Citizen Cope is what happens when blues, reggae, rock, moving lyrics and catchy beats are all mixed together. Similar to college favorites such as Sublime, Jack Johnson and Bob Marley, the erythematic sounds of Citizen Cope keeps listeners singing the lyrics long after the CD has played through.
Whether you first heard him on The O.C. or during a car commercial, Cope is something people will hear, recognize and remember. The beat is something to be listened to while getting ready with your friends for a night out, or as background music during a drive to South Beach.
The inspirational 11 tracks will have anyone keeping the album on repeat. Track four, titled “Son’s Gonna Rise,” features Carlos Santana and a bob-your-head kind of rhythm. Noteworthy track five titled, “Sideways,” features away message-worthy lyrics, such as “You know it ain’t easy, for these thoughts here to leave me. There’s no words to describe it, in French or in English. ‘Cause diamonds they fade and flowers they bloom and I’m telling you, these feelings won’t go away.” Lyrics such as these are not only powerful but they are all throughout the songs, making the album as a whole very memorable.
So whether you want to listen to highly expressive music written about real life situations or just something to make the day a little bit brighter, Citizen Cope’s bluesy yet determined album will help anyone cope with this crazy world that is life.
Jessica Marquez can be contacted at j.marquez@umiami.edu.