It's not that the world needed an album like this one but, really, if you're a fan of this sort of thing, you're probably gonna get on the Cosmonauts bandwagon fairly quickly with one listen of the band's new album. A-OK! by Cosmonauts is out August 19 via Burger Records. It is a melange of elements of various genres and it's pretty wonderful. This Orange County group has not exactly re-invented the wheel here but they've sent it spinning in a pretty interesting way.
If the title cut encompasses a hint of Echo and the Bunnymen, it's near-shoegaze epics like "Doom Generation" and the early Verve-like "Party At Sunday" that allow Cosmonauts to shine as a band. If there's a trace of something baggy in "Good Lucky Blessing", it's pretty clear that this lot has little interest in resurrecting the ghost of (classic) Stone Roses. Cosmonauts, instead, excel at expansive guitar-workouts and the occasional riff-rocker ("Cruisin'" and the wonderfully-titled "Be-Bop-A-Loser"). Still, by the time "Caroline, No" rolls around it's clear that the band has taken far more instruction from Spacemen 3 sides than the Beach Boys record of the same name.
Cosmonauts are not entirely original but that's okay, really. The product here is compelling and I found myself liking this album far, far more than I ever expected. Perfect for your headphones or any moment where you can let sound transport you to a new place, A-OK by Cosmonauts is a treasure.
Follow Cosmonauts via the band's official website. A-OK! will drop on August 19 via Burger Records.