Caitlin Cary & Thad Cockrell
Begonias

(Yep Roc)

First Appeared in The Music Box, June 2005, Volume 12, #6

Written by T.J. Simon

Caitlin Cary clearly feels very comfortable singing with Thad Cockrell, as they both have appeared on each other’s solo releases. Perhaps the reason for such familiarity lies within the notion that Cockrell sounds a lot like Cary’s former Whiskeytown bandmate Ryan Adams. On Begonias, their first, full-length, collaborative work, the duo presents 11 alt-country duets with consistently pleasing results. The best tracks include the delightful, ’70s aura of Don’t Make It Better and the clever wordplay and back-and-forth lyrics of Two Different Things. In fact, throughout the effort, Cary’s voice sounds as good as ever — so much so that she keeps the disc’s sleepier moments, such as the ballad Whatever You Want, aloft. Fans of Emmylou Harris’ many duets as well as the recent releases by Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez will be certain to enjoy this unassuming, but surprisingly potent album. ½

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Ratings

1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!

Copyright © 2005 The Music Box