Philadelphia-born singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Josh Ostrander has returned under his Mondo Cozmo banner with “White Roses,” a sweeping collaboration featuring My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James that serves as the latest preview of his upcoming fifth studio album, Sweet Forever, spinmagazine.com reported.
A Heartland Collaboration With Jim James
Due out on November 20 via Last Gang Records, the full-length project finds Ostrander leaning heavily into the anthemic heartland rock style that has come to define Mondo Cozmo’s best work. James contributes guest vocals to the track, adding depth to a song that openly reflects on life’s more difficult passages.
The cross-artist partnership materialized organically after James’ manager heard an early cut of the track and forwarded it along to the My Morning Jacket singer. After sending back his recorded vocal contributions, James told Ostrander to do whatever he wanted with the stems and expressed that he was honored to lend his voice to the project. Ostrander admitted he could barely believe the gesture.
Prime-Time Placement and Prime-Time Momentum
The single arrives on the heels of a significant television placement for Mondo Cozmo. The title track of the forthcoming album recently closed out the fourth season of Amazon’s hit streaming series Reacher. This marks the second season finale for the program to feature Ostrander’s music, following the sync placement of his 2016 breakout single “Shine” in 2025.
Mondo Cozmo – Sweet Forever (Official Music Video) https://t.co/2OZyW4AEcN via @YouTube I pulled myself to the rivers edgeI was looking for some sweet reliefAnd please forgive for not knowingBut I don't have the meansI can sing it to ya in my sleep it goesSweet forever…
That 2016 single topped the AAA radio chart, introducing Ostrander to Bruce Springsteen and leading to high-profile festival slots and television appearances, including Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Bonnaroo, and the Governors Ball. The renewed attention helped inspire Sweet Forever.
Grief, Garage Recording, and Butch Vig’s Push
The album cycle began with a track written following the death of his dog Cozmo, the namesake of his musical project. Ostrander wanted to compose something dedicated to him that he could perform without emotional distress. He described the resulting song as a piece about missing someone while maintaining gratitude for the opportunity to have loved them in the first place.
That initial spark unlocked a prolific writing period. Ostrander penned 13 additional songs in just two weeks following the title track’s completion. He recorded the album out of his garage in Napa, California, enlisting members of the Cobbs, the Philadelphia band whose musicians helped shape his early musical life. Singer-songwriter Langhorne Slim also makes an appearance on the track “Alabama,” while Garbage drummer and producer Butch Vig provided crucial creative feedback and encouragement throughout the recording sessions.
Vig challenged Ostrander to raise the stakes during production, stepping outside of their normal texting habits to place a direct phone call. Ostrander noted that Vig was stern, direct, and pushed him to push himself further. Recognizing the intent behind the call, Ostrander took it as a sign that he was onto something worthwhile.
December Headline Tour Dates
To support the release of Sweet Forever, Mondo Cozmo will launch a headline tour this December. The routing kicks off on December 5 at Chicago’s Bottom Lounge, moves to Los Angeles for a performance at the Troubadour on December 13, hits Philadelphia’s Foundry on December 17, and wraps up at New York’s Sultan Room on December 19.
