Adelaide folk rock trio Cosmo Thundercat are back with their new EP Warning Bell, the follow-up to their 2014 debut EP. The title track, released last week, is the first new music we’ve heard from them since then, and its title tells you everything you need to know: take notice.

The band haven’t been sitting idle, either, instead honing their craft with support slots for They Might Be Giants, Augie March, Thirsty Merc and The John Steel Singers. Now, there’s a new record that condenses that newfound experience into five emotionally-charged tracks, each detailed by the band below.

If you like Cosmo Thundercat’s brand of moody, spacious alt-folk, you can still catch them on the second half of their national EPtour, playing Saturday October 22 at Bar 303 in Melbourne, and Saturday November 5 at The Grace Emily in Adelaide.

Warning Bell Track By Track

‘I Could Never (Fall in Love Again)’

“Looking in your eyes, makes me come alive…”

I Could Never was the first track written for this EP. The chorus melody came when I started getting into a band called The View, but listening to Bruce Springsteen inspired the energetic satisfaction that comes through. It is the fastest track on the EP and is best played loud.

It’s a positive song about a single moment’s realisation and that feeling when you know it could never get any better. I also like how the meaning can polarize from being a love song, to a punk ode to never falling in love.

‘Warning Bell’

“Stay at my door, I want to tell you that I need more…”

Warning Bell is a bittersweet rock song that explores the contrast between those moments where we can be so powerful, but in an instant, so vulnerable. It is about knowing power and beauty, but also knowing how volatile both of those things can be at the same time.

For months before the track was written, I would play the chorus over and over, until the other melodies evolved and it was captured as a demo only weeks before entering the studio. From there it demanded our attention and became pivotal to the way we approached the EP recording sessions. When producing it, we explored the layering of guitars, vocals and synths to capture something brooding and expansive.

‘Never Let Me Go’

“For all the times I bring you pain, for all the times I am to blame…”

Never Let Me Go is a dark and soulful track of yearning and desperation. No one is without fault, and this song is about accepting the imperfection.

It is drum and bass driven track, led by Sammy and Dave, drawing on soul, rock and hip hop influences. As it progresses, it lifts in layers of synths, violins and glockenspiel. Sasha March came in and laid down some backup vocals for added magic.

When laying it down, it was all about finding the right vibe in the studio. The vocals were recorded in the control room, sitting behind Tom Barnes on the desk, lights were dimmed, candles were lit, and whiskey was had.

‘Roses’

“You’re like that summer running through my veins, I fall like leaves for your love.”

Roses was written for Spring. Growing up, I spent a lot of time on the end of my bed, playing guitar looking out the window facing a bed of roses that grew outside. I wrote many songs in this spot and was always fascinated by the way the picture changed as the years progressed. Through an innocent and naive perspective, I wanted to capture the seasonal nature of relationships.

It’s the most ‘folky’ track on the EP and adds a real glimmer of sunshine. We went crazy with guitar layers as to create a ‘garden of guitars’ effect. I remember Dave falling asleep in the control room by the third or fourth layer, by the time he’d woken up, there was eighteen laid down – all playing the exact same line. Tallest Man on Earth and Angus Stone were a real influence for the feel on this one.

‘Take Me Out Again’

“Searching for that feeling in the air, and I call you up, to see if you’re there.”

This is one of those real lonely, night alone type songs. It’s about nostalgia to be in another time; searching for the friendship you long to have or to be with someone you miss. Every verse carries a very specific and personal memory.

This song was recorded in a take at the end of the sessions, with an acoustic guitar plugged through an amp, and a solitary microphone in a dark room.

The added violin is really moving. I remember our sound engineer Tom giving the all clear for a smooth take, but choking up a little on his words. It’s like a beautifully haunting voice whispering on.

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