Copus – “We All Bleed Red”

Copus – “We All Bleed Red” – Single Review

And the message read simply:  “Greetings!  We are Copus from San Francisco CA.  Copus is an acronym for Creation Of Peace Under Stars” – that was all it took for me to be interested in what I might hear from this new four-piece band…I dig that kind of sentiment for sure.  But there you have it, in print for all to see; their acronymic name is also a blueprint of the mission they’re on.  Through the new single “We All Bleed Red” you get the full picture of their ambition as they look to help heal the growing divide between the people and remind us of the values that are most important in this world we share.

So…ambition and intent are fantastic things to have and certainly something I’d always love to support – but how does this song really come out?  It’s gotta be impossible to bag on a song that is doing its best to create social awareness, peace and unity right?  I mean…I agree…it would be tough to do; thankfully I don’t have to worry about that today with the lively, unique & inspired performance from Copus.  Through ace musicianship and a wild, bright & bold sound, they capture the magic they’re seeking to create on “We All Bleed Red” – it’s like a combination of Quincy Jones meets Baz Luhrmann…theatrical & dramatic in nature with great storytelling, set in an old-school setting that incorporates modern-day movement in the structure and reflecting on the current state of the world lyrically.  It’s really not a typical tune in any sense of the imagination…in my heart-of-hearts I know this overall style/sound is a tougher sell to the people than most…but the message Copus is spreading through their words is one that people are ready to hear, receive and respond to more than ever before.  It took me a couple spins to really adjust to the uniqueness in this project…there’s no doubt that it’s much different from what you’ll typically find out there right now; but just like you can’t express full-thoughts in only 140 characters…sometimes it takes more time for a strong idea to fully sink in.  “We All Bleed Red” essentially gives you as much for your brain to chew on musically as it does through the lyricism.

What I think it’ll come down to is the response to the main lead-vocals…that’s the polarizing element of the song.  At first I wasn’t quite sure of them myself…both the tone and the way the words wound themselves around the bars…but the more I listened to the words themselves, I came to appreciate the way he delivers the message of this tune.  The lyrics are well thought-out and in my opinion, as accurate as can possibly be; this is mobilization music for the resistance and a call for us all to stand up for our collective rights as human beings on a shared planet – “We All Bleed Red.”  At the end of the day, I ended up really enjoying the lead-vocals…it took some convincing at first, but eventually I felt like I came around to hear the style, passion and heart in the performance as it was intended to come across.  The lyrics are truly poetic and the lead-vocals are closer to a spoken-word performance when it comes right down to it – sometimes it takes a bit of an adjustment to fully get into artistic expressions like these.  For me…I’m a poetry guy and definitely on the side of equality for all…I suppose it was only natural that within a couple of spins, I got right into “We All Bleed Red” – but I think most people would come to love this song from one angle or another.  Hard tune not to love…well played Copus, well played.

Because regardless of how you react & respond to the lead-vocals, I’m convinced you’d connect to the words themselves and everything surrounding them quickly enough to keep you listening and repeating the experience.  The female-driven chorus-hook of this song is VIBRANT and sounds absolutely electric in her tone and approach, giving the song a really unique texture added into the overall idea and sound.  As far as the musicianship goes…get out of here…unless you really want to sit here all day long and read a story about a band getting everything RIGHT from every angle, you’re best to correctly assume that Copus has indeed brought their A-game.  I’d honestly be willing to bet Copus is a band comprised of a core of studio-musicians and songwriters…it’s no accident that this song’s ambition in its message is matched perfectly by the expressive talents in the music.  You can easily identify killer instrumentation happening in the rhythm section through the rhythm in the drums and intense grooves of the bass…they’re crushin’ it; the keyboard-piano parts drive the melody with bright, empowered & inspired tones alongside’em.  Combine that with the two completely different styles, sounds and approaches to the vocals on “We All Bleed Red,” and you really have a song that’s seriously compelling to listen to.  It stands out…it truly, truly does…I have the feeling this is a song I’ll completely remember.

And just in case there are ANY doubters out there…listen to the way they exit this tune!  The professionalism & precision is stunning – perhaps the most impressive moment in the instrumentation actually comes right in the final ten-seconds or so!  The transitions have been rock-solid all the way through the song as Copus moved through the structure and storyline of “We All Bleed Red” – but that ending…ohhhhhh that ending is a glorious one!  You can almost picture it live…those final ten-seconds and then just completely cut the lights as it finishes on its ultra-conclusive and decisive ending.

Find out more about Copus from their official homepage at:  http://www.copusmusic.com/

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