Going for Broke

Good Habits are a duo from Manchester Bonnie Schwarz (vocals/cello) and Pete Shaw (accordion/cajón). By a quirk of fate, they were touring New Zealand when the pandemic left them stranded in the town of Paekäkäriki, so they took advantage of their exile to record this delightful album. The combination of cello and accordion might seem an unpromising, insufficient line-up but Shaw’s accordion displays a rich variety of styles, an equal partner to Schwarz’s cello, while the latter’s vocals are engagingly clear and unaffected.

On first listening, Going for Broke is an upbeat, pop-folk affair, reminiscent of Fairground Attraction – pleasing enough, though not earth-shattering. But these songs take a while to reveal fully their complexity and the sophistication of their lyrics, melodies and arrangements. The duo are musical tricksters, relishing irregular time signatures and a tendency to reprise motifs just when you think the song is over. There’s a rare emotional warmth and fullness to Good Habits’ sound and, from the opening track, ‘See How the Evening Goes’, this captivating set of highly original songs chugs along beautifully.