When You're Away
Carmen McRae · 1959
40 min · 12 tracks · jazz
A tender exploration of longing and love, featuring lush arrangements and McRae's emotive vocal delivery.
Top tracks — play these first
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When You're Away Start here — The title track beautifully encapsulates the themes of separation and yearning, showcasing McRae's ability to convey deep emotion through nuanced phrasing.
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Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye — This track stands out for its poignant lyrics and McRae's delicate interpretation, which became a defining version of this classic standard.
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I Concentrate on You — Here, McRae's rich vocals shine over sophisticated instrumentation, highlighting her skill in transforming a simple love song into a compelling narrative of devotion.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases strong compositions and skilled vocal performances, solidifying McRae's place in jazz.
What we noticed
- The album features a consistent use of lush orchestral arrangements that complement McRae's vocals throughout.
- McRae's vocal delivery varies from soft and tender to more powerful moments, creating dynamic contrasts within the performances.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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8/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady melodic journey throughout
- emotive vocal nuances shine
- for intimate evenings
- reflective moments of nostalgia
- gentle background for conversations
Maybe skip if you
- seeking high-energy engagement
- prefer standalone tracks only
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — This album solidified McRae's reputation in jazz during a pivotal time for female vocalists.
- Career context
- When You're Away marked Carmen McRae's first album for the prestigious label Decca Records after a successful period performing in clubs. At this point in her career, McRae was transitioning from being a prominent nightclub singer to an established recording artist, showcasing her unique interpretative style and emotional depth.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Billie Holiday· Sarah Vaughan· Ella Fitzgerald
Tracklist
- 1 When You're Away Start here 3:17
- 2 The More I See You 4:04
- 3 I Only Have Eyes for You 3:50
- 4 Willingly (Melodie Perdue) 2:37
- 5 If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight) 2:24
- 6 I'll Be Seeing You 3:46
- 7 I Concentrate on You 3:34
- 8 Ain't Misbehavin' 3:19
- 9 Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye 3:04
- 10 When Your Lover Has Gone 3:34
- 11 I'm Glad There Is You 3:57
- 12 Two Faces in the Dark 3:08
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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