Lotta Sea Lice

Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile - Lotta Sea Lice
Critic Score
Based on 39 reviews
2017 Ratings: #171 / 940
Year End Rank: #47
User Score
Based on 401 ratings
2017 Rank: #383
Liked by 20 people
October 13, 2017 / Release Date
LP / Format
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CRITIC REVIEWS

91
Entertainment Weekly

What Lotta Sea Lice lacks in flashiness, it makes up for with enduring tunes and performances that, low-stakes as they are, seem destined to resonate and yield fresh surprises for years to come.

90
Loud and Quiet
Even over simple harmonies and finger-picked guitars there’s a richness to the songs, and for all the organic, candid, just-jammin’ vibes, it’s meticulously arranged. They sound like they’ve been doing this together for years.
90
The Line of Best Fit
Understatement is what the record rests on, and it makes for an endearing listen.
85
Under the Radar
This is a record that indie-rock fans could only dream about, a combination so natural it is a wonder it never happened sooner. Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile are on top of their respective games on Lotta Sea Lice, and hopefully the magic will not stop at one record.
85
Northern Transmissions

With a shared knack for humorously musing upon the world around them, however pedestrian the moment may be, and with an equal way with words as with a fretboard, Lotta Sea Lice proves that Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile are a perfect match.

85
Paste
By eschewing ambition in favor of intimacy, the album is both comfortable and comforting. While Barnett and Vile don’t travel far from their established sounds in their collaboration, the sum of their contributions yields fresh results.
83
Consequence of Sound

Barnett and Vile’s chemistry together is undeniable, and not only does Lotta Sea Lice sound as fun to listen to as it must have been to make, but it stands as one of the best collaborative rock albums in recent years.

80
God Is in the TV
I urge you to be please patient with this one. It’s a real slow burner, and quite delightful lyrically.
80
Uncut

Warm, innovative and immensely satisfying; as if a friendly woodshedding session accidentally turned out a modern classic.

80
The Guardian
Although the pairing of these two wonderfully languid singer-songwriters could have ended up too hazy, their mutually dreamy, drawling styles complement each other perfectly.
80
Drowned in Sound

Lotta Sea Lice won’t totally slake the thirst of the pair’s individual fanbases for new solo work, but what it does do is see them bring out the best in each other. It’s a powerful testament to the possibilities offered up by a genuine creative friendship.

80
Exclaim!
At the heart of the best bands is a sense of collaboration and togetherness, and on their first record together, Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile explore those themes through intertwining vocals, endless vibes and grooves and, of course, tons of guitars.
80
The Skinny

Barnett and Vile have managed to perfectly sync up their idiosyncrasies; Lotta Sea Lice is a joyful, ambling product of two connected creative minds.

80
American Songwriter

Lotta Sea Lice fits in comfortably alongside either artist’s discography.

80
The 405

Although Lotta Sea Lice didn’t exactly live up to it’s potential and hype, the end result is still something to be reckoned with; a fascinating and balanced attempt at perfecting the concept of the collaboration album.

80
Tiny Mix Tapes
Droves of indie singers have strived to appear aggressively lethargic ever since Pavement weaponized slackerdom in the mid-90s, but few are as convincing in their sangfroid as Kurt Vile or Courtney Barnett.
80
musicOMH
Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile are brave to make something so gentle, natural and unguarded. They’ve managed to strive for an ideal informed by a real sense of pragmatism, and in the process, they’ve made one of the warmest, good-hearted records of the year.
80
PopMatters

Barnett and Vile have drawled and noodled their way into a 2017 album standout with their debut duo effort, Lotta Sea Lice.

76
Pitchfork

Lotta Sea Lice is a testament to how two artists can finish each other’s sentences even as they live worlds apart.

75
A.V. Club
It’s a lovefest in the best way, and a worthy addition to both of their catalogs.
70
Rolling Stone
Here are two great indie-rock songwriters getting together to spool out autumnal guitar prettiness and converse about life, art and whatever. As collaborators, they're a perfect match.
70
No Ripcord

Rather than forcing themselves to take risks, Vile and Barnett both produce straightforward songs that are earnest and endearing odes to friendship. With any other protagonists this project could become sickeningly twee, but Vile and Barnett deliver every lyric, no matter how ridiculous, with absolute sincerity.

70
Clash
As collaborations go, this one is pretty much a no-brainer, and the fruits it bears are predictably pleasing.
70
Slant Magazine
What the album lacks in ambition or surprise, it makes up for as a showcase of the two artists' chummy chemistry and lovably droll personalities.
66
GIGsoup
Do not expect this album to blow your head off, instead rejoice in it’s simplistic coolness.
60
AllMusic

As they're both charismatic singers with a way with an elliptical melody, it's pleasant enough, but by the time its 45 minutes wrap up, Lotta Sea Lice feels like a party where the hosts are having a much better time than their guests.

60
The Observer

Not the triumph it could have been.

scott96k
72

How many times will the word 'chemistry' come up in the reviews for this album

ethannn
70

Lovely chill record from two of my favourite artists, isn't the most complex thing ever but a very enjoyable listen that i keep coming back to
Best Tracks: Over Everything, Fear Is Like A Forest, Outta The Woodwork, Continental Breakfast, Blue Cheese, Untogether
Worst Track: On Script

TheBricker
80

First Kurt Vile album I'm reviewing here, and it certainly won't be the last. This time, he decided to pair up with Courtney Barnett, and I have to say that the pairing is pretty successful. The sound of the both indie musicians flows together pretty well, and some pretty awesome songs can be found here. Unfortunately, the album does have some misses, but I'd overall call it a success.
Well, the opening track - Over Everything - is a song I consider to be among the top tracks of the album. The ... read more

10

Favourite: Peepin Tom

Jubba929
80

Muito lindo do inicio ao fim, belas melodias a forma mais folk dylan do kurt de cantar completa com a voz mais doce da courtney, rock mais americanizado, folk, pop, e coisas beirando ao psicodelico,
musicas fav: Fear is like a Forest, Outta the Woodwork, Over Everything.

Sasha2D
80

I'm not a big Kurt Vile fan, but I am a Courtney Barnett fan, and Kurt's actually pretty good on this record. The chemistry these two have is uncanny.

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Added on: August 29, 2017