Citizen Cope Every Waking Moment [RCA]
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For more than a decade, Clarence Greenwood has inhabited that off-white tower overlooking the
But even as Cope sat on his perch—part sniper, part trainspotter (on litany pieces such as “Let the Drummer Kick It”)—another side of his personality became apparent: Rapunzel, emitting faint calls for help. Every Waking Moment is the nexus of these songwriting styles, the moment when Citizen Cope transitions from neo-soul ’60s folkie to something else—a kind of hip-hop generation Van Morrison, more interested in questions than answers; greys than black-and-whites. This new album displays a tremendous increase in maturity, past the derelict train station of genre-blend—the forgotten depot where a mash-up of hip-hop and folk rings new and noteworthy—and onto the path toward a personal enlightenment.
Those straightforward hip-hop beats are still there, particularly on hit-single-to-be “Back Together” and the subtle reggae groove of “107 Degrees.” But, tellingly, “107” is also one of Moment’s weakest tracks—more like Cope 2004. Where Citizen Cope’s previous efforts have fallen short is a reliance on this false sense of newness, like The Clarence Greenwood Recordings’ triple-A-radio hit “Bullet and a Target” or “Pablo Picasso,” which have the sonic hallmarks of a sort of MOR-hip-hop balladry, but with lyrics that sound as if Cope emptied his notebook rather than his heart.