Gossip In The Grain [Slipcase]

Performer: Ray LaMontagne
Engineer: Dom Monk
Producer: Ethan Johns; Ethan Johns
Distributor: BMG (distributor)

Notes: Personnel: Ray LaMontagne (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, harmonica); Eric Heywood (guitar, acoustic guitar, pedal steel guitar, background vocals); Ethan Johns (electric guitar, banjo, ukulele, piano, Hammond b-3 organ, Wurlitzer organ, Mellotron, bass instrument, drums, percussion, background vocals); Lucy Wilkins, Howard Gott, Jules Singleton, Sally Herbert (violin); Sophie Sirota, Charlie Cross (viola); Chris Worsey, Sara Wilson (cello); Pete Long, Peter Long (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Jonathan Scott , Jonathan Scott (trumpet); Winston Rollins (trombone); Dominic Monks (synthesizer); Jennifer Condos (bass instrument, drums, background vocals); Louise Marshall, Leona Naess, Louise Claire Marshall, Melanie Marshall, Billie Godfrey (background vocals). Audio Mixer: Ethan Johns. Arranger: Ethan Johns. Rootsy singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne returns with his third album, downplaying the vintage soul vibes of his earlier work in favor of a more idiosyncratic feel rather akin to the sound that Cat Power has achieved with her recent albums. More so than on earlier albums, LaMontagne has toned down the old-fashioned Stax and Motown feel, although there's still a natural bluesiness both in his vocals and in the soulful, molasses-slow arrangements. However, the album's biggest outlier turns out to be its best song; "Meg White," a tongue-in-cheek ode to the White Stripes' drummer, sounds like a peculiar blend of that band and "I'm Not In Love" era 10cc, and, somehow, the combination works.

Rolling Stone (p.126) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "'I Still Care for You' has a gentle Radiohead vibe; 'Winter Birds' verges on psych folk. There's also a new playfulness..." Spin (p.96) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "LaMontagne gets a bit more expansive here, gently juking his earthy rasp with Stax-y horns, guitar twang, and lilting lady backup vocals." Entertainment Weekly (p.101) - "This soft-spoken singer-songwriter has the kind of earthy rasp and wounded sincerity that melts hearts and suggests lots of woodshedding with old Van Morrison records."

With his 2004 debut album, TROUBLE, New England-based singer/songwriter Ray LaMontagne emerged virtually out of nowhere to become enormously popular on the contemporary folk scene. His passionate, tremulous vocal delivery and R&B-tinged style gave LaMontagne a highly distinctive sound, and his '60s/'70s-influenced songs gave him a cross-generational appeal. LaMontagne's follow-up release, TILL THE SUN TURNS BLACK, expanded his following and showed him to be more than just a one-album wonder.

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