Citizen Cope Healing Hands

Citizen Cope (or Clarence Greenwood and co.) isn't exactly indie music. If anything, the band's second album "The Clarence Greenwood Recordings" launched them into relative mainstream pop success. Songs like "Sun's Gonna Rise" and "Bullet and a Target" remain anthems for many a bar, night club, or sorority girl iPod. Nonetheless, I admit I always enjoyed the hell out of Citizen Cope and was particularly surprised when I found out that for "The Rainwater LP", they passed up a major record label and decided to launch independently. Passing up the big bucks for an independent release -- that's something we at Indie Shuffle commend, right? Therefore, by definition, "The Rainwater" is an indie album, and not too shabby of one either.

While it's no "Clarence Greenwood," the album depicts the softer, more mellow side of Cope's music; a side that never really got a lot of exposure to the world. I suppose this album will not be reviewed that highly, nor will it get much attention on the charts, but if you are looking for a nice calm blues influenced folk album to pass the time with, throw this one on and give it a whirl. Cope's unique style never disappoints. Highlights here include "Healing Hands," a nice little broken heart montage, and "I Couldn't Explain Why," a good example of classic Cope blues-funk rock.

PS. For all you DC folks, Cope is set to make a 2 night stand at the 930 club on 4/30 and 5/1.

Sure, many fading artists speak of "opting" to release their music themselves, but most don't really have a choice. With the decent amount of mainstream exposure he's had, Cope likely did. After all, he's been featured on a Carlos Santana album, and his signature single, 2004's "Bullet and a Target," remains a beloved commentary on self-loathing and addiction. The self-produced Rainwater, then, is an opportunity to present his uncorrupted vision. Perhaps predictably, the results are often self-indulgent, but there are moments of unvarnished grandeur. His vocals dominate the mix, backed by acoustic guitars and modest percussion. This was a smart decision, as his granular, slightly affected drawl is as memorable as that of the Counting Crows' Adam Duritz, if not so pandering. The tunes themselves feel especially bluesy, not in terms of chord progressions or repetitive structures but in themes and moods. - Washington City Paper