The shenanigans on the new self-titled record from Jonny Kosmo are decidedly lo-fi, and yet they are remarkably interesting. The album dropped on Friday and it's the sort of thing that blends elements of Seventies pop, disco, and even Britpop with the resulting music in its grooves being uniformly fun.
"Come Down to Get Down" is a breezy bit of business, equal parts soul-pop and something else, while the elegant "Parrots of Highland Park" is a bit like Lindsey Buckingham covering Lennon, kinda. Kosmo has skills, and while lots of this stuff is nearly too clever for its own good, it's also decidedly sincere. And for that reason, Jonny Kosmo is a recommended listen. Fans of Grandaddy, Temple Songs (whose Jolan Lewis worked with Aldous RH, the bassist here), and even Jellyfish will find lots to enjoy here.
Jonny Kosmo can write great chamber pop but he's a tad too in love here with the trappings of recording, such that a listener sometimes notices the electronic effects, or production elements more than the actual tunes on Jonny Kosmo. And yet if Jonny Kosmo is capable of composing the breathless pop of "Circus of Dreams, one can forgive the parts here that seem overthought and a bit busy.
More details on Jonny Kosmo via the official Facebook page. Jonny Kosmo is out now.
[Photo: Joseph McMurray]