Cosmic Guilt w/ Toby Leaman (of Dr. Dog) and Critter Bonus @ Colony

COSMIC GUILT

Philadelphia’s Cosmic Guilt is a psychedelic, folk supergroup of working musicians and leaders in their community. Their debut as a fully-realized band came after the pandemic lockdown, with a self-titled album arriving later in 2022. Sonically, Cosmic Guilt carries themes of existential dread through roaring folk rock and country elements, burying the bittersweet feelings in cathartic shared experience. Multi-layered guitar, pillowing vocal harmonies, and ripping pedal steel are all signatures of their music, produced to a technical but not exhaustive degree.

In their recent history, Cosmic Guilt has provided direct support for The Walkmen, sold out Philadelphia venues such as Johnny Brenda’s and Brooklyn Bowl Philly, as well as shared the stage with Charley Crocket, Sharon Van Etten, and Father John Misty at 2022’s NON-COMMvention. The group has also made devoted fans of the DJs and audience of WXPN: their debut album was named one of the station’s favorites of 2022, and the Guilt played XPoNential Festival the same year.

Following up Cosmic Guilt is Palace of Depression (2024), the Guilt’s sophomore LP produced at Hi5 Studios in Philadelphia and mastered by Charlie Stavish (Jenny Lewis). In Palace, Cosmic Guilt captures the mysterious allegory of the record’s namesake, a Depression-era fortress built of found objects and mud in New Jersey. Is it resilience and resourcefulness that keeps us pushing through hard times, or is it madness?