New York – Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile, two of the most acclaimed and gifted songwriters of our generation, have joined forces to release a collaboration as unique and unusual as their talents. The new album Lotta Sea Lice will be released October 13th.
Lotta Sea Lice is a conversation between friends, documented in raw, unvarnished song, brimming with personal history, crackling with energy and shot through with humour. What started as a loose plan to record a couple songs with no plans for release, turned into this full-length-”because the vibe was so strong,” says Kurt. There’s an unforced ease to the record, helped by the fact that the pair have been not just friends, but hardcore fans of each other’s work for years. They also roped in colleagues such as Mick Turner and Jim White of the Dirty Three, Stella Mozgawa from Warpaint, and Aussie icon Mick Harvey.
The shared chemistry is immediately apparent in the album opener and first single “Over Everything”, with dovetailing vocal lines and intricate, shimmering guitar. The lyrics play out as a rambling dialogue as they compare notes about songwriting and inspiration; it was the first song written for this project. The video was directed by Danny Cohen, who shot each on their home turf.
The pair also tackle each other’s tracks on the album, with Vile delivering a delicious, souped-up version of “Outta the Woodwork” backed by Barnett herself, and Barnett taking on Vile’s “Peepin’ Tomboy” completely solo, to spine-tingling result. The overall effect of Lotta Sea Lice is of Barnett and Vile throwing open the doors to their house to listeners – it’s their party, but everyone is invited.
Following its premiere as Zane Lowe’s World Record on Apple Music’s Beats 1 Radio, “Over Everything” is now available everywhere. Pre-order Lotta Sea Lice here. Barnett and Vile recently sat down with Rolling Stone to discuss the making of the album, read the full article here.
Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile will be touring North America this fall. Their live band, The Sea Lice, is a revolving cast of musicians including Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney, Wild Flag), Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint), Rob Laakso (The Violators, The Swirlies, Mice Parade) and Katie Harkin (Harkin, Sky Larkin and touring member of Sleater-Kinney and Wild Beasts).
——
Upcoming Live Dates
10/11 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
10/14 – Los Angeles, CA – The Cathedral Sanctuary at Immanuel Presbyterian Church (SOLD OUT)
10/15 – Los Angeles, CA – Orpheum Theatre
10/18 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theatre
10/20 – Portland, OR – Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
10/21 – Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre
10/22 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox (SOLD OUT)
10/25 – St. Paul, MN – Palace Theatre (SOLD OUT)
10/26 – Chicago, IL – Rockefeller Chapel (SOLD OUT)
10/27 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall (SOLD OUT)
10/28 – Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle (SOLD OUT)
10/30 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
10/31 – Toronto, Ontario – Massey Hall
11/01 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre (SOLD OUT)
11/03 – Upper Darby, PA – Tower Theatre
11/04 – Boston, MA – Orpheum Theatre
11/06 – Loew’s Jersey Theatre – Jersey City, NJ
11/07 – The Anthem – Washington, DC
11/09 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
11/10 – Dallas, TX – McFarlin Memorial Auditorium
11/11 – Austin, TX – ACL Live at the Moody Theater (SOLD OUT)
