Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures find a guiding light on ‘Tomorrow Morning’
Boston band glistens and glows with ‘70s rock ambition and a stirring cocktail of glam, psych, and pop through new single out Friday, July 19
NOW PLAYING: Listen to ‘Tomorrow Morning’ on Spotify
New album from Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures due out this fall
BOSTON, Mass. [July 19, 2024] -- There’s an interesting pattern some of us follow as we age. In younger days, we look to the changing seasons for a fresh start, perhaps aligned with summer break or the start of a new school year. As we grow older, the start of a new month tends to bring new opportunities, a good excuse to begin again after knocking out the rent. And then finally, as we realize that life’s timeline is that of a constricting nature, we anticipate each new morning as the start of something new. In a few short hours, yesterday firmly gets placed in the rear view as we power forward to engage another day of possibilities and intrigue.
Every tomorrow morning carries its own potential, and can mean different things to different people. But the unifying aspect is that it always comes, like clockwork, disguised as an unforgiving promise to be a better experience, for each and every one of us.
What becomes of the day is up to the individual, and that reflects the optimistic nature of “Tomorrow Morning,” the electric new single from Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures that hits the streams and dreams on Friday, July 19.
“I always sort of go back to a song after I have written it and realize it can have many different meanings or mean something completely different later down the road,” says Derek Smith. “I think the one thing I am trying to convey with this song is that no matter what happens to you – tomorrow is another day. A new feel, a new outlook, a new opportunity. Don’t be hasty with how you feel. Give it some time; mull it over and be strategic.”
“Tomorrow Morning” glistens and glows with ‘70s rock ambition, a stirring cocktail of glam, psych, and soft rock, further positioning Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures as one of the most intriguing new voices in the Boston music scene. The track continues a steep upward trajectory for the collective, continuing a sonic shift that began last fall with the anthemic and gritty “Black Angel” and carrying over into 2024 with January’s celestial alt-rock galaxy cruise called “Waiting” and April’s commanding “White Spade Symphony,” which earned widespread blog praise and global indie radio airplay, reaching Number 8 on the Radio Indie Alliance Top 100 chart.
Recorded, mixed, and Mastered by Monty at Graybeard Recording Studios with engineering by longtime collaborator Jonathan Chesbro and Rob Countie, “Tomorrow Morning” also kickstarts a new era. It’s marked as the first single from a new Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures album set to arrive no later than November, and a second single, “Songbird,” is slated to arrive in September.
“I currently have a follow-up album in my head after this one as well as a number of other projects with different music styles,” Smith admits. “2025 is going to be another big year for the band with lots of new material and hopefully even more shows.”
Few bands are having as much fun these days as Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures. After forming roughly a decade ago, the Cosmic Vultures developed a reputation around New England for their electric live show and eclectic blend of genre-spanning rock and roll.
But a few years back, Smith – the frontman, vocalist, and principal songwriter – branched out with solo material, unleashing the creative fire burning within. He released a pair of albums (2022’s Rubedo and last year’s Obscura) that explored new musical territories, and the Vultures were nominated for Rock Artist of the Year at the 2023 New England Music Awards.
Before the year was out, Smith and the band decided to merge and become a unified entity, re-christening the project as Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures. Now they’re building on the momentum of the prior singles as a central line of thought permeates through the band’s music, even if those elements are not so clearly visible on the surface. And the band is racking up tens of thousands of Spotify plays, all organically, for the latest singles.
“We’re working with a better recipe than I had before,” Smith notes. “With this band being a thing for so long, our fan base has grown. So therefore, more people are listening and streaming our music. With the consistent positive feedback from music blogs and being nominated a few times by the New England Music Awards, I feel we are trending up the mountain at a nice pace. There are no signs of stopping.”
Smith hopes “Tomorrow Morning” continues to showcase the versatility not only in his songwriting arsenal, but also that of the band operating as a cohesive unit. This version of the Cosmic Vultures features Derek Smith on lead and back-up vocals and rhythm acoustic guitar; Michael Strakus on lead and rhythm electric guitar and back-up vocals; Steve Constantino on bass; and Dalton DeLima on drums. Newcomer Justin Lopes adds his touch to “Tomorrow Morning” on piano and organ, and all combined, each allow the song to fully bloom into something special.
“I cannot possibly put into words what the members of this band bring to the table,” Smith says. “I view the whole process as sort of a painting. I have this blank canvas and I can create a picture. The ocean, the trees, the sand, the people… until it’s a fully formed piece. Mike, Steve, and Dalton color this painting. Dalton has a complete understanding of my song structures and such. I barely have to go through the song once before Dalton has it down in his head and immediately starts to compliment the song with the perfect beat.”
Smith adds: “Steve’s bass playing here is the perfect addition to the song. We always say that the song never sounds right until Steve adds the bass. Mike spent countless hours on the guitarwork for this song. He writes a solo and then writes guitar harmony parts for it. Our friend Justin Lopes added some brilliant piano and we had been trying to get him on some songs for so long. We are super grateful to have him. It’s just simply amazing how these guys can make my song turn into something when, at first, it sounds so empty. This was absolutely a collective effort. Four chefs who understand each other in the kitchen.”
