CD Review: Ray LaMontagne, 'Gossip in the Grain'

| Print Post This | Like (0) | Comments (1)

ALL OF RAY LAMONTAGNE'S tracks sound like they were produced one rainy afternoon after he wandered into a studio with a guitar and poured his soul into a microphone.

Based on his first two albums, it would seem that the unvarnished intimacy of his songs is at its best in a solo setting, but then he decided to make his lineup distinctly more colorful: the result is the surprisingly brilliant "Gossip in the Grain" (RCA).

In fact, "Gossip" is to LaMontagne what "The Shepherd's Dog" was to Iron and Wine in terms of musical diversification, proving that "man with guitar" is great, but "man with guitar plus extremely talented backup" can be, if not an improvement, at least a viable contrasting outlet for musical brilliance.

Both 2004's "Trouble" and 2006's "Till the Sun Turns Black" are profound remembrances of lost love and struggles to hold on onto the present, ranging from rip-your-heart-out agony to aw-how-sweet endearment. At the center has always been LaMontagne's arresting, raspy voice, chronicling in detail all that's wrong and all that's right with the world. And "Gossip in the Grain" at first blush might seem to dilute that voice with too much background noise, but the album is just more heartfelt than heartache, and it's ultimately a rewarding new direction.

Rich and ambitious, "Gossip" sees LaMontagne expand into some new territory, delving into new influences like country — in the finger-pickin' "Hey Me, Hey Mamma" — to Hall and Oates-influenced neo-soul, in "You Are the Best Thing."

While obviously hand-crafted to carry the weight of the distinction of "first single," "You Are the Best Thing" has a lot of genuinely great things going for it — a bright horn section, backup vocals for contrast and flawless production that's not too overdone. And there's no shortage of supporting talent here, either: singer/songwriter Leona Naess joins him on two tracks, including "I Still Care For You," an ethereal lament that could just as easily have been written for a ghost as for a real ex.

There are some unfamiliar sounds here and there — "Be Here Now" oddly conjures a hint of The Beatles' "Within You Without You" — but instead of novelty working against the album, it's the freshness and ambition that makes every track shine.

» The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda; Tue., Oct. 14, 8 p.m., $40; 301-581-5100; strathmore.org. (Grosvenor)

Written by Express contributor Afton Lorraine Woodward

» Watch Ray LaMontagne perform live on Conan O'Brien's show.

Photos courtesy Big Hassle Media