Citizen Cope - The Clarence Greenwood Recordings - Page 2

This album is pure ear candy. You're doing the head nod on "Pablo Picasso" and don't even notice that it transitions in to the ultra breezy "My Way Home."

Of course there's the aforementioned "Son's Gonna Rise," for which you'll hit the repeat button a few times. You may also notice the familiar guitar work of the legendary Carlos Santana who makes a special guest appearance.

With some help from Meshell Ndegeocello, the exceptional "Sideways" is the sleeper track on Clarence. Thanks to a little Oscar-worthy film about wine and women of the same name (but unrelated), you can't help but picture Paul Giamatti's depressive character, Miles, drowning himself in a good bottle of Pinot (not "F-ing Merlot!"). If you make the connection like I did, you'll see that it's a hopeless love song that defines the character and one that shines the spotlight on his emotional insecurities and personal feelings for Mya, played by Virginia Madsen.

The darker themed "Penitentiary" and "Bullet and A Target" take things very seriously as they veer on a more socially conscience path. Their expressions of civil violence and one's own personal downward slide get you thinking about how good you really have it.

em>The Clarence Greenwood Recordings is a showcase of one man's talent and the broad influences that have helped to shape his sound. It blurs the lines of genre and is a must have for your changer. Even though Clarence was released in September of 2004, it's relatively low awareness level and current TV spot make it deserving of some newfound attention.

Clarence leaves you wanting more because before you know it, it's over. It's an album that gets stronger with each play and should be a part of your regular rotation.

For more critiques from this reviewer, please visit PM Media Review.

Article Author: Patrick Vu

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