Mondo Cozmo

The time is now for Mondo Cozmo. Initially, the artist also known as Josh Ostrander was known for his work as part of the trio Eastern Conference Champions. The band experienced a degree of success, with a song featured on the Twilight soundtrack. But that wasn’t enough for the Philadelphia native. Soon, the band split and Ostrander began recording under the moniker Mondo Cozmo.

By 2016, his solo career took off. Signed to Republic Records, Mondo Cozmo had a No. 1 single with “Shine.” During that time, he opened for what felt like every band including Spoon and Bastille, and Bruce Springsteen praised his songwriting in a New York Times article. He also wrote the theme song for Anna Faris’s Unqualified podcast, which introduced him to a new audience.

Despite retreating from his L.A. base to the mountains during the pandemic, it didn’t stop his creativity from flowing. He released two albums during that span (including New Medicine which was recorded before the world shut down), yet, Ostrander felt like he rushed out This Is For the Barbarians to feel good about being productive during the pandemic.

Thanks to the power of social media, Ostrander connected with Mark Rankin (Queens of the Stone Age, Iggy Pop, Weezer, Florence and the Machine). After Ostrander sent Rankin three songs along with an explanation of what he aimed to do, the pair agreed to work together, with Rankin producing and mixing. The pairing was significant since it was the first time that as Mondo Cozmo, Ostrander worked with a producer. The pair zapped files back-and-forth before heading to Ostrander’s studio near Lake Arrowhead.

Sonically, the album may sound like a departure from previous Mondo Cozmo albums. However, the better way to see it is the artist arriving with a sharp vision of who he is and what he wants to be. Throughout the process, Ostrander was conscious that he needed to make a concise record that was focused. It proved a creative spark. Ostrander wrote 70 songs.

Specifically, the title track, “It’s PRINCIPLE!” immediately draws listeners in. The song, like all great Mondo Cozmo tracks, was built around a lyric and idea, which in this case was “So I'm slashing tires on Main Street America.” But the song almost didn’t make the cut. Since it was one of the earlier songs Ostrander recorded, after sending it to Rankin, he had sender’s remorse. He nearly deleted the song just before Rankin responded, telling Ostrander to his surprise that not only did he like the song, but it should lead off the album.

Happy accidents like this marked the recording of It’s PRINCIPLE!. “Wild Horses,” co-written with Dan McDougall (Liam Gallagher), is powered by a riff that’s reminiscent of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and industrial beat, was written in 10 minutes. Mondo Cozmo has covered the Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony” live for years. So when it came time to record “Angels,” Ostrander had that song, along with a vibe that channeled U2’s Under a Blood Red Sky live album. He succeeded.

As Ostrander wrote the songs that comprised the album, the impending death of his dog, Cozmo, weighed heavily on him and served as inspiration. As he felt Cozmo’s time slipping away, Ostrander spent more time with him, including bringing him to the studio during the sessions. Much of the album’s lyrical matter addressed the impending death and the emotions he was going through at that time.

In the end, though, Mondo Cozmo’s fourth studio album is his most complete and vulnerable body of work. Instead of an ending, it marks a new beginning. Not many artists are fortunate to successfully hit the reset button. Yet, that’s exactly what It’s PRINCIPLE! is: an artist, who has been through it, taking a big swing and connecting. Now, the world will see what so many in the music world knew before: Mondo Cozmo’s time to shine is now.