Earlier this year, rumours started circling that Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile liked each other’s music. Then they grew to speculation of the two collaborating on a song, then an album… The mere prospect of these rumours were overwhelming but when it became apparent that they were in fact true and a full LP was on the way, let’s just say folk fans were filled with a familiar fervorous warmth. I don’t mean to speak on behalf of all folkies but I certainly remember the feeling of discovering Bob Dylan and Johny Cash’s collab, Girl From the North Country for the first time. Or perhaps more recently, the feeling of shock and awe after hearing the unlikely combination of Billy Brag and Wilco’s linking up on a tribute album to Woody Guthrie. Put simply when artists renowned for their lyrical sublimity coalesce to create music together, they 1) creating a lasting impact on the listener and 2) can’t expect not to be thrown in the blender and served as the Friday special when they deliver a song as fresh as Over Everything.
Barnett and Vile entwine in a blues infused waltz, trading wisdom and some earnest insights into their personal lives. Minus both guitars and the content within the lyrics and Over Everything is a really simple, stripped back track with raw melodies and an effortless swag that feels as though it could have been recorded on the first take. Due to the fact that both artists in discussion are individually incredible guitarists, it’s difficult to decipher who is playing what when, but who really gives a shit. Sometimes it’s best to let the song at hand do the talking so kick back and give it a spin.