The Word on “Building This House”
“Cary’s album-closing joy is believable because the singer/songwriter has obviously lived through the dark night of her soul. The house she’s building has withstood potential emotional foreclosure. Losing her fiancé Matthew Black could have caused her to take a wrecking ball to it all. They say that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Everybody faces tragedies of various degrees, it’s true. How one reacts to tragedy, however, is a choice. Cary has chosen, and chosen well, to rebuild what circumstances have threatened to crush. Building This House is the sound of Meghan Cary’s new life, under construction.”
“Philadelphia-based singer/songwriter, Meghan Cary, is a beacon of light in the world of female folk music.”
“Based in a very jazz styled motif, this album is quite entertaining. Overall it fits around the pop and rock traditions and should please a lot of people. It’s the kind of music that has a wide potential fan base. Cary has really produced an interesting disc with this one.”
“Cary shares her story in honest and uncontrived language throughout the album, and blends these stories with arrangements that often perfectly shadow the mood of each moment.”
Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5) READ MORE
About Live at Your House:
David Menconi – Critic’s Picks, The News and Observer
“It is Meghan Cary’s curse that she’s funny because nothing gets a singer/songwriter typecast better than a way with a wisecrack (just ask Loudon Wainwright III). But rather than suppress herself, Cary has wisely chosen to embrace her inner stand-up comic on her new album, ’Live at Your House’, which does not scrimp on the humor. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll beg for more.”Valerie Marino, The Cary News
Few artists have the ability to put out a live album that truly captures the essence of their performance. But with her latest release Meghan Cary has done just that. Recorded in a fan’s living room, the aptly titled “Live at Your House,” features material not present on Cary’s previous two releases, “Onion Dream” and “New Shoes.” It’s not often that an artist chooses to release an album of new material that was recorded in front of a live audience, but in doing so Cary has given not just a piece of herself to take home with them, but a piece of her concert experience.On “Live at Your House,” the audience is almost as big a part of the album as Cary and her music is. During “Dog Song,” Cary encouraged her audience to throw their head back and howl at the injustices of life at any point in the song. The lyrics of “Music in the Mountains,” a tune about playing gigs in rural Western North Carolina with New York state plates on your car, often caused audience members to break out into laughter Ð and it’s all there on “Live at Your House.”
But all joking aside, the album is also filled with beautiful melodies and poignant lyrics, making it easy to see why Cary has been compared to established artists like Shawn Colvin and the Indigo Girls. One of the standout tracks is a sobering ballad titled “I Might Miss You.” During the intro to the song, Cary told her audience she wrote part of the song while in a hotel in Nashville. “I wrote this about everybody that I missed,” she said. She went on to sing, “I’ve crisscrossed this continent to many times, every hello begins with goodbye. Leaving is something I’ve learned how to do but I never thought I might miss you.” Unless someone has been out on the road for long periods of time or has a loved one who has, it is hard to convey the feelings of loss and longing involved with the whole process, but Cary has captured it perfectly with her words.
She jokes at several points in the recording that many of her songs end up being sad ones, but it works remarkably well for her. Whether it be her well-chosen words or the incredibly sincere tone of her voice, when Cary opens her mouth to sing, you believe what she has to say.
Barry Fox – music critic for the Patriot News
“Onion Dream is fan-freakin’-tastic!!!”The Patriot-News
“A pre-’best of’ pick for 2001. If the three song ‘Rough Cuts’ pre-release of this disc is any indication, the Hershey native now living in New York is a star waiting to happen.”Free Times - Columbia, SC
“Cary’s latest CD, Onion Dream, is a pop-flavored slice of introspective acoustic folk that bears comparison to Shawn Colvin or Natalie Merchant.”The Global Muse Music Magazine
“it’s gratifying to have an artist like Meghan Cary around…songs like “Lori’s Song,” “Zero MPH” and “Rain Song,” illustrate Cary’s stellar gift of songwriting.”By Carla Archuletta
of THEGLOBALMUSE.COMThe Rundown
Sound Quality: * * * * Production: * * * * * Musicianship: * * * * * Originality: * * * * Over All: * * * * In a time when the corporate music world continues to serve up cookie-cutter artists singing songs with lyrics straight off dime store greeting cards, it’s gratifying to have an artist like Meghan Cary around. Onion Dreams finds Cary showcasing her multi-faceted talents as singer/songwriter/guitarist and co-producer on this project. Cary, along with her co-producer, Kevin Lacy, draws from a wide array of musical influences with a well-crafted blend of Pop, Rock and Americana that is a signature sound for Cary. It is as refreshing and smooth as the finest whiskey money can buy. She is truly a writer’s writer. A captivating storyteller with songs like “Lori’s Song,” “Zero MPH” and “Rain Song,” illustrate Cary’s stellar gift of songwriting. The musicianship on this recording is superb! It features quite a supporting cast of musicians including spectacular performances by John Ginty on Hammond B-3, Jonathan Dinklage on fiddle, and George Marge, Jr. on alto flute. The result is texture, pure, noble and moving. Call it art.
KOZMICBLUES.NET - JUST PLAIN GOOD STUFF
“Onion Dream” is a damn good album…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.”
About New Shoes:
Billboard Magazine
Can the world stand one more sensitive, storytelling troubador? If the artist in question is Cary, the answer is a resounding yes. Although it would be easy to accuse her her of being another Lilith wannabe, inspection of this title cut from her wonderful six-song EP reveals a poetic flair reminiscent of the the initial efforts of the Indigo Girls and Shawn Colvin. Perhaps the best thing about Cary is that she’s neither superficial nor obnoxiously self-possessed. Rather, she unfurls a tale of love lost with a passionate empathetic hand. The song’s simple acoustic arrangement is an added treat. No bells and whistles here, just a great song performed in a most intimate and engaging manner. Seek this one out.* “New releases, regardless of potential chart action, which the reviewer highly recommends because of their musical merit.”Jeffrey Newman – Instinct Magazine
“Its refreshing when a singer/songwriter comes along who is truly talented. Such is the case with Cary, whose magnificent six-song debut recording is a sweet summer surprise. A cross between the Indigo Girls and Shawn Colvin, Cary blends pop, folk, bluegrass and rock to create a fresh and intoxicating sound. Most moving is “Going Home” which she performed at last year’s Boston to New York AIDS ride, bringing the crowd to its feet.”Rapid River – Eclectic Arts and Literature Monthly
The ability to inherit the persona of her characters makes it a fascinating listen, a glimpse of what lies not just in her heart, but in all of ours.
Articles About Meghan and Her Music…
ROCKRGRL Magazine - “Meghan Cary Carries On”
“Meghan Cary was going to be a biomedical engineer. But life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans…”The Patriot-News - “Cary Returns to Perform – Hershey native merges acting, singing careers”
“The five-minute Meghan Cary, ‘Behind the Music’…”
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