Last month, we shared a preview of a new documentary about Australia’s musical golden girl, Courtney Barnett, who’s been absolutely dominating 2015 with the release of her acclaimed debut album, a string of sold-out tours, and some unique projects on the horizon.
You can now watch the new doco in full. Released as part of Pitchfork‘s Contours series, the short film follows Barnett and her band from the BottleRock Napa Valley festival to New Orleans, with stops in LA and Austin, Texas along the way.
Directed by Dan Huiting, who’s been behind the lens for the likes of Bon Iver, Kathleen Edwards, and Zoo Animal, the film features extensive performance footage, including Barnett’s shimmering cover of ‘Heavy Heart’ by You Am I.
There’s also interviews with Barnett, her bandmates, and Aussie singer-songwriter Darren Hanlon, who supported Barnett during her US trek and shared some insightful words on the singer’s success, as well as the Tall Poppy Syndrome which looms over many Aussie artists.
“Don’t really know how it happened, but we just know it happened,” says Hanlon in the doco. “She started selling out shows all over the place, she was on the radio a lot, but it happened really quickly. She didn’t even have an album, she had these two EPs, she did it all herself.”
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“So I think the Melbourne music scene at least, is kind of there behind her because they almost feel like she’s some kind of ambassador for the DIY, anti-major label experience.”
“In Australia, we have this thing called the Tall Poppy Syndrome, where if people are thrust up onto these pedestals really quickly, we like to cut ’em down a bit, it’s this cultural thing,” Hanlon says later in the film.
“But with Courtney, she comes from this DIY ethic, where there was no industry hype, it was clear, concise songwriting, with a clear voice and a very precise way of delivering it live. When you see her live you understand everything.”
