Josh Ostrander has had a unique and eclectic career stretching back the majority of this millennium so far. Beginning with Laguardia, to working with Eastern Conferences Champions, each one of his projects has brought something completely new and interesting to the table. Now having produced three solo albums under his moniker, Mondo Cozmo, it was time for the solo artist to explore even further into his sonic repertoire with his fourth studio album, IT’S PRINCIPLE (Last Gang Records). With the tragic passing of his namesake’s dog, Cozmo, it was clear that this was set out to be one of his most emotional and vulnerable material to date.
Rather than a mournful affair by what has been led to believe, the opening title track actually begins with a fanfare of bass guitars and upbeat drumming.
Alongside Ostrander’s distorted vocals, the whole affair sounds incredibly reminiscent of debut album-era Kasabian. The perfect song to kick straight into the action, the track that’ll get your fans jumping up and down in sync on the festival highlights. The various sounds used across the board go off with aplomb, manufacturing the perfect Indie Rock rager, the kind you’d expect at your local Propaganda club night up and down the UK.
It’s intriguing how the rest of the album follows this large, bold, in-your-face song. The following song “Angels” follows similarly, keeping up the pace of the title track, but slowly the further the listener trudges into the album, it feels as if the sorrow of the aforementioned loss seems to weigh on Ostrander’s mind.
“Here I Am” is a clear example of this, starting off very slow, plodding before bursting into a crescendo of exuberant noise that brings the energy back up to match with the rest of the first section of the release. Ostrander belting out the hook “Here I Am!” to the thunderous rapture of the backing band, it should feel like a celebration, but there’s something just not settling right.
The single track “Killing Floor” is where this all comes to a head. Focus is drawn to just solitary piano melody. It feels very intimate as Ostrander’s vocals chime into play, sounding as if you’re only a few feet away from the man. Far from the bravado of the previous songs, this is Ostrander bearing it all out for his audience to hear his pain. The result being a very touching ballad in memory of his pet.
The album closes on an interesting choice in the form of “I’ll Be Around.” Peppered with this light major chord strumming on an electric guitar, this more Indie folk rock tune, feels as if Cozmo has turned a new corner and is looking towards a new start. The highlight of the track is towards the end as the backup vocalists join together in this moving harmony supporting Ostrander as he sings the song title.
There’s almost a sense of closure and catharsis from the closing track, as though it can be about anyone’s pet or loved ones who’ve passed. While not naming anyone specific in his song, Ostrander invites his audience to grieve alongside him for those they may have also lost.
Looking on the outside of this album, you may not be able to see anything much more special than an Indie Rock album, but once the curtains have been unveiled to see the artist behind, the journey behind the project also reveals itself.
Using this invigorating dynamic of the energy and tone of the songs to create this metaphor for his grieving process, Ostrander has developed a really engrossing album that’ll have his listeners going back to peel the layers between the lines of his music to gain more and more for years to come.
Buy the album here:
https://www.mondocozmo.com/
8 / 10
CHARLIE HILL