Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures embrace a ‘White Spade Symphony’ ~ Boston alt-rock band aims for the high heavens with an anthemic and psychedelic new single out Friday, April 19

BOSTON, Mass. [April 19, 2024] -- Rock and roll is not dead. It was merely sleeping in order to reclaim its dreams. 

And here to awaken it from its lengthy slumber comes “White Spade Symphony,” the decadent and ambitious new single from Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures, set for release on Friday, April 19. 

The psychedelic and soaring “White Spade Symphony” finds the Boston alt-rock project making good on a promise of grand ambition, acting as a throwback track to a time when music had a transformative effect on the listener. The Salvador Dali-inspired single artwork depicts a wide-open, almost mystical landscape that’s both inviting and stirring; it sets up a hypnotic playground of dreams and imagination that are at play as the towering track unfolds. 

Smith says “White Spade Symphony” is about both “everything and nothing,” but also stops just short of steering the track’s message into a definable category. The records that shaped the Massachusetts songwriter as a child rarely came with any directive beyond the liner notes, and so he urges those who take the journey with “White Spade Symphony” to allow room for their own relatable impression.   

“One can argue that the song is trying to convey some deep meaning about isolation and nihilism,” Smith notes. “Or you can simply listen to it as a composed piece of music with no real message. ‘White Spade’ could be a play on words in relation to a ‘black sheep’ or an ‘outcast’ or it could just be random. I will let the user decide whatever they want. Whatever they want it to be. I am becoming more infatuated with the prospect of writing riddles and uncertain meanings. I’ve never been a huge fan of songs that just come out and tell you what is going on, unless that’s the point of the song. Being cryptic is more fun.”

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 before last October’s well-received and anthemic “Black Angel” single, all featuring members of the band, around the same time 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, and the first offering was a  January’s celestial cruise through an alt-rock galaxy called “Waiting.” Now they’re building on the momentum, and “White Spade Symphony” delivers the project to previously-unknown heights. But it also follows a central line of thought that permeates through the band’s music, even if those elements are not so clearly visible on the surface. 

“Human emotions. The internal and eternal struggle. Who and why are we? Why are we so fucking flawed?” Smith asks. “We make the same mistakes over and over. We wait for opportunities; we don’t grab them. We are weak, sick and scared. Engulfed by trepidation and depression. As I sing here, ‘My world is black and gray, and I don’t know what to say’.”

“White Spade Symphony” first surfaced around 2017, for the band’s debut EP Black and White. But as Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures have evolved, so has the song – which has become a true live favorite for the band. With a renewed energy and focus, Smith decided to give it the polish and treatment it deserves, taking it to trusted producer Dave Minehan and extracting that expansive, engaging sonic landscape in the studio of Woolly Mammoth Sound in Waltham.

“We just wanted to make sure this song had a big studio sound,” Smith admits. “There is nothing tricky about this song, it’s straightforward as far as the chord structure goes. We are heading toward a more melodic and harmonic sound. Things can sound epic and still have some sugar added for flavor. When we layered the harmonies in the song, I had a musical boner. I thought, ‘I want to make love to this song under a pale moonlight while eating cake frosting’.”

What’s also tasty is the guitar solo from guitarist Michael Strakus, who lets it rip with a furious abandon before the song kicks back in and reaches a remarkable cruising altitude. As the rhythm section of bassist Steve Constantino and drummer Dalton DeLima keep the song held together and moving down the line, Strakus’ guitar solo rockets it out into the stratosphere.  

“I told Strakus to imagine this was the last guitar solo he would ever play in his entire life – ‘This is the final one you will leave this world with’. I wanted the most unhinged guitar solo to capture the feeling of this song. Because the song is unhappy and angry, but it’s also beautiful and majestic,” Smith reveals. “I needed him to capture every emotion this song has in its belly and slay the dragon. I watched him perform this in the studio and let’s just say there are few moments in life that truly stay with you. This was one of them. That blood-stained guitar shall never be cleaned.” 

And neither shall “White Spade Symphony” presented breathlessly to the masses as a rock and roll sermon with a rich texture and layered meaning, spitting in the face of the TikTok generation and our collectively short attention spans. The aforementioned Dali-inspired art provides a visual compass.

“All the illusions and fears that we live with every day, just sitting on a canvas staring you in the eye,” Smith says. “I find chaos and destruction in the most beautiful things. It just depends on how your mind forces you to interpret something. It’s romantic to live with the fact that we will never understand our minds and what they are capable of.”

And once that mind is awake, much like rock and roll, where to go from there is open to a spectrum of possibility. Smith holds a compass, and for him and the band’s growing tribe, it all leads back to a familiar terrain, one soundtracked by Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures.  

“Enter the Vulture Universe and take in our catalog,” Smith concludes. “It’s vast and eclectic. Lift our skirt and see what we have to offer you.” 

Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures are:

Derek Smith: Lead vocals, rhythm acoustic guitar, piano

Michael Strakus: Backing vocals, rhythm and lead electric guitar

Steve Constantino: Bass

Dalton DeLima: Drums

‘White Spade Symphony’ single artwork:

Design Credit: Derek Smith

‘White Spade Symphony’ single credits:

Music and lyrics written by Derek Smith

Music performed by Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures

Produced and mixed by David Minehan at Woolly Mammoth Sound in Waltham, MA 

Mastered by David Locke

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:

“‘Waiting’ shows off just how varied their sound is. It starts off with a killer alt-rock guitar that sounds like it’s lifted right out of the 90's. And then there’s the harmonies. Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures are using vocal harmonies that you don’t hear outside of traditional folk. ‘Waiting’ is a beautiful power ballad that still packs a rock punch. This is an engaging one that’s going to sweep you away with its epic size.” – 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

“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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