So we haven’t posted anything super hardcore in a while. I’m talking about the type of stuff that makes you feel like you just got punched in the face by pure awesome. The kind of music that makes you run faster and jump higher. The stuff that was made by the business end of a kick-ass stick. Well guess what? You’ve just been served. 10 Years has that kick-ass stick.
Figure 1.1
Their new release Feeding the Wolves not only has a manly name, but a manly album cover (see Figure 1.1). Historically I’ve found that if an album has an awesome cover, an awesome name and an awesome artist behind it, you are destined to have something worth its weight in gold. Don’t believe me? Tell that to Michael Jackson’s Thriller or Guns N Roses’ Appetite for Destruction. Yeah, I didn’t think so.
The entire album is a hard-hitting mix of heavy guitar and steel-laden vocals to match. The tracks rarely miss a beat, taking breaks only to show their softer side with powerful ballads (that are not-so-much ballads, I just can’t think of another word to describe them.)
10 Years is currently on the tail-end of the Carnival of Madness tour with the likes of Shinedown, Chevelle, Sevendust, and Puddle of Mudd. But not to worry, they will be headed back out on the road with numerous upcoming tour dates to support the release of their new album.
Buy Feed the Wolves:
Citizen Cope is a sweet name. It’s like, “Hey, I’m a badass just because I can be.” And since that is coincidentally my life motto, I’m all about Citizen Cope. But how can someone live up to a name like that? Just one listen to his intriguing, yet powerfully simple delivery and you’ll agree, he can call himself whatever he wants to call himself. The unique sound in his voice mixed with the coordinated ramblings of beats and melodies make this mix a truly gratifying experience.
Citizen Cope
Cope has a unique way of delivering a waterfall of poetry through music in a way that most artists only dream of doing. You can honestly feel the heart and soul in every second of music without getting reeled into the same kind of song or mix of lyrics. His most recent album, Every Waking Moment, is a faster-driven take on Cope’s signature style but the preceding album, The Clarence Greenwood Recordings, is the most stripped down compilation of his songs to date. Generally including a fairly simple beat, bass and melody, this album captures the essence of simplicity that Citizen Cope pulls off so strikingly well. Songs like “Fame”, “Sideways” and “D’artagnan’s Theme” pull at your heartstrings like a crying puppy, while slightly faster tracks “Penitentiary” and “Son’s Gonna Rise” are more than enough to make your head nod. Cope delivers each song with a powerful raspy voice that never misses a note. His songs are almost more conversational than epic blends of complicated notes which (I think) makes the songs more personal.
Citizen Cope is honestly nothing like you’ve ever heard before. He’s unique and brings something different to the table with every new album. Make sure you check out The Clarence Greenwood Recordings and be sure to pick up The Rainwater LP when it hits stores in February 2010.
Check out the videos for “Son’s Gonna Rise” and “Sideways”:
Amazon Music
iTunes
If you like Citizen Cope, check out Ray LaMontagne!
