Courtney Barnett previews her fourth studio album Creature Of Habit with the release of One Thing At A Time, a defining new track signalling a pivotal moment in her evolving sound
by Paul Cashmere
Courtney Barnett has released a striking new single, One Thing At A Time, offering the clearest insight yet into the creative and emotional terrain of her forthcoming fourth studio album Creature Of Habit, due March 27 via Fiction Records.
The new track arrives as the centrepiece of the album campaign, accompanied by a music video directed by Lance Bangs. Across its five-minute arc, One Thing At A Time distils the thematic core of Creature Of Habit, a record shaped by upheaval, reinvention and a conscious attempt to break habitual cycles.
Driven by a muscular rhythm section featuring Flea on bass, the song opens with a tightly wound tension that mirrors Barnett’s internal dialogue. For the first half, her trademark observational lyricism leans into frustration and self-examination before pivoting mid-song into a moment of release. The closing refrain, “I’m ready for a change,” lands with deliberate weight, resolving into an extended, euphoric guitar passage that signals both catharsis and forward motion.
Creature Of Habit has been constructed as a cohesive reflection on personal transition. Written in the aftermath of Barnett’s relocation from Australia to Los Angeles and the closure of her long-running independent label Milk! Records, the album captures a period where both her personal and professional identity were in flux. Rather than retreat, Barnett channelled that uncertainty directly into the songwriting process, allowing the instability to inform the record’s tone and structure.
The album builds on the foundation laid by earlier singles Stay In Your Lane, Site Unseen featuring Waxahatchee, Mantis and Sugar Plum. Each release has revealed a different facet of the project, from restless energy through to introspective restraint, collectively mapping a broader artistic reset.
Barnett’s trajectory to this point has been marked by a steady expansion from Melbourne’s independent scene to global recognition. Early projects, including The Double EP: A Sea Of Split Peas, established her voice as one of the most distinctive in contemporary guitar music. That momentum accelerated with her 2015 debut album Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit, which delivered both commercial breakthrough and critical acclaim, including multiple ARIA Awards and a Grammy nomination.
Subsequent releases, including her collaboration with Kurt Vile on Lotta Sea Lice and solo albums Tell Me How You Really Feel and Things Take Time, Take Time, reinforced her reputation for sharp lyrical observation and understated delivery. Parallel projects, such as the instrumental work End Of The Day, demonstrated a willingness to move beyond conventional song structures.
The closure of Milk! Records at the end of 2023 marked the end of a significant chapter. Founded in 2012, the label had become a cornerstone of Australia’s independent music ecosystem, supporting both Barnett’s work and a wider community of artists. Its conclusion added further weight to the transitional themes explored throughout Creature Of Habit.
Within that context, One Thing At A Time functions as both a personal statement and a structural anchor for the album. The song’s progression, from tension through to release, mirrors the broader narrative arc of the record, which asks how to move beyond internal barriers in order to fully engage with life.
Barnett’s ability to translate internal complexity into accessible, guitar-driven compositions remains central to her appeal. While Creature Of Habit introduces new sonic textures and collaborators, it retains the clarity and immediacy that have defined her catalogue to date.
With the album’s release imminent, One Thing At A Time positions Creature Of Habit as a deliberate recalibration rather than a continuation. It is a record that confronts uncertainty directly, using it as both subject matter and creative fuel.
Creature Of Habit Tracklist
Stay In Your Lane
Wonder
Site Unseen (featuring Waxahatchee)
Mostly Patient
One Thing At A Time
Mantis
Sugar Plum
Same
Great Advice
Another Beautiful Day
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