Here’s all you need to know: Mondo Cozmo is named after Josh Ostrander’s, Mondo Cozmo frontman, dog. Anybody who names a band after a dog is good people and Josh showed up to our interview and quickly proved my theory right.
Fresh off a tour with Bastille (we’re talking literally the night before) he is sarcastic and dry in that perfectly Philly way, then surprises me when he requests a cup of tea. Never judge a book’s desire for a Bloody Mary by its cover, I guess.
If you haven’t heard the single Shine, let me tell you a bit about Mondo Cozmo. He is topping Billboard charts without an album to his name, though one is on its way. What he does have is a touring band hand-picked by Ostrander himself (I hear with a little input from his wife) after countless hours of auditions to find musicians ripe for creating Mondo Cozmo’s scrappy indie sound. Make no mistake about scrap, the songs and performances are as polished as a band who’s been playing together for years.
To call Mondo Cozmo promising feels immature and unfairly underwhelming. Ardent, impassioned, connected. From dive-bar sell-outs to festivals like Shaky Knees where fans fill the area around Mondo Cozmo’s stage and stay until the last song, this sound is something special. Lucky us to get in on the ground floor.
Most of the bands at Shaky are headed off to the festival season but Josh (& gang) are going big way before they’re going home. Be sure to catch Mondo Cozmo’s set THIS weekend at Hangout Festival. You can thank me later. From there it’s on to Sasquatch, Boston Calling, Governor’s Ball, the list goes on. Definitely a band worth adding to your “Must” list.
It seems an unjust world where anyone hasn’t heard this song yet, but just in case, check out Shine:
