Courtney Barnett’s Comical “Elevator Operator” Video Features Sleater Kinney, Jeff Tweedy, And More
Last March, Australian-based indie rocker Courtney Barnett released her breakout album Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit, and as the title of the album suggests, Barnett’s music is comical and expansive, managing to be both emotionally bare and humorous. The stories contained within her songs string the listener along, holding tiny truths within their carefully constructed, and at times overwhelmingly specific, contexts.
Today, Courtney Barnett released the music video for the first track of the album, “Elevator Operator.” From the very start its clear that the video will not disappoint–it opens on a shot of Corin Tucker, Carrie Brownstein, and Janet Weiss, the members of Sleater Kinney attempting to locate themselves on a map. The camera doesn’t dwell on the three for too long though, as we follow Courtney Barnett, who is aptly dressed as an elevator operator, on a trek through the city and, eventually, up and down an elevator.
Throughout the video there are plenty more cameos, at one point she even gets off the elevator to interrupt Jeff Tweedy of Wilco’s game of chess. The video encapsulates what is so wonderful about Barnett’s music–just when you think you’ve reached the peak lyric, the greatest guitar riff, she manages to one up herself. Watch below as Courtney makes her way to the rooftop.
Sometimes I Sit And Think And Sometimes I Just Sit is out now via Mom + Pop Music. Get it here.