New York indie rock outfit Yellow Ostrich return with their new album, Cosmos, on February 25th via Barsuk. The follow-up to last year’s Strange Land takes its title from astronomer Carl Sagan’s 1980 PBS series and “embodies a sense of wonder and isolation”, according to a press release. It was partially inspired by Sagan and Frank Drake’s work, as well as Yellow Ostrich drummer Michael Tapper’s time spent sailing from Mexico to Hawaii.
“Something I really like about the Carl Sagan way of thinking is how it’s a very un-ironic and sincere amazement at how the world works,” frontman Alex Schaaf commented in a statement. “One of the main things I was thinking about in writing this album is how to take that viewpoint and bring it into real-world life. It’s one thing to be reading all these books and watching all these movies in a very small room, or-as Michael did-to go out and live under the stars for a while. But trying to inject that pure amazement into day-to-day living in a big city is something completely different.”
Below, listen to Cosmos‘ lead single “Shades”. The four-minute cut is engrossing at every turn, one moment a bold and unyielding thrasher, other times an ambient piano-rocker.
Yellow Ostrich 2014 Tour Dates:
02/27 – Allston, MA @ Great Scott
03/03 – Washington, DC @ DC9
03/04 – Raleigh, NC @ Kings
03/05 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
03/06 – Nashville, TN @ The High Watt
03/07 – Birmingham, AL @ The Bottletree
03/08 – New Orleans, LA @ Circle Bar
03/09 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s
03/15 – Scottsdale, AZ @ Pub Rock Live
03/16 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
03/18 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
03/19 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
03/21 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
03/22 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza
03/23 – Vancouver, BC @ Media Club
03/25 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
03/26 – Denver, CO @ Hi Dive
03/28 – St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
03/29 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon
03/30 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall
03/31 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas
04/01 – Indianapolis, IN @ Do317 Lounge
04/03 – Philadelphia, PA @ Boot & Saddle
04/04 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
