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- November 8, 2021
On October 13th, Apple TV released a trailer for their new series, Harriet The Spy. Featured in the trailer was a new track from Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett called “Smile Real Nice.” The show looks like it will be a pretty solid adaptation of the children’s novel, but we’re here to talk about the song. And boy, is it a great song.
Featuring one of Courtney Barnett’s best guitar riffs, “Smile Real Nice” also has a catchy hook and straightforward yet powerful drums. The abrasive mixing on the bass drum at the intro actually works in the song’s favor because it lays the groundwork for Barnett’s lyrics about not wanting to be told what to do and simply wanting to be. The guitar flourishes in the background are wonderful touches, and the vocal harmonies in the last vocal line of the song (“My friends are quality/not quantity”) are phenomenal.
In addition to this track for Harriet The Spy, Courtney Barnett has also put out several singles in preparation for her new album dropping November 12th, Things Take Time, Take Time. The album drops the week before the show’s first half (five episodes), so those two weeks will be a great time to be a Courtney Barnett fan. Of course, it’s always a great time to be a Courtney Barnett fan.
Following up 2018’s Tell Me How You Really Feel is going to be hard, but if anyone is up for it, it’s Courtney Barnett. The songwriting talent she has in addition to her guitar chops is immense, and pretty much everything she touches turns to gold. It’s no surprise that Apple TV wanted her to write the trailer song for Harriet The Spy, and it’s no surprise that Barnett turned in something that works not only for the context of the show, but completely out of that context as well.
Check out the trailer for Harriet The Spy below and “Smile Real Nice” up above! Let us know what you think about Courtney Barnett in the comments as well!
