The Rainwater Lp

I am not Citizen Cope's biggest fan and I did not see his first concert ever. I picked up on him by accident a few years back and instantly feel in love like so many others. Maybe CC's passion and uniqueness makes every fan feel like his biggest fan, his music is just that moving.

I have seen Cope in concert five or six times over the last four years and this album continues in Copes progression towards masterful simplicity. After seeing him the last time play acoustic and alone this album represents what I expected based on that show. Great lyrics, amazing voice, and simple, yet powerful beats.

my two complaints/wishes:
1. After waiting two years I wish there were more than 8 unique songs(the cd has 10 tracks, but two are remixes), but I would prefer 8 great tracks then a cd with 20 tracks and only one or two good ones for the radio.

2. I wish there were a few faster songs. I do not dislike the slow songs, but I think one or two Brother Named Lee like tunes would have been nice.

All in all the cd delivers and is a must have. If you do not already have Citizen Cope's self titled album I would recommend that as a better first offering. If you already have all the other cds then your probably getting this cd regardless of what I said.

This is my first listen of any Citizen Cope material and I have to say that I am instantly hooked. I enjoyed this album very much and have picked up a few of his older albums and have been equally impressed. It is an easy listen and I enjoy his lyrics too. I know some have indicated that this album may be a departure from his previous albums, but I think progression is important in all things. After listening to older albums, I don't feel it is that much of a departure, but simply some maturity in his abilities and his experiences. I very much enjoy the album and recommend it to existing Citizen Cope fans and new fans alike.

First and foremost, The RainWater LP is amazing. If you are a true listener, you will hear something new every time. He has a unique talent for expressing big ideas and everyday people ideas at the same time. Go to his website and read the letter he sent with the release. These words will give you insight into what he's done to preserve the integrity of his art. He hasn't tried to fit into a genre, he hasn't allowed the business part of the industry to drive his choices, he chooses promotion/placement carefully; he does this because he loves it and he has a gift to share. My personal favorites on this album (at this moment) are "I Couldn't Explain Why" and "Off The Ground" but I love the whole thing, start to finish. Thank you, Clarence!

See him live. He tours like a mad man, so you should be able to see him in the next 12 months, wherever you are. And see him 2 nights in a row, if you can. You will have 2 different experiences because he watches his crowd, adjusts, uses the crowd to enhance the music. Crowds are all ages (from college age to gray hair....and a lot in between). It's an experience.

Citizen Cope has created another amazing album with very powerful and meaningful lyrics. Healing Hands, Keep Askin' and Lifeline have become some of my favorite Citizen Cope songs ever. I am very very pleased with this album. His songs are a breath of fresh air. I would recommend this album to everyone! Every time I listen to a song again, I love it even more!

Citizen Cope is one of those artists that constantly get shafted by the major labels. In 1997 he recorded an album for Capitol that got shelved. Then in 2002, he moved to DreamWorks Records only to see his self-titled debut get the cold shoulder. In 2004, he moved to RCA Records, which by that point was only dealing with American Idol-affiliated artists. Part of the reason that he has that problem is that no one knows exactly how to market him...and he doesn't exactly make it any easier. How many artists do you know that can go from hip hop (Rhymefest's "Bullet"), R&B (Raheem DeVaughn's "Nobody Wins A War"), rock (Carlos Santana's "Sideways") and adult contemporary (Dido's "Burnin' Love") without breaking a sweat? For record labels, he is pretty much an enigma.

In 2010, he decided to go the indie route and release "The Rainwater LP"- named so for his label Rainwater Recordings. On this new album, it's pretty much business as usual for Cope. He doesn't stray far from his sound and doesn't even bother trying to expand his sound either. The album has ten songs ,well, eight really. The remaining two songs are acoustic versions of the previous tracks. It starts off with "Keep Askin'" and leads into "Healing Hands". The two standout tracks are "Jericho" and "I Couldn't Explain Why". Overall, it's a good album, but is the weakest of his entire catalogue.

Just listened through for the first time - it definitely won't be the last. Cope mixes so many styles and always comes up with such unique music. There's nothing else out there like this. His voice, the beats, the guitar. This album is Cope at his best.

I first heard about Citizen Cope while listening to a local radio station in New Jersey; track "Healing Hands" compelled me to purchase the Rainwater CD. I knew I was taking a gamble for buying a CD for just one song but what I had already heard was worth the risk. All I can say now is that my gamble paid off; I cannot remember the last time I bought a CD where every track was OFF THE CHART. This CD is flavorful with a taste of soul, reggae, and blues, you get it all. Citizen Cope sings from his toes through his soul, this blue-eyed brotha has been through some thangs and is here to talk about it. Never have I ever heard such delivery of deep, raw emotion in every breath and every note of the songs. Do yourself the favor and purchase this CD NOW. I already bought two because I let my manager listen to mine and couldn't wait to get it back so I purchased another one the same day. Besides I knew she would be HOOKED once she was bitten by this amazing CD.

This new release is a good listen and I highly recommend it to anyone who is a Citizen Cope fan. The only minor complaints I have were that there weren't really that many new songs with only 8 and two alternate versions for a total of 10 songs. The other weird thing is that the songs all seem to be much slower and mellower than his previous material. I was looking forward to more songs like "Bullet and a Target" or "Brother Named Lee" kind of material but there wasn't really anything like that on this CD. That being said, as a Citizen Cope fan I really like the CD.

Buy it if you are a Citizen Cope fan or interested in trying something new and different from the mainstream music.
Don't buy it if you are looking for the best Citizen Cope CD...in that case go to any of his previous offerings since they are all better introductions to his music than this one.

I was listening to the radio last week and heard a new Citizen Cope song. I immediately ordered the CD and I was not disappointed. His music is incredible, so full of passion, longing and warmth...things that are all to rare these days. He's a nice guy too, I've seen him around my Brooklyn neighborhood.

Just when you thought Citizen Cope couldn't get any better he gives us The Rainwater LP!