Courtney Barnett has redefined the notion of going from strength to strength. Every move the Melbourne-based singer and songwriter makes seems to top the last. Even her SNL appearance was bested by fronting the world’s coolest one-night-only supergroup.
Between releasing critically acclaimed albums, embarking on sold-out tours, racking up countless television spots, and accruing awards and nominations at every turn, it’s little surprise she’s catching the attention of everyone at all levels of the music business.
Case in point, legendary producer and Garbage drummer Butch Vig gushed about Courtney in a recent interview. Vig, best known for his work on iconic releases like Nirvana’s Nevermind and with the Foo Fighters, even compared her to Bob Dylan.
“I think Courtney Barnett has tapped into songwriting style that reminds me of Bob Dylan,” Vig told FasterLouder. “She has a very unique way of doing it, she’s got her own spin on it and I think she’s an absolutely amazing songwriter.”
“I know she’s from Australia, but when I first heard the songs, it didn’t even register to me where she is from,” the industry veteran continued. “I just thought this is a new artist with a unique voice, and that’s how I heard it.”
Apparently, Vig is pretty fond of the latest releases from Parquet Courts and The Kills, but it’s Courtney who’s really caught his eye. Could there be a collaboration on the horizon? Only time will tell, but we expect that would certainly be epic.
It’s not the first time the ‘Pedestrian at Best’ rocker has courted such flattering comparisons. Upon the release of her debut album, she was heralded as the return of the voice-of-a-generation rock hero that many thought would never appear again.
Since then she’s been compared to everyone from Lou Reed and Kurt Cobain, to Lena Dunham and even Adele. One Entertainment Weekly writer wrote of her SXSW set: “I don’t toss this around lightly, but Barnett does a lot that reminds me of the late Kurt Cobain.”
Courtney added yet another entry to her growing list of US late-night talk show spots over the weekend when she appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to perform a cover of a classic tune by The Grateful Dead. Check it out below.
