Press
By Jon Sobel
of KOZMICBLUES.NET
Years ago I played bass with a band led by a singer-songwriter whose main inspiration and influence was Natalie Merchant. As I wasn't familiar with 10,000 Maniacs when I joined this band, I didn't realize how closely our singer had copied her idol's style. But as we performed more and more, people kept pointing it out. It was so noticeable that it actually became an impediment to the band's success.
Fortunately, my old bandmate has developed a maturer style of her own since then, and although she hasn't become a star, the story seems to have a happy ending.
I mention this because the first things I noticed about Meghan Cary were certain vocal qualities and mannerisms that bring to mind the aforementioned, long-shadowed former Maniac. But in spite of these similarities, Cary is no imitator, and "Onion Dream" is a damn good album.
Cary's organ-infused tracks tug at the heartstrings without sentimentality. I could say that these rootsy, country-tinged songs bear echoes of Springsteen, Lone Justice, Stevie Nicks, Deana Carter's "Strawberry Wine," and even Blind Faith. But why not just say it simply? Meghan Cary writes great songs and puts them across with integrity, beauty and class. And that is equally true of her ballads and her high-energy numbers.
Though lacking a powerhouse voice, Cary has a vigorous musical personality that comes through loud and clear in every song. Her forceful lyricism is exemplified by these lines from the title song:
Peeling the layers and finding the core,
wondering if there's me in there anymore...
Sometime ago I met the devil it seems;
and I sold him my soul for this damned onion dream.
and these from "You Don't Know Me":
You don't know me but I have been watching for you.
You don't know me but I know everything that you'll do.
You don't know me but I surely know you...
You're the one who will dance in my arms
You're the one who'll succumb to all my charms...
You get the picture: this is no little girl, and no little-girl voice.
Cary can infuse with pathos and energy even lines that read on paper as hackneyed, like "This angel wants to fly" and "To laugh, to love, to cry: this is the cycle that we call life." Anyway, enough said. Of the many independent releases that I've received for review, this is one of the very few that I expect to listen to many times for pleasure.
Artist website: meghancary.com