Grammy-nominated Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett has announced her highly-anticipated fourth studio album, Creature of Habit, led by the brand new single “Site Unseen”, featuring Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield.
Due for release on March 27th via Fiction Records, Creature of Habit marks a decisive new chapter in Barnett’s musical evolution. According to the announcement, it’s a “bold, emotionally resonant record” that explores a central question: how to get out of your own way so you can truly feel your life.
Written in the wake of a relocation from Australia to Los Angeles, and the closure of her long-running label Milk! Records, Barnett was grappling with changes that put the future of both her life and career in question. Rather than internalising those feelings, she decided to bring the confusion directly into the recording process.
Her new single “Site Unseen” evokes the emotions that have drawn her listeners in since the very beginning. The song’s sentiments testify to the messages of openness and acceptance of change that are woven through Creature of Habit.
The track also holds particular personal significance to Barnett, because it features harmonies from one of her
favourite singers – Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee. It is also accompanied by a brilliantly droll music video, which you can watch below.
“I tried three separate times over two years to track this song, and each time it either wasn’t finished or didn’t sound right and each time we had to start again,” Barnett recalled.
“I kept hearing this really high harmony in my head, so for the fourth and final version, I asked Katie if she’d be into singing it with me. I’m a big Waxahatchee fan. I really love Katie’s songwriting and her voice, so it was an honour to have her sing on ‘Site Unseen’.”
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“Site Unseen” follows the first single of Barnett’s new era, “Stay in Your Lane”, which she released in October last year.
The song is brimming with a ferocious rhythm section and raucous guitar riffage, and features her signature evocative lyricism. Following its release, Barnett delivered an electric performance of the single on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Courtney Barnett’s “Site Unseen” is out now, with Creature of Habit available for pre-order here.
