Courtney Barnett’s new album, “Things Take Time, Take Time” is gentler than her first two, out of necessity. The Australian singer’s more bombastic tendencies are muted by the pandemic. The Austalian singer’s more bombastic tendencies are muted by the pandemic. She recorded it with her producer as the only other musician and it shows a more vulnerable side of her with songs about isolation, personal angst and, in the end, hope for the future.

Her trademark deadpan delivery has made it tough for some to warm to, but many of the songs are addressed directly to the listener, providing a more relatable connection. They sound like musical postcards from an old friend.

Barnett’s emotional truth telling provides a way of understanding her generation’s social problems and in some cases, solving them outright. As she describes dying stars, leaves turning green and details of her private life, the subtleties of her writing allows the listener, as she says in the lyrics, to see flowers in the weeds.

With this new collection of open hearted songs, Courtney Barnett’s positivity shines through and allows her move her music to a new plateau, one where her artistry is comparable to the best songwriters making music today,  

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