The Cosmonauts begin Take Me To Your Leader with Transgender, a funky bit of reggae-infused rock that will have listeners singing along. Tar & Feather is absolutely funky and relies much more on the instrumental side of things. When vocals do enter into the equation, they are utilized in a much more musical format.
What results is a tremendously interesting track in the vein of the Velvet Underground or “Joe’s Garage”-era Frank Zappa. With an absolutely lush production, each of the tracks that The Cosmonauts lies down is a small piece of sonic bliss. Space Debris blends in a bit of psychedelic rock and mid-eighties Cure / Bauhaus into the equation. I feel that the thick and ropy bass lines represent the glue that bonds the drums, vocals, and guitars that are laid down. Reggae is Vile is a late-disc track that straddles the line between reggae and second-wave ska. With a subtle nod to Peter Tosh and Bob Marley, the tropical outlook of The Cosmonauts here will calm and chill out listeners.
The Cosmonauts end Take Me To Your Leader with Mr. Elephant Man, a cut that unites all the twists and turns that the band had taken over the course of the album. The band’s ability shines through here, as this track is funky, soulful, and with just enough rock edge to keep things interesting.
Take Me To Your Leader is available from the band’s Bandcamp; anyone that is a fan of Thin Lizzy or “Emotional Rescue”-era Rolling Stones will find a number of tracks that they can appreciate here. Take Me To Your Leader is a fun album that stands up to repeated listening.
Top Tracks: Tar & Feather, Reggae is Vile
Rating: 9.0/10
The Cosmonauts Take Me To Your Leader CD Review / 2014 Self / 12 Tracks / http://cosmonautradio.bandcamp.com/ / http://www.cosmonautradio.com/