Review: The Attractions of Youth by Barns Courtney

Barns Courtney

It all started with a fire and from there the rest is becoming history little by little, one step at a time – first a hit single, then a breakthrough EP and now one of the best (if not the best) debut albums I’ve ever had the pleasure to hear. Barns Courtney has caught lighting in a bottle and then decided to drink the whole bottle ensuring the electricity, the magic and the wonder remains with him. He has shown with each turn in his career after his gem “Fire” was hand picked to be used for the Bradley Cooper movie “Burnt” that he is not going back to where he was, music is meant to be his life. From the first time I heard his music I just knew there was something here and I am humbled to hear it, showcase it and review here in Wolf in a Suit for you and I really think you will find this choice just top notch.

“Lonely shadows following me
Lonely ghosts come calling
Lonely voices talking to me
Now I’m gone, now I’m gone, now I’m gone”

‘The Attractions of Youth’ …now that’s a name that speaks to you and really digs deep into something that we can click with. Each track is a world of its own and he embraces his energetic self and lets the lyrics connect with that as the music unfolds pulling us into soundscapes everlasting. Normally I would speak of the tracks that I like and mention one or two I didn’t quite liked, but damn there’s no track that I am not a fan of. You can take the original monster that was “Fire” and I still think it is a gem that embraces Barns and his quest for the calling that is music. Then you have “Hands” (which titled the Hands EP) and you fall into the old school blues as it blends with rock’n’roll and the punk rebellion that is always showcased in his singing. Also there’s “Goodbye John Smith” and the melancholy that resides in the lyrics that embrace a softer side of a singer filled with lighting, fire, magic and more. There’s a life inside each song and a story that we can feel inside our hearts and souls and even though I just mentioned three – I sound like a broken record but each song is a masterpiece of modern day indie rock.

I would recommend the following (but truly listen to the whole album):

–“The Attractions of Youth” : It has a certain Beatles like vibe about that makes it simply amazing.

–“Glitter and Gold” : Catchy, powerful and it stands tall among any songs is any playlist for it simply speaks to you.

– “Hobo Rocket” : It has a certain feel about it that reminds us old school Beck records while also showcasing Barns Courtney and his own brand of sound.

–“Little Boy” : Acoustic and showcasing the guitar and his voice in a light that is soothing, real and embraces a story of growing up.