“Need a Little Time" follows "Nameless, Faceless" as yet another promising glimpse of Aussie indie singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett's upcoming sophomore album Tell Me How You Really Feel (May 18th). Despite retreating from the political/feminist engagement of its predecessor, the second track manages to come across as being more revelatory and momentous. Barnett has always excelled in locating the profound in the everyday; she accomplishes that same feat here by stoically noting that she needs to take a leave of absence from her personal life: 'I need a little time out/ I need a little time out/ From me/ And you'.
Her lyrics may point towards an inner weariness, but the song soars and uplifts with the help of Barnett's expressive guitar playing. Barnett's vocal delivery often leaves an impression of solipsism, but if you listen closely you will find that she devotes an equal amount of attention to the outside world. “Need a Little Time" eventually starts to pick apart her significant other's emotional state, leaving the listener with some rather perplexing and intriguing observations in the process: 'Shave your head to see how it feels/ Emotionally it’s not that different/ But to the hand it’s beautiful.'
In the Danny Cohen-directed music video, Barnett evocatively represents her emotional retreat as a trip to outer space. She locates her electric guitar among some stray asteroids and begins to jam out while perched on some tiny planets. It is hard to imagine a more fitting setting for Barnett to find herself.
