No matter how dark things get, we can count on Mondo Cozmo to find the silver lining, even when he’s gearing up for “the ending of the world.” That apocalyptic prophecy—which kicks off the Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter’s feverish third album—is meant to spark passion, not fear. Inspired by the works of boho poet David Lerner, This Is for the Barbarians is a rocking celebration of life in the midst of a global pandemic and the personal loss of an uncle. With his emphatic rasp and urgent acoustic strums, Cozmo (a.k.a. Josh Ostrander) asserts his role as a Gen X Bob Dylan, even quoting Blood On The Tracks’ “Shelter from the Storm” on the fiery fist-pumper “Good Mornin’ America,” in which he condemns the day “the rebels stormed the White House.” But beyond politics—and thunderous doomsday anthems like “Ww3”—he’s chasing emotional highs with all the sweeping, shambolic glory of Spiritualized, reaching full catharsis on rousing paeans like “Hang On” and the choral, clap-along closer “Lord.”