Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile Announce Collaborative Album & Tour Dates

Guitarists Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile have confirmed the release of collaborative album slated for release on Matador Records, Marathon Artists and Milk! Records later this year. The duo also confirmed a North American Tour with an all-star backing band in support of the joint release.

The tour taking place in October and November will feature Barnett and Vile backed by a revolving lineup of supporting musicians dubbed The Sea Lice. Those tapped to appear includes drummers Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney, Wild Flag) and Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint) and multi-instrumentalists Rob Laakso (The Violators, The Swirlies, Mice Parade) and Katie Harkin (Harkin, Sky Larkin and Sleater-Kinney and Wild Beasts touring member). Setlists on the tour will be built around songs from the upcoming album, classic covers and selections from Barnett and Vile’s back catalogs.

The two guitarists recorded the album over eight sessions that took place over the course of 15 months – when their respective busy touring schedules allowed. They each described how the collaboration came about.

Barnett:

In 2014 I scored a support slot opening for Kurt at the Abbotsford Convent [outside Melbourne]. We met briefly after the show but I was a bit nervous and didn’t wanna bother him, just grateful for the gig. Years later we started bumping into each other on the festival circuit all around the wide world and we became friends. He hit me up when he was coming to Melbourne next and said he thought we could work together.

I’m a huge Kurt fan. Smoke Ring was one of my first purchases on vinyl. I was getting over a big break-up, unemployed and drifting and I would just lie on my bed and listen to “Peepin’ Tom” on repeat. One of the most beautiful and luscious albums I ever heard. Me and Jen fell in love to that album.

Vile:

I just love [Barnett’s] voice in general .. great lyrics of course … I love all her music but the song that really hit me was “Depreston”- I know it’s popular but her voice is so good in that song and it’s so pretty and sincere … I’m a sucker for that kinda song: instant classic.

Tickets to the co-tour, which will be supported by Jen Cloher, go on sale beginning Friday, June 9 at 10 a.m. local venue time. Barnett and Vile partnered with Plus 1 to donate $1 from every ticket sold to support the ACLU.