Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit

Some great highlights on this one...Depreston is a fave. CB has such a distinct voice and style. It works in short does for me but does get a little samey over the course of a full album. 3.5/5

Not at all what I thought this album would sound like, thought it was more twee, but it was pleasant enough. Feels like it could've been, like, ten minutes shorter, though.

The title is one of my dad's favourite sayings.

Fuzzy guitar and incisive and funny lyrics. It has a kind of humility that only Australians can deliver. And it's really well-paced as an album.

This is a great Aussie album. Dead Fox is a standout track.

Courtney Barnett is a true storyteller. She has a sharp inward gaze and an equally sharp eye for the everyday world around her, turning mundane observations into songs without ever making them feel trivial. The music mostly serves the storytelling, but it stands confidently on its own as well.
She really reminds me of Lou Reed. She’s the Melbourne Lou Reed. She has the city nailed, especially on “Depreston,” which captures suburban malaise perfectly and even carries a bit of that Pavement looseness in its sound. Wry, observational, funny without trying too hard.
Compared to her earlier material, this album often feels fiercer and more erratic. The gritty, catchy opening stretch shows her rock instincts clearly, shaped by her time as second guitarist in Rapid Transit. The guitar work throughout is excellent: jagged when it needs to be, relaxed when it doesn’t. Many of these songs feel full of spring energy and are carefully constructed.
And then there’s the charm. Almost every Barnett song has it, but it really shines on quieter moments like “An Illustration of Loneliness,” where vulnerability sneaks in without sentimentality.
I saw someone on here say Courtney Barnett is “one of the people I’m making fun of when I put shit on Melbourne.” I feel the exact opposite. If I had to explain Melbourne to someone through music, this album would be part of the pitch. Alongside some Amyl & The Sniffers and Painters & Dockers, it captures the city’s voice, humour, and contradictions better than most.

The story telling through both instrument and lyrics are perfect. May not be my favorite vocal style, but immaculate construction

Really enjoyed this female indie album, love the album name and cover too, added to my frequent rotation.

Solo acts/singer-songwriter music living or dying for me based entirely on the backing music. She did good work here

more aussie indie rock greatness - and incredibly good for a (solo) debut