Happy 10th birthday to Courtney Barnett’s debut studio album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, which was released on March 20th, 2015.
In the early 2010s, Courtney Barnett carved out a space for herself in Melbourne’s indie rock scene with her distinct brand of deadpan storytelling and tangled guitar riffs.
A decade later, her debut album remains a defining moment in Australian music – one that established Barnett as a sharp, witty, and unflinchingly honest songwriter, capable of turning everyday mundanities into deeply compelling narratives.
Barnett had already built a steady following with her self-released Milk! Records EPs, I’ve Got a Friend Called Emily Ferris (2012) and How to Carve a Carrot Into a Rose (2013).
The latter contained “Avant Gardener”, a breakthrough single that earned international attention and landed on Pitchfork’s Best New Track list.
Following the critical success of The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas, Barnett signed to Marathon Artists and set her sights on crafting a full-length record.
The songs for Sometimes I Sit and Think… took shape over the course of a year, though Barnett kept them under wraps from her bandmates until the week before recording.
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This approach gave the album an electrifying, off-the-cuff feel—perfect for capturing the raw energy that had made her live shows so compelling.
Tracked over eight days in April 2014, the sessions unfolded in Melbourne, with Barnett delivering dry-witted lyrics over fuzzy, driving guitar lines.
Among the standout tracks was “Pedestrian at Best” – an explosive anthem of self-doubt and sardonic self-awareness. Written at the last minute and recorded in its first take, the song became one of her defining works.
With lines like “Put me on a pedestal and I’ll only disappoint you,” Barnett skewered the expectations thrust upon rising artists while fully embracing her signature mix of humour and anxiety.
Rolling Stone ranked it the fourth-best song of 2015, cementing its status as one of the year’s defining indie rock anthems.
Lyrically, the album was filled with vignettes that explored modern ennui, environmental dread, and existential malaise.
“Depreston” turned a mundane real estate viewing into a meditation on gentrification and mortality, while “Elevator Operator” told the story of a frustrated office worker longing for something more.
Whether she was singing about suburban sprawl or casual conversations, Barnett’s gift for observational detail made even the smallest moments feel weighty and profound.
Sometimes I Sit and Think… was met with widespread critical acclaim and accolades.
At the 2015 ARIA Awards, it received eight nominations, including Album of the Year, Best Rock Album, and Best Independent Release. Barnett won the awards for Best Cover Art for her self-drawn album cover on October 7th, followed by wins for Best Female Artist, Breakthrough Artist, and Best Independent Release on November 26th.
While Sometimes I Sit and Think… lost Album of the Year and Best Rock Album to Tame Impala’s Currents, Barnett’s impact was undeniable.
The following year, she was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2016 Grammy Awards.
The album also earned the prestigious Australian Music Prize for Best Album of the Year and was named Australian Album of the Year at the 2015 J Awards.
Following its release, Sometimes I Sit and Think… also propelled Barnett onto the world stage.
In the years since, Barnett has continued to refine her craft, but her debut remains a landmark—an album that redefined Australian indie rock and proved that everyday life could be anything but ordinary.
