Mondo Cozmo releases new album This Is For The Barbarians
Today, Mondo Cozmo aka Josh Ostrander, released his third full length album via Last Gang, This is for the Barbarians. The gorgeous album from the rock & roll songsmith – who is currently on the road supporting The Airborne Toxic Event – recognizes that death and life can be celebrated synchronically, pulling the darkness in to find the light inside, discovering grandeur in life’s most intimate moments. “It’s bright and funny, the human experience in a year of isolation,” Ostrander says. “It’s a slice of my liver and a piece of my heart. This is for the people going through darkness like I've been going through. Is anybody else out there hurting, or mad, or scared out of their mind? We're in this together.”
Ostrander also shares his latest single from the album, “WW3.” The song was written during the pandemic, long before the current struggle in Ukraine, though he felt a need to change some of the track’s original lyrics and leaned on a hero and friend for advice – Bruce Springsteen. "There was a line in the chorus I was concerned about with the situation in Ukraine," he notes. "Shortly before the song was prepared to come out, I sent the song to Bruce Springsteen and asked him what his thoughts were. He said that if it was possible, change it." Hear the updated, final version of “WW3” here: https://youtu.be/Md0AKK17E1E.
This is for the Barbarians’ title was inspired by the Barbarian poets, a group of writers who gathered in San Francisco's Cafe Babar in the 1980s. Specifically, Ostrander was drawn to David Lerner’s work, whose energy, fervor and passion grabbed him. Reeling from loss in his family, mired in pandemic and searching for hope, Ostrander connected immediately to the dedication in one of Lerner’s books, knowing he’d found the title of his next album. The album also features recent singles “Electrify My Love” – one of the most added recent songs at Triple A radio, “Meant for Livin’” – a funk-driven, jubilant track that was released in late-January and recently was featured as KCRW’s “Today’s Top Tune” – and “Feel Good.”
Mondo Cozmo has performed everywhere from Lollapalooza to Bonnaroo, and toured alongside Bastille, Spoon and Muse, to name a few. Before This is for the Barbarians, he had released singles “Come On” and “Black Cadillac” from his 2020 album New Medicine, an album that was aided and abetted by friends and family including producer Butch Vig, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Dan Wilson, Lars Stalfors and others; and his 2017 full-length debut, Plastic Soul, which boasted the #1 single “Shine.” He’s also seen Anna Faris star in his videos for “Hold On To Me” and “Come On,” and Paz de La Huerta star in the video for “Higher.”
MONDO COZMO SPRING TOUR DATES
Apr 08 Philadelphia, PA - TLA
Apr 10 Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom
Apr 12 Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall
Apr 14 Chicago, IL - The Vic Theatre
Apr 15 Chicago, IL - The Vic Theatre
Apr 16 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
Apr 18 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
Apr 19 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
Apr 20 Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
Apr 22 Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
Apr 23 Seattle, WA - The Showbox
Apr 24 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
Apr 27 Sacramento, CA - The Ace of Spades
Apr 29 San Diego, CA - The Observatory N Park
Apr 30 Los Angeles, CA - The Greek Theatre
**all dates supporting The Airborne Toxic Event