FixMe 2008-11-23

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Ryan Cabrera had a decent run of success with his first two major label efforts, and on his latest effort, The Moon Under Water, he's back to small label antics with creative freedom, a new grungy look, and fortunately - an album worth your time as a fan or pop listener.

The Moon Under Water never strays far from mainstream pop conventions, but Cabrera layers on a mixture of instrumentation that lends itself to some of what we see in today's indie-pop. "In Between Lights" kicks things off with a fresh energy and a chorus littered with hooks - showcasing Cabrera's smart writing. I think one of the things people like about Cabrera is that he doesn't take himself too seriously, and you can hear it in his lyrics in between the more sentimental and serious moments. The record strikes a fine balance between moods and provides a sense of roundness that many records of this genre don't quite flesh out.

The production on The Moon Under Water is layered with a lot of effects and classic instrumentation, making it refreshingly musical. Songs like "Enemies", "Rise (The Dog Barks)", and the infectious "Say" are good examples of the thoughtful and creative instrumentals. "Say" should have been a huge radio hit, and if it had enough exposure, I'm sure it would have been. So many artists are left out in the cold simply because they don't have the heavy backing of big fish industry advertisers. The album's modest commercial success is by no means a reflection of its' outstanding quality in musicianship.

I took a chance on the strength of past releases, and came away very pleased with The Moon Under Water. I hope more people listen to it, and I hope to hear more from this amazingly talented vocalist and writer. Very thoughtful, very smart, and worthy of a place in my collection as a buried treasure.

bon_jovi_babe 2008-09-09

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

So I've been a fan ever since the day I saw him open for Jessica Simpson!
I own all of his CDs and on this one... he really shines! I'm so sick of hearing about how he "looks different" now. So what? This is about MUSIC! He found his place and he didn't need to be "hott" to sell records. I went and saw him at House of Blues promoting this record and guess what, long dark hair and all - HE SOUNDS JUST AS WONDERFUL AS HE DID BEFORE with short spikey blonde hair!! He's an AMAZING singer and an AMAZING performer! This CD is for those that appreciate music and not just a singer's appearance. His heart and soul is definitely in this record.

Valerie V. Janusz 2008-08-23

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

This album is the best one created so far! I think that indie is the way to go, and I am so glad that Ryan chose this route. I have listened to this cd over and over and over and I never get sick of it! I cant wait until he makes another independent record, they seem to be getting better and better each record that is produced!

Marc Shapiro 2008-07-19

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

I love it! The album- like Ryan said is a variety of different sounds. I can't stop listening to it :D

uptoolatereadingbooks 2008-07-17

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

I think Amazon recommended this to me for some reason, I don't remember why, somehow I linked up to it and clicked on the music video. I think the album cover attracted me (I was born under a Cancer moon). I loved this song, and purchased the album based on that (goes to show you how video clips are great sales tools). A cursory google search of Ryan Cabrera turns up a lot of teeny bopper stuff. I guess I'm really not the target market for this musician (39 y/o roots rock fan), but I love his sound! I'm still not sure who or what Ashlee Simpson is, or Nich Lachey and the others mentioned here, but oh well. Good solid album. That's all I care about.