Let’s Hear It for Citizen Cain

I don't think I've ever seen Citizen Cain discussed in these forums. I
discovered them a few months ago, have since acquired all their albums,
and have to say, they're fantastic. The singer, Cyrus, sounds a lot like Peter
Gabriel, but he doesn't come across as a copy-cat. The music is fantastic;
very complex and layered with tons of interesting shifts.

I just thought I'd ping all of you to get your thoughts on Citizen Cain.

I've been trying to find them for a few months now...but to no avail...

Hey Cinema, man, I'm sending you lots of love and positive vibes:

I love your logo - Keystudio is the best Yes album since '77

and Citizen Cain rules!!!

(and is your user name based on the 90125 instrumental? Wow man, were we separated at birth?)

Serpents In Camoflage: Citizen Cain CD, 2004

Serpents is also on www.half.com right now

and a brand new copy of Raising the Stones is on ebay (but I would recommend getting that album second to last)

Finally, the band's (weak) website is www.citizen-cain.com - maybe they'll sell you CD-Rs of their out of print stuff.

I recommend their albums in this order: Somewhere But Yesterday, Serpents, Playing Dead, Raising the Stones, Ghost Dance (the quality descends quickly at the end)

The first two are the incredible classics.

Edited by kirklott

Somewhere But Yesterday 

If you dig Citizen Cain, you'll dig Italy's The Watch. www.thewatch.it

I think Vacuum is their best album.

Re recommendations from Dalt99, gentleman and scholar:

Blue Shift - like 80s Yes in a good way

Akacia - like demo-ish Fragile/CttE Yes, with Christian lyrics

IZZ - very cool modern prog, sort of like late 70s/early 80s Genesis but much smarter

Ad Infinitum - overrated in my book

Puppet Show - pretty good, new album coming soon, but their singer sometimes sounds like Axl Rose. Great musicianship though.

kirklott wrote: If you dig Citizen Cain, you'll dig Italy's The Watch. www.thewatch.it I think Vacuum is their best album. Re recommendations from Dalt99, gentleman and scholar: Blue Shift - like 80s Yes in a good way Akacia - like demo-ish Fragile/CttE Yes, with Christian lyrics IZZ - very cool modern prog, sort of like late 70s/early 80s Genesis but much smarter Ad Infinitum - overrated in my book Puppet Show - pretty good, new album coming soon, but their singer sometimes sounds like Axl Rose. Great musicianship though.

GAK! I still need to get The Watch. I forget to buy them for some reason.

Good descriptions my friend Kirklott! Axl Rose huh? LOL, well, sort of yah. His voice does take a bit getting used to that's for sure. Not bad, just a bit in-your-face singing.

I don't think Ad Infinitum are overrated though. NOBODY mentions them LOL. I agree that they aren't super great but if you love Genesis, they are a band to look into at some point anyway  I enjoy them but my friend, who is a big Genesis fan, really likes them. Though he says they are a bit too "mellow".

Salmacis72 wrote: I have all of their albums. Somewhere But Yesterday is my favourite, but I also love Raising The Stones (what an intro!!), and their most recent Playing Dead, which is autographed by the whole band.

OK, Salmacis, my soul brother along with Dalt99 and Cinema, do Raising the Stones and Playing Dead ever get upbeat, like To Hack the Enamel Faced Queen or the title track of Serpents?

I had Raising the Stones, and it sounded like two dudes with keyboards doing this lethargic stuff without melodies. I jetted it quick. Perhaps I didn't listen to it enough times? And as for Playing Dead, I wasn't impressed by the MP3 samples on the band's web site. Perhaps their not good clips?

Again, they just didn't sound like the all-around, 5-star classics that are Somewhere But Yesterday and Serpents.

What's your read on this?

Edited by kirklott

kirklott wrote: Salmacis72 wrote: I have all of their albums. Somewhere But Yesterday is my favourite, but I also love Raising The Stones (what an intro!!), and their most recent Playing Dead, which is autographed by the whole band. OK, Salmacis, my soul brother along with Dalt99 and Cinema, do Raising the Stones and Playing Dead ever get upbeat, like To Hack the Enamel Faced Queen or the title track of Serpents? I had Raising the Stones, and it sounded like two dudes with keyboards doing this lethargic stuff without melodies. I jetted it quick. Perhaps I didn't listen to it enough times? And as for Playing Dead, I wasn't impressed by the MP3 samples on the band's web site. Perhaps their not good clips? Again, they just didn't sound like the all-around, 5-star classics that are Somewhere But Yesterday and Serpents. What's your read on this?

Kirklott, Playing Dead is a great album. It's actually the album that turned
me on to Citizen Cain. From there I fell in love with Serpents in
Camouflage and Somewhere But Yesterday. The biggest difference, in my
opinion, is that Playing Dead has a heavier, more foreboding <sp.> feel
to it.

Ahhh...yes Greg Walker...how could i forget? Great stuff there. I plan to order it when i place my next order. Thanks.