"Throughout his career, Barns Courtney has proven time and time again that he is the prince of rock and roll, and with 404, he’s solidified it."
-
Must Listen
By Emily Marshman
Recommended tracks: “London Girls,” “Fun Never Ends,” “Boy Like Me,” “Babylon”
Throughout his career, Barns Courtney has proven time and time again that he is the prince of rock and roll, and with 404, he’s solidified it. Unafraid, unashamed, and prolific, the English singer-songwriter has no qualms with unleashing the inside of his soul onto us. 404 is ten tracks packed with energy and emotion. There is no time to slow down. That is, essentially, the entire motif of the album; everything is fleeting and, if you take too much pause, there’s too much time to think about the nothingness surrounding you.
404 kicks off with three songs in a row that we’ve (hopefully) already heard – “Hollow,” “You and I,” and “99” – that helps to ease us into the album. These tracks are fantastic, but they aren’t even close to the most mind-blowing that Barns Courtney has in store for us.
“London Girls,” the fourth track on the album, is a spitfire of a song, a fast-paced ode to the astonishing wonder of – you guessed it – girls from London. Barns croons about their strong will and propensity for waking up in their makeup from the night before (or he’s also just suggesting that they never go to bed).
The sixth track, “Boy Like Me,” is one of the more vulnerable songs on 404, followed immediately by “Kids Are Alright,” both of which are reminiscent of the greater theme of the album. “Castaway” and “Babylon” come next, bringing the tempo back up with songs about isolation and running headlong into the unfamiliar.
In my opinion, 404 is an album that aims to give us an understanding of the loneliness that comes with being a millenial and a touring musician. It’s thankless work, sometimes, and can make you feel isolated. Barns Courtney pulls fundamental themes from his childhood in the nineties and puts them into play alongside lyrics about loneliness, which makes for an interesting body of work for sure.
Barns Courtney is currently out on tour, promoting the release of his sophomore full-length with support from British legends The Hunna. You can find somewhere to see him (and you should see him; I’ve heard his shows are some of the sweatiest and most fun on Earth) on his website. You can also find him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
