Before Ryan Cabrera burst onto the mainstream pop/rock scene with his bleached blond spikes and boyish good looks, he was a Texas high school youth blowing out his eardrums in a punk rock band. What began as a hobby shifted gears into a legitimate career track after a young Cabrera was exposed to the musical stylings of Dave Matthews. Cabrera's first endeavor with his new acoustic-driven style was as a part of the Dallas-based group Rubric's Groove. The group became popular on the local scene and even shared the stage with the likes of Ben Harper during their run.

Cabrera would eventually leave the group in pursuit of a solo gig. He earned himself free studio time after impressing a recording engineer with his talent, using his studio access to record Elm Street. The disc sold well locally and got Cabrera's name out to the public via the Internet. By 2001, Cabrera had inked a deal with Atlantic and began to record his official major label debut. Take It All Away arrived in 2004 equipped with a love-stricken angst that tugged at the hearts of young girls everywhere. The album showcased Cabrera's musical and vocal talents, showing that he wasn't just another talentless label cash cow.

2005's You Stand Watching saw Cabrera co-write and produce all of the songs, resulting in a sort of straddling of teen pop and adult contemporary, which left the album with a somewhat muddled finish. It seemed to be missing the edginess of its predecessor, which was reflected in the record's relative lack of success. Cabrera went independent for his 2008 release, The Moon Under Water, and seemed to change gears from his sophomore effort. He no longer appeared to be catering to the masses on this record, but simply trying to sort his life out, set to a more raw, post-punk sound.