Track Premiere: Cosmonaut, “Tangled”

When we get an email that starts, "If you like Failure, Hum, Shiner, or mid-period Cave In..." you've got my attention. Even still, when I pressed play on Cosmonaut's "Tangled" for the first time, I didn't expect to fall in love with the Grand Rapids, MI trio so hard so fast.

Those stiff, driving power chords; the straightforward, fantastic singing with impeccable vocal harmonies; infectiously catchy sing-along hooks... yeah, I'm in. I'm way in... and I'm not comin' back!

Part post-hardcore, part alt. rock, a little emo/indie, all gold. Every bit. And I'm not just referring to "Tangled": their entire self-titled debut rules. Hard. Cosmonaut could—and should—be huge.

Produced by Allen Epley (Shiner/The Life and Times) and Eric Abert (The Life and Times), pre-order Cosmonaut now, and prepare to meet your new favorite band.

Here's Cosmonaut's vocalist/guitarist, Brian George, on "Tangled":

As far as "Tangled" is concerned, I just think it's funny the only riff Josh [Stacey, drums/vocals] wrote happens to be the chorus of our strongest song, and arguably the catchiest part on the entire album.

We knew we wanted Allen Epley to do backups on the chorus, but he took it to the next level and came up with a three-part harmony on the spot. We had limited tracks recording to tape, so we just went out there and sang it together: one mic, one track, one take. We only had two headphones set up, so I couldn't hear the music, but who needs it when you have guys like Al and Josh to cue off of?