While You Weren't Looking

Caitlin Cary

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 19, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Yep Roc Records
• ASIN: B00005Y4PB
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #128,521 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Though Ryan Adams commanded the spotlight in the acclaimed late-'90s alt-country group Whiskeytown, fiddler and harmony singer Caitlin Cary played a prominent role in shaping the band's sound and soul. Even so, it's a stunning surprise that her full-length solo debut (following a five-song EP in 2000) stands head and shoulders above Adams's two highly touted post-Whiskeytown efforts. Working with several fellow Whiskeytown alums plus a stable of ace players from her North Carolina home, Cary leans a little less toward her old band's country-rock and a little more toward the tasteful folk-pop of Linda Thompson (whose rich voice Cary clearly echoes). Renowned producer Chris Stamey turns in the finest work of his career, crafting upbeat tunes such as "Shallow Heart, Shallow Water," "Thick Walls Down," and "Pony" into unforgettable gems, while fashioning an exquisitely understated backdrop for quieter songs such as "Fireworks" and "Sorry." --Peter Blackstock

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mesmerizing!, April 11, 2002

By	Kori Frazier (Kent, OH United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Take your favorite country song. Now, throw in the majestic voices of Emmylou Harris and Gillian Welch. Add a dash of folk and pop, throw in some hypnotic lyrics, and mix in that kind of catchy, beautifully arranged music that is impossible to get out of your head. The result is Caitlin Cary's debut album, WHILE YOU WEREN'T LOOKING.

Out of sheer curiousity, I downloaded a couple of songs from this album from various sources, wanting to get a glimpse of what Caitlin's style was before pursuing the full length album. I was hooked from the start--after hearing the songs only once, I immediately bought the CD. If you enjoy country artists like Emmylou, love Americana stars like Gillian, or find yourself playing records by Dar Williams and Lucy Kaplansky over and over again, this album is a must for your collection. Caitlin's voice is lilting and hypnotic, soaring over a beautifully arranged combination of folk, country, and pop music. An extremely versatile record, this CD has something for everyone--the opening track, "Shallow Heart, Shallow Water" grabs the listener immediately, gradually reels you in with upbeat numbers like "Please Don't Hurry Your Heart," and "Thick Walls Down," and by the time you reach "Pony" (which could have easily been a hit for Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, or one of the classic female artists of the late '60s and early '70s) and "Too Many Keys," you will be a Caitlin addict with no fear of breaking the habit. The album's closing track, "I Ain't Found Nobody Yet," is one of its highlights, a heavily influenced country track with emotional lyrics and music that is sure to provoke a strong reaction of any kind from the listener.

I'm going to sum this up in as few words as possible--BUY THIS ALBUM. No matter what kind of music you are normally geared toward, I guarantee you will love WHILE YOU WEREN'T LOOKING, and there are very few albums where that statement can be accurately applied. This is an astonishing wonderful debut by an artist who is sure to make a big name for herself outside of the Whiskeytown circle and is not to be missed by anyone who enjoys listening to fantastic music.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid Solo Debut, March 2, 2003

By	Brian D. Rubendall (Oakton, VA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

After the demise of alt-country wunderkinds Whiskeytown, all of the attention went to uberbrat frontman Ryan Adams. Overlooked was the fact that the band contained another fine youn gtalent who had been hidden by Adams's very considerablt shadow. Now violinist Caitlin Cary has fully stepped out on her own (albiet with an assist from Adams, who appears on several tracks). The first surprise, given that Cary was always relegated to a backup vocal role in the band, is that she is a very good singer. The second is that as a songwriter she's nearly on par with Adams in terms of quality if not in terms of incredibly prolific output.

Cary's sound is much closer to the country rock of Whiskeytown than Adams's solo material. She even takes a passable stab at bluegrass on "Hold On to Me." She's at her best, however, when she infuses a bit of rock energy into the mix, as on "Shallow Heart, Shallow Water," "Please Don't Hurry Your Heart," "What Will You Do?" and "Too Many Keys." On the downside, some of the ballads tend to be a bit bland and one experimental track, "The Fair," doesn't work at all. There's a bonus mini-CD in the package containing four extra songs, including a duet with Adams and the CD booklet contains a full lyrics sheet.

Overall, a decent solo debut from an artist just learning to perform on her own.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Just average, October 25, 2002

By A Customer

I wanted to like this a whole lot more than I do. I love her work with Whiskeytown, but the songwriting here is average at best. I just picked it up again after a few weeks and still feel the same. This reminds me of a Syd Straw record: great voice, unremarkable songs.