I’ve seen Courtney Marie Andrews perform live a few times, both as a headliner and as supporting act for City & Colour. On those previous occasions, she played solo acoustic, and it suited her material well.
In her recent appearance at The Atlantis, Andrews was backed by a full band, bringing out the musical sophistication in the songs on her latest album, Valentine, her ninth album, which was released earlier this year.
Courtney’s earlier works, especially her 2017 breakthrough album, Honest Life, were mostly acoustic, stripped down folk-Americana. But she’s always had one foot in the indie rock world, and she leans into that on Valentine, citing the power pop of Big Star and the pop country sound of Lee Hazlewood on influences. She also switched from guitar to keyboards as her main instrument on this album.
I know artists hate being compared to other artists, and this can be especially pernicious with women in music. But it’s true that there are traces of Joni Mitchell in Courtney’s voice, and there’s a similarity in the arc of their careers, moving from a spare approach to greater musical sophistication. That being said, the direction Andrews takes is markedly different from Mitchell, whose work moved into jazz. Andrews has a distinct musical and lyrical voice that’s all her own.
What hasn’t changed in her latest work are the two qualities that have always been at the center of her appeal: the fantastic songwriting and her gorgeous vocals. Her voice sounds as good as it ever has on this record, and her singing was dazzling at The Atlantis on April 24. While the songs may be a reaction to events in her life, in particular, someone close to her going through a severe mental and health crisis, they are not overly biographical, instead leaning into universal themes about relationships, from the desire for a perfect partner (“Keeper”) to protecting oneself from being hurt (“Outsider”), the vulnerability of exposing oneself in one’s art (“Cons and Clowns”), and the need for a “Best Friend.”
Watch the official performance video for “Cons and Clowns” by Courtney Marie Andrews on YouTube:
Andrews and her band played the entire album from start to finish, along with some old favorites, including “Hangman,” “Break the Spell,” “Burlap String,” and “Near You.” We were treated to an intimate moment when she performed “Irene” solo, accompanying herself on her acoustic guitar. She finished the evening with “If I Told.”
I hadn’t seen opening act Aubrey Bugg before, but she impressed me with the quality of her songs, which she performed solo acoustic. Many of them dealt with issues like self-respect and struggles with relationships. If I can offer some words of encouragement from the perspective of someone in middle age to a young adult, I’d say that, with time, these things get better as you find your place in the world and your people. For someone still in her early 20s, Aubrey is a perceptive and gifted songwriter, and I look forward to hearing more of work in the years to come. Her stage banter was fun and engaging, too. It’s always a delight when you make a new discovery in an opening act.
If you haven’t seen Andrews perform live, you’re missing out on one of the great singer-songwriters of her generation who also happens to be an excellent performer. Even if you’ve seen her before, you owe it to yourself to catch her on this tour to experience her songs with full-band accompaniment.
Visit Courtney Marie Andrews online more more music and tour dates!
