I first heard a Ray Montagne track in the closing sequence of an episode of Rescue Me, ‘All the Wild Horses’ accompanied a really harrowing scene where the lead characters son was killed in a hit and run accident. I picked up his first album after hearing this track, and was impressed with the simple songs, delicate production and great vocals. It’s easy to get carried away with the current surge of popularity in all things (alt.)country - but Ray Lamontagne has a different quality that sets him aside from many of the current crop of male vocalists.

‘Til the sun turns black’ is the follow up to ‘Trouble’ from 2004, and if you enjoyed that album, then this one will really blow you away. From the opening seconds of ‘Be Here Now’ with its gentle keyboard wash and subtly picked guitar line, it’s clear that the production is as good as Trouble, and Ray Lamontagne is truly on top of his game when it comes to songwriting. The whole album is a gentle affair, leaning on the quality of Lamontagnes whispery vocals - and production techniques that allow the vocals to breathe and float…allowing the listener to concentrate on the lyrics.

The first single from the album is ‘Can I Stay’ - an almost folk like love song, backed with a soft guitar and beautifully muted strings, which takes you right to the heart of the lovers conversation going on:

Can I stay, here with you till the morning?
I am so far from home, and I feel a little stoned
Can I stay, here with you till the morning?
There’s nothing I want more, than to wake up on your floor

Lay with me in your thinnest dress
Fill my heart with each caress
Between your blissful kisses, whisper
Darling, is this love?

Can I stay, here with you till the day breaks?
There’s something you should know, I ain’t got no place to go
Can I stay, here with you till the day breaks?
How happy it would make me to see your face when I awake

Lay with me in your thinnest dress
Fill my heart with each caress
Between your blissful kisses, whisper
Darling, is this love?

Can I stay, here with you through the nightime?
I’ve fallen sad inside, and I need a place to hide
Can I stay, here with you through the nightime?
I’m all alone and blue, won’t you take me to your room

Lay with me in your thinnest dress
Fill my heart with each caress
Between your blissful kisses, whisper
Darling, is this love?

Whisper to me - is this love?

It doesn’t get much better than that, ever, anywhere, from anybody. The whole album is true to this - towering lyrics, simple instrumentation (guitar, strings, piano - light rhythm tracks) and beautiful, precision production.

Esquire magazine had this review - “His songs are grand mansions built on crumbling foundations, haunting tunes that document the propensity for real love. He’ll be a superstar alright”

I agree. 

Buy Ray Lamontagne at Amazon

Buy Ray Lamontagne at itunes