Indie Rock Superduo On Vinyl LP! One Of Rolling Stone's 50 Best Albums of 2017!
Known for her witty, rambling lyrics and deadpan singing style, Australian singer/songwriter Courtney Barnett released her full-length debut album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, in March 2015 to widespread critical acclaim. She was nominated for Best New Artist at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards and for International Female Solo Artist at the 2016 Brit Awards.
Kurt Vile is known for his solo work and as the former lead guitarist of rock band The War on Drugs. Influenced by Pavement, Neil Young, Tom Petty, and John Fahey, Vile began his musical career creating lo-fi home recordings with frequent collaborator Adam Granduciel in Philadelphia. In 2015, Vile released his sixth studio album, b'lieve I'm goin down..., which landed on many of the Best Albums of 2015 lists.
Lotta Sea Lice is the result of 8 days in the studio spread over almost 15 months when Courtney and Kurt's respective touring schedules allowed for them to be in the same place at the same time.
KURT VILE: We ran into each other on the road in various continents and talked about the recordings. I guess it wasn't till i had another tour booked for the following summer in Australia that we thought we should record as much as we can, no major goal to make it a full length but it came together that way because the vibe was so strong. I love working with Courtney, the collaboration was laid back with less pressure.
COURTNEY BARNETT: Now we finished the album, we dreamt up an amazing band which we've called THE SEA LICE (inspired by a Stella Mozgawa beach-side-story) and me n Kurt will be standing there out front with our guitars singing songs together. Songs from this album we did, a handful of our own songs from previous albums, maybe some old folk songs n what not. Harmonies and guitarmonies galore. Very collaborative.
"Lotta Sea Lice, Barnett and Vile's first collaborative album together, makes for a remarkably sublime pairing that brings out the best in each artist, an unexpected gem that sits near the top of either's discography. The way Barnett and Vile lock into grooves, trading barbs and asides in deadpan tones, and dueling with seemingly effortless yet entrancing guitar riffs makes for a delightful endeavor that plays to both artists' strengths... The album sees Barnett and Vile pushing each other to new heights, challenging one another. They sound locked in yet relaxed, and in between tracks, they'll play studio laughter or the sound of a phone going off as if the songs are the result of jam sessions recorded in a couple of takes. Barnett and Vile's chemistry together is undeniable, and not only does Lotta Sea Lice sound as fun to listen to as it must have been to make, but it stands as one of the best collaborative rock albums in recent years." - David Sackllah, Consequence Of Sound
"A match made in indie-rock heaven. Vile is a sly lyricist with a stoner's demeanor who's always made his most articulate statements with his guitar. Barnett is a sly melodist, and so adept a wordsmith you can imagine any randomly-ripped-out page from her diary would make an engaging song. Together they craft a sublimely chilled-out set that shines with tossed-off bedhead dazzle, whether rambling about fabric softener, their daily routines, or on the standout 'Continental Breakfast' the flickering disconnect of maintaining relationships while schlepping around the world playing music. It's also sweetly romantic, never more so than on the giddy 'Blue Cheese' when the duo harmonize the line 'so kiss me with your mouth, girl of my dreams!'" - Rolling Stone 50 Best Albums of 2017 - Rated 15/50!
"Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile make a perfect pair of loners, like two high-school outcasts who meet on the first day of college and become inseparable. The paradoxical idea of solitary collaboration couldn't be better suited to this duo, whose new joint album, Lotta Sea Lice, takes the signature style of each and absorbs it into a private, speak-sing conversation full of casual wit and a shared indifference to the pace of the modern world. On their own albums as solo artists, Vile and Barnett have made hard rock look easy, with an endearingly slanted perspective on trying to keep one's feet on the ground while everything around them is cracking up. Put together, they're like a call-and-response song channeled through a single voice." - Matthew Oshinsky, Paste Magazine
Features: Vinyl LP Deluxe split cover gatefold packaging (opens from the middle like shutter doors!) Insert with beautiful studio photos and lyrics Selections: Side A: 1. Over Everything 2. Let It Go 3. Fear Is Like A Forest 4. Outta The Woodwork Side B: 1. Continental Breakfast 2. On Script 3. Blue Cheese 4. Peepin' Tom 5. Untogether