As for Smith’s preferred morning of the week, the answer he has is likely shared by many, especially those of us trapped in the usual 9 to 5 charade of employment.
“I mean, you gotta go Saturday morning, right?” Smith concludes. “For those of us that do a Monday to Friday type of thing, getting up knowing that you can take your time and not having to rush to work or anything is a pretty great feeling. I would say the worst morning is a Tuesday. Even worse than Monday. With Monday you kind of know you have to get in the swing of things. Tuesday is no-man’s land. It’s not the first day of the week, but it isn’t even hump day yet. What a mess of a thought process.”
At least the next morning is never too far away.
Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures are:
Derek Smith – Lead and back-up vocals, rhythm acoustic guitar
Michael Strakus – Lead and rhythm electric guitar, back-up vocals
Steve Constantino – Bass
Dalton DeLima – Drums
Justin Lopes – Piano and organ
‘Tomorrow Morning’ single credits:
Music and lyrics written by Derek Smith
Music performed by Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures
Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Monty at Graybeard Recording Studios
Engineered by Jonathan Chesbro and Rob Countie
‘Tomorrow Morning’ single artwork:
Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures short bio:
Based out of Boston and born out of the North Shore of Massachusetts, Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures epitomize a nuanced blend of alternative, psychedelic, funk and indie rock vibes, encapsulated within an introspective musical narrative.
The band is composed of frontman and rhythm guitarist Derek Smith, bassist Steve Constantino, rhythm and lead guitarists Michael Strakus and Jonathan Chesbro, and drummer Matt Beddia.
Smith’s songwriting process stems from an immersion into particular moods, channeling these emotions into evocative musical pieces. He eschews conventional song structures, opting instead to tell intricate stories through song fragments, ultimately creating a cohesive tapestry that fills the gaps of his intricate mental landscape.
With two back to back nominations at the New England Music Awards for “Artist of the Year” and “Rock Act of the Year” in 2022 and 2023 respectfully, Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures remain a mainstay in the New England music scene with their dynamic and eclectic music and energetic live shows.
In late 2023, Derek Smith merged his acclaimed solo efforts (two self-released albums and recent single “Black Angel”) with the band’s extensive catalog, marking a new era for both entities. A new single, titled “Waiting” and produced by Dave Minehan at Waltham’s Wooly Mammoth Sound, arrives in January, with more new music on the way and a healthy slate of live shows set for the rest of 2024. Come along for the ride.
Media praise for Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures:
“Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures awaken rock with ‘White Spade Symphony’.” – Pure M Zine
“‘White Spade Symphony’ is an absolute epic. It combines alt-rock with psychedelia and Americana in a huge sounding song just waiting to be played at the biggest stages around. …around the halfway mark the song just takes off with a blistering guitar solo that elevates the song to epic territory. This is the level of artists like Band of Horses or Kings of Leon’s first two albums.” – If It’s Too Loud
“‘Black Angel’ is a sky-scraping standout of a song, with Smith’s astonishing voice as the hero in the middle. This impassioned doozy bursts with expressive emotion and stirring sensibility. Bluesy, soulful, guitar-crazy Americana.” – Turn Up The Volume
“Why write a symphony about a white spade? If only I had the answer. What I can point you to is the fact that Boston’s Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures has released a great song. Two chords and the truth describes it quite well. ‘White Spade Symphony’ is a mildly rocking song, with two lead guitarists who really go for it in the solo, with just a mild form of psychedelia ingrained within it. In essence this is an extremely simple song, made special by the variations in the vocal melody and the musicality of the musicians. From beginning to end they have me as an attentive listener.” – WoNoBlog
“Derek Smith has a style that is a chilled out mix of soul and R&B but still feels like it falls under the indie umbrella. It feels simple and classic as everything for the most part happens over just two chords with slick 70's jazzy guitar licks. It's really refreshing to hear artists that understand what ‘Less is More’ means and how to implement that into their overall sound. There is no bridge, not really a chorus, the only key change is at the end under the guitar solo but this song works as something I could definitely listen to over and over again.” – Blood Makes Noise
“Derek Smith has crafted a stunningly brilliant work of musical greatness with his latest single ‘Black Angel’... a cinematic song that is quite simply otherworldly. Derek Smith has most definitely taken his amazing musical talents to a whole new level.” – The Whole Kameese
“Alternative and Grunge come to mind immediately when listening through ‘Waiting’ with airs of Jerry Cantrell’s solo work rather than Alice in Chains as a lush and still catchy ass chorus at its’ gooey, creamy center is surrounded by some truly meaty melodies for an entree that embodies sonic succulence. Wailing guitars from Jonathan Chesbro, Michael Strakus, and Smith come out of the ‘Waiting’ gate swinging offering complex textures amongst its’ sanguine sounds with Smith’s powerful vocal performance seemingly effortlessly poking through the punchy layers as Steve Constantino’s bass and Dalton DeLima’s drumming rhythmically rumble in contrast.” – Rock And Roll Fables
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