Ray LaMontagne: Till the Sun Turns Black
Till the Sun Turns Back is the follow-up to Trouble
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Monday, 18, Jun 2007 08:28
14th Floor Records, out June 18th.
In a nutshell
Mellow, wistful, timorous, luscious, contemplative.
What's it all about?
Till the Sun Turns Black is the second studio album from American singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne. It is the follow-up to his debut Trouble, the title track of that album being the song that allowed him the most air-time, thanks largely to Radio 1. The album was recorded by the same producer of Trouble, Ethan Johns, who has also worked with Ryan Adams and Kings of Leon.
Of his second album, LaMontagne says "it's definitely not Trouble, part two". In one manner, he is right. Till the Sun Turns Black is more experimental instrumentally, featuring horns, strings and euphonium on several tracks. Barfly also features the voice of Rachael Yamagata who has sung with Ryan Adams and Bright Eyes.
Who's it by?
New Hampshire-born Lamontagne is a folk singer-songwriter who is known for his distinctively raspy voice. Despite being a soft-spoken and private individual, Trouble was received with such critical acclaim that the album sold over 500,000 copies in the UK and his shows sold out for two nights at the Hammersmith Apollo.
Although relatively unknown compared to the likes of other singer-songwriters such as Damien Rice, James Morrison and Paulo Nutini, Lamontagne's live performances have been prolific since his rise to fame and he retains a devoted following.
As an example
"I never learned to count my blessings/I choose instead to dwell on my disasters/Well I always feel this way/So empty, so estranged." - Empty
"Can you see the young and pretty/Confident as cops/Blooming, laughing in the shops/Till the sun turns black/Can you see the old and lonely/Walking through the park/Pushing grocery carts/Till the sun turns black." - Till the Sun Turns Black
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammy's?
Critics love LaMontagne and he won a number of awards for Trouble, therefore multiple nominations are likely.
What the others say
"A mesmerising, beautiful record that grows more absorbing with every play." - Q
"Overly mellow acoustic poetry perfect for sensitive adults and Coldplay fans, courtesy of a demure bearded guy music-bizzers are all hyped up about." - Rolling Stone
So is it any good
LaMontagne's brand of folk music has been compared by critics to Van Morrison, Nick Drake and Tim Buckley. There is no doubting that Lamontagne's chief attribute is his arresting, penetrating voice. Once heard, it can never be forgotten, but in terms of development and maturity, Till the Sun Turns Black is not far enough removed from Trouble to warrant comparisons to the aforementioned artists.
While Morrison, Drake and Buckley moved on to address complex, wider issues in their music, Lamontagne's essential focus remains limited to intimate human relationships. Lyrically, Till the Sun Turns Black is a lot less elemental and a little more bland than the first album. It lacks the raw passion and urgency which characterised the much darker Trouble.
Musically however, Lamontagne has attempted to be more ambitious. Three More Days is the first single due for release and it is much more fun, fresh and lively than anything on Trouble, evoking a vintage soul style. It is probably the best track on the album, closely followed by the atmospheric, threatening-sounding You Can Bring Me Flowers.
However, despite these scant signs of evolution, an artist's voice can only take him so far. Tracks like Be Here Now and Till the Sun Turns Black may be beautiful, but they are long and repetitive enough to become slightly dull, causing the music to be comparable to Jack Johnson when LaMontagne is capable of so much more.
Nevertheless, Lamontagne remains one of the most talented folk singer-songwriters of our generation and even if he is not comparable to those that came before him, his music is still thoroughly enjoyable.
7/10
Natasha Hegde