Cosmic folk duo Good Habits make their long-awaited return and celebrate a new direction. Better For Now is the duo’s most emotionally expansive and sonically ambitious album so far.
SONIC AMBITIONS
We’ve been looking forward to this one! Back in the summer of 2024, we were both shaken and stirred by Good Habits’ groundbreaking album, Quarter-Life. Back then, we were thrilled by the ease with which Bonnie Schwarz and Pete Shaw – the basic components of Good Habits – blended their wide range of sound, styles and influencesto create their own special music. Well – as it turns out – they were merely getting started.
Good Habits describe their new album, Better For Now as: “Our most emotionally expansive and sonically ambitious album so far.” And that’s a claim that they make with good reason. Accordionist Pete has got a new synth and, what’s more, he knows how to use it. The band’s lineup has been expanded, too. Good Habits is no longer a duo – not since drummer Jen Walinetski stepped forward to flesh out the band’s sound. And the result? Better For Now is a collection of nine songs that blur the boundaries between folk, indie, jazz and alt-pop styles to achieve something that is, uniquely, Good Habits. Cosmic folk, perhaps?
BACK WITH A BANG!
It’s Pete’s deep synth tones that get album opener Different Eyes up and running. Jen supplies a pattering drumbeat, before Bonnie’s signature crystal-clear vocals provide the final evidence: this song is a clear statement of intent. The sound builds until the effect is almost orchestral in its intensity. Good Habits are back – with a bang. Pete’s accordion and Bonnie’s cello are in perfect balance for the bright, poppy What Will Become Of Me. The accompaniment is full and rich, but it’s Bonnie’s vocals that really grab the listener’s attention as she charms and bewitches, as only she can.
“My grandpa buys me book vouchers for my birthday and for Christmas,” sings Bonnie as she launces the quirky Reading Song, the album’s second single. Pete serves up a bubbly mix of synth and accordion and Jen makes a great job of holding the diverse contributions together. Bonnie’s voice has a hint of Kate Nash about it and she’s clearly having fun as she works her way through an intriguing cross-genre concoction.
Pete and Bonnie make a temporary return to their acoustic roots for Ideas. Bonnie anchors the sound with her pizzicato cello figure. Meanwhile, Pete and Jen fill the gaps with, respectively, smooth sweeps of accordion and a jazzy drumbeat. Bonnie’s vocals are as light as air, and she fires out the lyrics at such a speed that the listener is left to wonder how she avoids swallowing her tongue.
A FEARLESS FOLK ANTHEM
A magical combination of cello, synth and accordion takes the bright, joyful Keeping An Eye to places that nobody could ever anticipate. And that’s always an exhilarating experience. As it happens, the song is a prelude to the mighty Body of Mine – unquestionably the album’s centrepiece. Described as: “A fearless folk anthem confronting lost time, body image and the systems that reinforce those struggles,” it’s an engaging, bewildering and utterly riveting song. Pete makes a grand statement on synth and accordion before the floor is handed to Bonnie, for a cascade of words. “I saw a body of mine that I won today,” she sings. “But I haven’t got the money for it. Or the time or the love, or the know-how…”
A nice, jumpy synth lick provides the lead-in to the contemplative The Point Of No Return. There’s a folky feel to the song as Pete switches from synth to accordion and, throughout, Jen keeps up a lightly scattered rhythm. Good Habits often cite Kate Bush as a formative influence and, here, that influence is particularly detectable in Bonnie’s vocal delivery.
A WARM, COMFORTABLE ENDING
Lead single, Uetze, was the first inking that most of us had of Good Habits’ synth-infused direction. Pete’s mélange of sound and Jen’s rapid pattering provide the bedrock for Bonnie’s light, breezy vocals and, you know what? It all fits together perfectly.
Better For Now is brought to a warm, comfortable close by the gentle So Easy. Bonnie picks out a rhythmic pattern on the strings of her cello, whilst Pete finds the soothing accordion notes to support her. There’s a few sparkles of piano in there, too as Bonnie’s voice take on a world-weary tone. It’s a song to wrap up an excellent album in a soft and tidy manner.
Good Habits will be supporting the release of Better For Now with a string of UK shows throughout Autumn 2026. The tour itinerary can be found here. And, if you happen to be reading this on the other side of the world, you might be interested to know that they’ll be making their highly anticipated return to Australia and New Zealand in early 2027. Keep an eye out…
Watch the official video to Uetze – the album’s lead single – below:
Good Habits: Website