Citizen Cope’s latest effort ‘Every Waking Moment’ presents unique lyrics and songwriting in ways he explores himself through intimacy, information and observation of the whole at large.  His voice is straightforward and emotional without sounding whiny or predictable. If he were to sound like someone, it wouldn’t necessarily be anyone in particular but it’s how he gives a face to the many people he sees from places he lived Memphis, small town in Texas, a year in Mississippi then D.C. Citizen Cope doesn’t strike me as a self taught folk/rock songwriter/singer. I see him as an extremely talented and spiritual artist documenting everyday life using music to form this self expression with vivid storytelling like a photojournalist uses digital lens and shuttle boxes recording human existence.

‘Every Waking Moment’ breathes a universal and personal spirit. The opening song on “Back Together” is a transfixed rock n soul acoustic feel of being your own friend. The title cut “Every Waking Moment” spills a country Cajun inspirational capturing a testament and multitude of questions of one’s continuation. The music recreates a Dr. John’s piano roll riff with a slow and brassy blues horn section.  In “Friend Fire” his lyrics reads like a commentator on the evening news. This song compels similar circumstances in a separate world -- a solider shot in a war or someone gunned down in our community. As I listened to these two tracks I couldn’t help but think about such story and other recent events that compile me to feel valued. Some of the tracks in ‘Every Waking Moment’ echo political and social themes of tracks sounded neither preachy nor unsurprising. The sincerity of Citizen Cope lyrics expose truth with thought provoking prose. But it doesn’t stop there his self-produced cd creates a make shift from universal awareness to slow/mid-tempo ballads in “More Than It Seems”, “107▫”, “Somehow” and the catchy “All Dressed Up” where love finds its way

“She weighin on my
mind and it won’t let up            

(I couldn’t get enough of her love)”....

“She shines all the
time and she’s all dressed up       

(I couldn’t get enough of her love)”....

“She walks into a room
and the place lits up (I couldn’t get
enough of her love)"

“Brother Lee” jumps to a ska rock steady narrative of how he‘s mistaken for a friend’s identity who strikes enemy to everyone he meets. Follow by “107▫”, a down tempo reggae joint strips from a page taken of Al Green’s signature organ riff of early 70’s.  “AWE” is the only instrumental muse citing the mixture and sounds of DC’s synthesize funk and Go Go.

Citizen Cope extends every vehicle and fabric in his lyrics with humility and candor.