Citizen Cope – Heroin and Helicopters (2019)
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 38:48 minutes | 435 MB | Genre: Folk
Studio Master, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RainWater Recordings
Comprised of 11 new, original songs all written and produced by Citizen Cope – AKA Clarence Greenwood – ‘Heroin & Helicopters’ marks a return to Cope’s grassroots approach to musicianship, one that is colored by hard work, hustle and heart, irrespective of the obstacles he’s encountered throughout his more than 25 years as a career artist.Citizen Cope came up with the title ‘Heroin & Helicopters’ after an encounter with Carlos Santana, who has been a Citizen Cope fan since before their 2002 collaboration on his rework of the Cope song “Sideways.” Santana was at a Citizen Cope show at San Francisco’s Fillmore when he told Cope to “stay away from the two H’s – heroin and helicopters,” saying both had fatal results for people in music. To Cope, the quote reflected a larger pattern in society – a metaphor for addiction and instant gratification, both themes that thread throughout the record. The album tackles Cope’s personal struggles with religion, political manipulation, hollowness in the entertainment world, and spiritual enlightenment, as he contends with his own role in those societal institutions.Citizen Cope has sold over 1 million records, and he’s earned accolades from Rolling Stone and The Washington Post, who dubbed him “DC’s finest export since Marvin Gaye.” He will tour extensively this spring in support of ‘Heroin & Helicopters,’ including a performance at NYC’s Beacon Theater, a show at the Novo in Los Angeles, and more.
Heroin and Helicopters arrives seven long years after One Lovely Day, the 2012 album that gave Citizen Cope his highest-charting hit. It’s a long gap, but Citizen Cope never followed a straight path, so such a relaxed gait suits him. This easy touch is heard on the album, too, which simmers at a low tempo as he flits between hip-hop loops, laid-back reggae rhythms, and soulful grooves. Everything on Heroin and Helicopters is exceedingly mellow — its title, borrowed from a phrase uttered by his old collaborator Carlos Santana, doesn’t capture the record’s vibe at all — and so casual, it’s a wonder that it took Citizen Cope so long to finish the record, but its consistency is a testament to the singer/songwriter. This effort may be slow and mellow, but Citizen Cope never lets the music drift too far from his chosen sweet spot. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist:
01. Duck Confit
02. Justice
03. Hours On End
04. The River
05. War
06. On My Love
07. Caribbean Skies
08. Sally Walks
09. Yella
10. Silver Blush
11. Forbidden
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