Barns Courtney Releases New EP, Hard To Be Alone
A few days ago, Barns Courtney announced on Instagram that he was releasing a new EP titled Hard To Be Alone. Per his post, the entire EP was recorded at home during the lockdown. In a separate Instagram post a few days later, Barns wrote,
The title track on the album sums up all of these thoughts and emotions in a mere three minutes. He tackles the feelings of being single after a very meaningful relationship. The feeling of knowing you’re not alone and that your ex is feeling the same way that you are is evident when he sings, “Oh darling if I ever cross your mind / Let me know.” Sometimes knowing that you’re both sharing the same pain is enough.
“Missing You” is complemented by Courtney’s raspy voice as he croons about the pain that reminiscing about a past relationship brings, but in the latter half of the song, he proceeds to do just that. In the bridge, he rasps out, “Darling I’ll pretend / But my fault in the end / ‘Cause I’m always turning all my lovers into friends”.
“Home” is a particularly poignant and timely track in the era of COVID-19. Though Barns seems to be singing about being exhausted and returning home after a very long stint of being away and living life, it also resonates with the average listener, as many of us have discovered new meanings for the word ‘home’ over the past few quarantined months. In the same vein, for many, it speaks to the disorienting feeling of returning to your childhood home due to the pandemic, after months, or even years of existing independently from your family.
The final track of the EP “Dopamine” leads in with piano, which is a change from Barns’ typical guitar centered songs. The track is a painful memory of the joy and invincibility that is felt when you’re with someone you love. The track is ironic, because while Barns is recalling a time when he was happy, the track itself is slow and melancholy, which gives a whole new meaning to the feel-good hormone dopamine.
5 years ago, I sold all my things and gave up my apartment for a life on the road. I made a family from strangers and a home in motels, and it’s honestly been the most terrifying and gratifying adventure I’ve ever experienced. Then the entire world went into lockdown. These past few months are in such stark contrast to life in transit that even my writing process has changed. I’ve found myself back at my roots, confronted with all manner of lost lovers and loneliness. As if the moment the waters calmed, all my daemons swam up to the surface to take a look around. This EP has been a sort of catharsis for all that. In a roundabout way, this moment of stillness was just what I needed.
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“Missing You” is complemented by Courtney’s raspy voice as he croons about the pain that reminiscing about a past relationship brings, but in the latter half of the song, he proceeds to do just that. In the bridge, he rasps out, “Darling I’ll pretend / But my fault in the end / ‘Cause I’m always turning all my lovers into friends”.
“Home” is a particularly poignant and timely track in the era of COVID-19. Though Barns seems to be singing about being exhausted and returning home after a very long stint of being away and living life, it also resonates with the average listener, as many of us have discovered new meanings for the word ‘home’ over the past few quarantined months. In the same vein, for many, it speaks to the disorienting feeling of returning to your childhood home due to the pandemic, after months, or even years of existing independently from your family.
The final track of the EP “Dopamine” leads in with piano, which is a change from Barns’ typical guitar centered songs. The track is a painful memory of the joy and invincibility that is felt when you’re with someone you love. The track is ironic, because while Barns is recalling a time when he was happy, the track itself is slow and melancholy, which gives a whole new meaning to the feel-good hormone dopamine.
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| Photo courtesy of @barnscourtney on Instagram |
You can listen to Barns' EP below and keep up with him on Instagram here
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