Europe’s silver-tongued lounge lizard, Cosmic Crooner anticipates the release of his alluring debut album The Perks of Being a Hypocrite – out March 17th 2023.
With his Cuban heels and wide lapelled suits Amsterdam’s Cosmic Crooner exudes the sort of absurdist suave exclusive to the most ice cool of 70s rock star revivalists.
An ode to vintage psychedelia, his debut album, the curiously titled The Perks of Being a Hypocrite draws influences from classic doowop, legends like Frank Sinatra and Lou Reed plus iconic 60s/70s European film scores, especially those of French Nouvelle Vague hero Jean-Luc Godard.
“I think we’re all hypocrites,” says Cosmic Crooner on his album title The Perks of Being a Hypocrite. “But calling yourself one gives you an unlimited amount of freedom.”
Drawing from a rich history of psychedelic lounge pop the album starts as it means to go on with the addictive openers “Deep Down in Jazz” and “Spoiler Alert” which sees Crooner dissecting the annoyances of 21st century pop. “Popsicle Place” harnesses the charms of 60s/70s French and Italian film scores, lavished under a smooth glaze of candy-coated guitar licks as he serenades a distant place of rock ‘n’ roll escapism.
Inspired by the impassioned songwriting of Roy Orbison and the theatrics of Jacques Brel, “Bolero” is the first hint of romance on the record, Crooner surrounded by cinematic strings paired with passionate percussion, resulting in a gentle transcendental piece. The romantic flare continues in “Late Night Obsession”, a Beach Boys inspired ditty that questions its own right to exist. In “Reflexopolis” Crooner became “obsessed” with instrumental dubbing–layering arrangements with multiple forms of instrumentation–leading him to achieve the almighty ‘Wall of Sound’ adornment heard within the track. Then in “Goodbye Hollywood” Crooner bids a romantic farewell to the past.
With its retro grandeur and smooth melody, “Tema di Filippo” sounds like it’s lifted straight from a 60s espionage film – complete with ultra-stylish black and white video inspired by the Italian film maker Michelangelo Antonioni. Directed by Cosmic Crooner himself along with Lin Bartraij, it’s a nostalgic nod to film-making of yesteryear and one that wouldn’t look out of place as a James Bond intro.
Stark influences are scattered throughout the rest of the record, transitioning from The Ronettes on “Goosebumps on a Tuesday Night” to those classic Italian scores in “Girlfriend” plus “Sweet Reprise”, the album’s finale which drips in Galanti vibraphonette.
he Perks of Being a Hypocrite is a merit to the artistry Cosmic Crooner has built for himself over the last couple of years. By taking notes from an array of songwriting legends; Ennio Morricone, The Beatles, Marvin Gaye and Caetano Veloso, Crooner has created a beautifully arranged body of work that is filled largely by his own observations judged by emotions.
“I’d describe Cosmic Crooner as an emotional observative hedonistic joker,” says Crooner. “I think every song touches upon different themes and has different topics. However the most important message for me with these songs is to always look for inspiration. I hope in some kind of way this album serves as an inspiration for people who listen to it.”
Cosmic Crooner’s witty musicalities offer all the hallmarks of a classic songwriter in the making. Since releasing his debut single “Deep Down in Jazz” in 2021, he has since put forward a string of swoon-worthy tracks that have helped gain him critical acclaim and build a cult fan following across Europe. He’ll soon take centre stage at Groningen’s Eurosonic Noorderslag in January 2023 to offer up a varying palette of sonic natures in a live setting, before crooning his way to a city near you sometime very soon…