The quiet, sensitive singer/songwriter seems all the rage these days (see
Bon Iver); everyone is loving that music to sit in a misty rowboat off the moor and mourn something or other. Now the original coastguard of indie blues is back with a new album and a new attitude. We might mention that
Ray LaMontagne is less like Iver and more like a more laid back, folksy, likable
Nick Drake. We just wanted to make the whole faux-french-name connection. Wait a minute; Ray's name is real. Whatever. The point is, we're pumped. It's called
Gossip in The Grain.
His last two albums faired well, and the third is poised to be bigger, better, and grander. While the first two were mostly a solo effort, this time around Ray is joined by his touring band, in order to "open up a bit more." Here is the track list:
Henry Nearly Killed Me (It's A Shame)
Hey Me, Hey Mamma
Sarah
I Still Care For You
Winter Birds
Meg White
Achin' All The Time
Let It Be Me
A Falling Through
Gossip In The Grain
The album drops on September 30th. Until then, we'll be trying to figure out if the name is a play on Ray's well known carpenter skills... or his penchant for tea and whiskey parties.-
joe puglisi
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Ray LaMontagne on Myspace