Music Review: "Copper Gone" by Sage Francis

- by Señor Editor, 29 May 2014

It’s been a long time coming, but Sage Francis’ “Copper Gone”, his first studio album in four years, is almost here. It’s easily one of the most anticipated independent music releases this year, and that’s completely understandable. The man’s had one of the most interesting careers in music this century, and his output has been considerably smaller since he started running his own Strange Famous record label. We got “Copper Gone” a while ago, though, and I’m here to tell you how it is.

Francis’ last album, 2010’s Li(f)e was a big departure in style from his previous works, and while a good record on its own, it caused some divide among the artist’s fans. Those who didn’t enjoy it had a good few years for wishing for the “old Sage” to come back, and leaving internet comments letting him know exactly what they think he should do next. Others waited, hoping that whatever it is, it’s gonna be worth the wait.

It’s been known for a while that Copper Gone will be more of a traditional rap record, and the first single, “Vonnegut Busy” (produced by SFR label mate Prolyphic), certainly delivered on that premise. I have to be honest, though, and say that I didn’t enjoy it as much as others seemed to. It’s a good song, but I just wasn’t into it much - it happens. It’s still my least favorite song on the record, but that’s all good. Because the rest of Copper Gone is filled to the brim with some of the best Sage songs in the last decade.

Starting things with a bang, the album opens with “Pressure Cooker”, a really hard track on a Cecil Otter beat. “They say anger is a gift… I’m very gifted”, says Sage, and it sort of sets the scene for a lot of what comes next. This is without a doubt the angriest sounding Sage Francis record we’ve ever heard. A lot of the beats knock harder than ever before, and the man has a lot to talk about. The good thing that’s immediately noticeable, is that there’s a great energy both in the music and in Sage’s vocals. Whether it’s the bangin’ tracks, the mellower ones, or the almost otherworldly ones (like “Dead Man’s Float”), it’s this energy that keeps you focused and listening to every word.

As far as the “bangers” go, there’s quite a few here, but the two that I was immediately drawn to were “Cheat Codes” and “The Place She Feared Most”, both produced by Reanimator, a longtime Sage collaborator. The first one, opening up with “I talk a lot of shit, but I can back it all the fuck up!” and Francis claiming Silverback Gorilla status, has some of the sharpest, meanest, rappiest lyrics the Rhode Island emcee ever rhymed. This has got to be one of the fiercest, most amped up (I’m not sparing any adjectives on this one) Sage tracks since A Healthy Distrust’s “The Buzz Kill”, and it’s the first hip hop song in a good while that actually gave me goose bumps. 

I’m pleased to say that it’s not the only song on Copper Gone that managed that, though. I’m a sucker for all that switching up styles and changing flows stuff, when it’s done well, and the other Reanimator-produced song, “The Place She Feared Most”, delivers that in spades. The heavy, yet sparse, beat is the perfect background for all the energy Sage puts into this track. When you combine Francis channeling ODB and Method Man, a hook that samples B. Dolan’s “Joan of Arcadia” (definitely one of my favorite songs from the other part of the Epic Beard Men twosome), and a beautiful punchline referencing Webster’s George Papadopoulos, and have it all fit together and make sense, then you pretty much got it made. These are the type of songs I really wanted to hear more of from Sage, so that’s probably why they’re the ones that stood out for me the most in the first few listens.

I’m not just in it for Sage rapping his head off, though. One of the things that have always been a big part of the man’s music, is the absolute, soul-baring honesty. The stuff that’s so personal, it’s almost uncomfortable to listen to. One such song here is “Make ‘Em Purr”, produced by Buck 65. It’s a really sad song, describing being alone in painful detail. There’s a line here about one of Sage’s cats getting really sick, and Sage taking him to the vet, thinking “Please let this work. Cause if it doesn’t, I have nothing left”. It doesn’t have the same impact when you read it, but when you hear it, it’s one of the saddest, most honest things, and it’s really hard not to relate to. It’s an amazing song, and I dare say one of the most intimate moments on “Copper Gone”, and I really love it.

Photo by Prentice Danner.

Though I guess I’m doing a decent job out of it so far, it’s not easy picking favorites off this album. The more I listen to it, the more great things I find about each of the 14 tracks. “ID Thieves” (prod. by James Hancock & Poindexter) is a hard-hitting number with Sage issuing some disses to people, who have been doing a watered-down, radio-friendly version of his style without thinking they could be put in their place at any time… I think we all have our ideas on who this may be aimed at.  

On “Thank You”, Francis shows gratitude to the people who mattered the most in his life, for many reasons, and it’s one of the most positive moments on the album. Songs like the awesome “Over Under” and the soon-to-be single “Grace”, show how diverse Sage’s writing is on Copper Gone, and the more you listen to it, the more you pick up on the things said, the easier it is to see how much care went into making this one of the best things the man ever recorded. There are still so many things on this album that I’m just beginning to fully appreciate, but it’s impossible to try and talk about everything now. 

Coming from the dying breed of people who like to listen to albums from start to finish, I have to give praise to the album’s sequencing. It would be easy for the angrier, louder tracks to overshadow the more peaceful, calmer ones, but the way this record is composed strikes the perfect balance. Francis, as an executive producer, also did a real good job at picking many very different beats, and making “Copper Gone” sound both cohesive and offering plenty of variety. It’s a smooth listen from beginning to end, sounding unlike any other album in Sage’s catalogue. 

I’ve been thinking about it a lot since I first heard this record a week ago or so, and I can’t really imagine this album being any better. Forget about all my pre-album expectations – I had high expectations, I didn’t expect it to sound like THIS, and I think it’s better than what I hoped for. It ticks off all the right boxes. It’s not the same Sage you heard 12 years ago on Personal Journals. That would be sad if it was. It’s an updated Sage. A reinvigorated Sage, with all the things that made him great in the first place, plus more. New concepts, new tools, new weapons.  You should already be buying this damn record. 

It’s not even June yet, and it’s already safe to say it’s one of 2014’s highlights, as well as one of Sage's best.


"Copper Gone" comes out June 3rd, and you can already order it through the Strange Famous Records website. There are also tour dates there, so make sure to check if he's coming to your town. If you're somehow not yet convinced that you need "Copper Gone" in your life, we dare you to check out SPIN's stream of the album and prove our review wrong.

If you liked this review, you may also enjoy our interview with Sage from September 2012, and you're more than welcome to check out more good stuff on our MUSIC page.

Tagged: music, Reviews.

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