Lotta Sea Lice Review

Lotta Sea Lice is the album you did not know you wanted but you definitely now need. When it was announced in August that Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile were releasing an album together, the music world let out a collective shriek of excitement. The collaboration between Barnett, Australia's wittiest songwriter, and Vile, Philadelphia's most relaxed guitarist, came together like a match made in heaven. 

Vile has a distinctive rambling drawl that leads the listener down the rabbit hole. While on the other hand, Barnett's stream of consciousness delivery, while similar in nature, compliments Vile with its clear and conciseness. 

Lotta Sea Lice opens with the song "Over Everything." The song is a good overview of what the next eight songs are going to be like. "Over Everything" was the first song released from the album. It features Barnett and Vile swapping guitar and vocal lines like its no big deal. The lyrics in the middle verses talk about Barnett's writers block.  Vile sets up Barnett's verse with the line about playing his "jams" loud. Barnett then responds with the line, "When I'm strugglin with my songs I do the same thing too / And then I crunch em up in headphones, cause why wouldn't you?" 

The album is not just Kurt and Courtney trading verses. A majority of the album is one or the other taking the lead and being supported by the other. Then they'll come together on a track to share duties again. 

One thing that Lotta Sea Lice does really, really well is to create an atmosphere for each song. The second song, "Let It Go" lives in a haze. The track is dominated a by an arpeggiated guitar line with a drum beat that feels a little askew. Kurt sings at the top of his register where he is not as confident. The song has a direction, but it feels like its just trying to get there. "Fear Is Like a Forest" from the get go screams Neil Young. The piercing, brooding distorted guitar (sounds like Young's song "Ohio") sets it apart from the rest of the album. The lyrics for the album almost has a soothsayer quality to them. Much like Young's style of telling the listener what is going to happen if you do not change something. "Fear Is Like a Forest" chorus is delivered in a rhythm that makes it feel almost like a chant. Most of the song lives in swirling guitars and feedback. 

This is an album that needs to be played more than once. Lotta Sea Lice is a denser record than one would think. As you listen, more and more details make themselves known to you. This album is one you should own on vinyl so you can put it on a turn table some rainy day and smile. It was hard picking standout track from this album. Almost every song has its own thing. 

Stand out tracks:

"Over Everything"

"Blue Cheese"

"Continental Breakfast"

"Fear Is Like a Forest"