Mondo Cozmo Announces New Album 'This is for the Barbarians'

Mondo Cozmo (aka Josh Ostrander) has announced details for his forthcoming album This is for the Barbarians. The title was inspired by the Barbarian poets, a group of writers who gathered in San Francisco's Cafe Babar in the 1980's.

Specifically, Ostrander was drawn to David Lerner's work, whose energy, fervor and passion grabbed him. Reeling from loss in his family, mired in pandemic and searching for hope, Ostrander connected immediately to the dedication in one of Lerner's books, knowing he'd found the title of his next album.

This is for the Barbarians is due April 8 via Last Gang and features recent singles "Meant for Livin'" - a funk-driven, jubilant track that was released in late-January and recently was featured as KCRW's "Today's Top Tune" - and "Feel Good." Physical pre-orders are available now via Last Gang Records & the Mondo Cozmo website, and the album can be pre-saved digitally this Friday here.

The new album recognizes that death and life can be celebrated synchronically, pulling the darkness in to find the light inside, discovering grandeur in life's most intimate moments. "It's bright and funny, the human experience in a year of isolation," Ostrander says. "It's a slice of my liver and a piece of my heart. This is for the people going through darkness like I've been going through. Is anybody else out there hurting, or mad, or scared out of their mind? We're in this together."

Today, the Philadelphia-raised, West Coast-based rock & roll songsmith has also announced his return to the road with spring tour dates supporting The Airborne Toxic Event (see dates below). He also shared a stripped back live version of "Meant for Livin'" which was filmed at Chateau Mondo, the cabin he retreated to during the global pandemic, in the mountains outside of Lake Arrowhead, CA. In the Aria Pullman-directed clip, Ostrander plays the guitar and is joined by Kyle Crane on a simple drum kit, a set up similar to The White Stripes.

Listen to the new track here:

Tour Dates

Mar 22 Phoenix, AZ - Van Buren
Mar 24 Dallas, TX - House of Blues
Mar 25 Houston, TX - House of Blues
Mar 26 Austin, TX - Emo's
Mar 28 Kansas City, MO - Truman
Mar 29 Saint Louis, MO - Del Mar Concert Hall
Mar 30 Nashville, TN - The Basement East
Mar 31 Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theatre
Apr 01 Charlotte, NC - Underground
Apr 02 Washington, DC - 930 Club (late show)
Apr 03 Washington, DC - 930 Club
Apr 05 Boston, MA - House of Blues
Apr 06 New York, NY - Beacon Theatre
Apr 07 Philadelphia, PA - TLA
Apr 08 Philadelphia, PA - TLA
Apr 10 Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom
Apr 12 Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall
Apr 14 Chicago, IL - The Vic Theatre
Apr 15 Chicago, IL - The Vic Theatre
Apr 16 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
Apr 18 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
Apr 19 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
Apr 20 Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
Apr 22 Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
Apr 23 Seattle, WA - The Showbox
Apr 24 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
Apr 27 Sacramento, CA - The Ace of Spades
Apr 29 San Diego, CA - The Observatory - N Park
Apr 30 Los Angeles, CA - The Greek
**all dates supporting The Airborne Toxic Event

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