Cosmic Crooner says of his album title, The Perks of Being a Hypocrite, that we’re all hypocrites – “but calling yourself one gives you an unlimited amount of freedom”. This debut album certainly demonstrates musical freedom in its return to ‘70s pop and rock; “Reflexopolis” builds a distinctive wall of sound with its multi-layered approach and the excitable “Goosebumps on a Tuesday Night” is as optimistic as a Ronette before a first date.
Despite the name, Cosmic Crooner is not an ironic act, and there is an overall seriousness of intent in the performances and production. “Spoiler Alert” returns to the ‘50s but avoids pastiche; single “Deep Down in Jazz” delivers the croon in a smooth and sensitive vocal.
Crooner is a self-confessed lounge bar lizard and as such there is a strong element of suave romance taking inspiration from various sources. The melodic “Goodbye Hollywood” excels with its melancholic farewell to movie star dreams. “Popsicle Place” has hints of a ‘60s or ‘70s European film score, as does the gentle sweep of “Tema di Filippo”, the understated “Girlfriend” and the Galanti Vibraphonette of “Sweet Reprise”. The dramatic “Bolero” evokes Roy Orbison and Jacques Brel with its impressive vocal and cinematic strings. “Late Night Obsession”, inspired by the Beach Boys, questions its right to exist but luxuriates in a warm glow of passion.
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Release Date: 17 MAR 2023
Poetic Justice 