Lord Huron Announces The Cosmic Selector Vol. 1, Shares “Looking Back”

Indie rock giants Lord Huron have announced the release of their upcoming album The Cosmic Selector Vol. 1, out on July 18 via Mercury Records. The announcement comes in the middle of the band’s sold-out US tour for the 10th anniversary of their studio album Strange Trails.

Led by songwriter Ben Schneider, Lord Huron has teased the release of this album over the last few months with singles “Who Laughs Last” and “Nothing I Need.” Now they’ve come out with the album’s cinematic opener “Looking Back.” A contemplative track of heavenly strings and moody acoustic guitar, all framing Schneirder’s signature vocals, the song is an affecting look at rumination and regret. “The weight of your past can distort your present and future, the way massive celestial objects warp the fabric of the universe. Like a bowling ball on a trampoline. This song wonders if it’s possible to let go, or if looking back is a fundamental law of existence,” Schneider shared in a press release.

Written and co-produced by usual suspect Ben Schneider, as well as bandmates Tom Renaud, Mark Barry, and Miguel Briseño, the album also features collaborations from the likes of actress Kristen Stewart and Blonde Redhead’s Kazu Makino. As Schneider shared, the album builds on the existential thoughts shared in previous singles and is rooted in magical realism. “What if you could choose your fate like choosing a song on a jukebox? What if your finger slipped and you got the B-side instead? What if you misunderstood the meaning of the dang song to begin with?” The aforementioned magical jukebox is depicted on the album’s cover. After 15 years of music making and international tours, and a fanbase of over 28 million, Lord Huron’s dedication to producing atmospheric folk rock continues on.