feels like I can take a breath. It’s a nice bit of closure." This profound reflection underscores the therapeutic and transformative power of art, both for its creator and its audience.
Courtney Barnett’s Creature of Habit is out now via Milk! Records.