Lyrics can make or break a song. Bad lyrics can ruin a track with a great beat or a beautiful harmony, and good lyrics can make a mediocre track stand out. Courtney Barnett is not an artist whose words you should ignore. Her words weave and bob freely, painting a picture, telling a story, making a trail for you to follow as you listen. She uses clever and inventive word pairings, somehow making uncooperative words work together - like "I’m breathing but i’m wheezing, feel like I'm emphysem-in'", or "Anaphylactic and super hypocondriactic" in "Avant Gardener".
The title of this song, off her October 2013 studio release The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas, is also an example of her ability to play with words and her quirky, deadpan sense of humor.
"Avant Gardener" is an autobiographical narrative about someone having an asthma attack while gardening. It sounds kind of offbeat - because it is. That and Courtney's self-deprecating humor, an easy melody and her dry, weirdly calming voice make this song a very worthwhile listen.
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