The ability to consistently make amazing music is a rare quality in artists these days. Many of them suffer from the feared sophomore slump or change their sound to get attention from the mainstream media. Others find themselves having one huge hit, but after that, the magic from their music is mysteriously gone.
Luckily, Ray LaMontagne has not suffered any of these dilemmas. His sophomore album, Till the Sun Turns Black, was just as genius as his first, Trouble. He hasn't changed his style to get attention from the music enthusiasts"" of MTV. Although songs such as ""Burn"" and ""Hold You In My Arms"" were featured on the television shows ""Rescue Me"" and ""Grey's Anatomy,"" respectively, and ""Shelter"" was featured on the soundtrack of the motion picture ""Prime,"" LaMontagne has continued to have success and make glorious music.
Now, LaMontagne returns with his third album, Gossip In the Grain. Similar to his previous albums, it is an hour of crooning by one of the most soulful voices in music today.
Beyond LaMontagne's own talent, the album features his touring band, offering more instrumentation than his usual voice and acoustic guitar. There are also songs that include a variety of brass instruments, including the opening track, ""You Are the Best Thing."" This provides the album with a little more drama and depth than his previous two have featured.
But loyal fans of LaMontagne should not be wary, as several songs on the record feature nothing but his familiar guitar and raspy voice - the sound that he does best. ""Winter Birds"" is a prime example of this natural talent. Painting scenes of placid nature and its animals, LaMontagne sings of love, chanting ""Oh, my lady / Lady I am loving you now."" It's a simple song with a simple beauty.
Gossip In the Grain also features the wonderfully timid voice of Leona Naess in two tracks, ""I Still Care for You"" and ""A Falling Through."" With her tone bringing an attractive femininity to the album, the harshness of LaMontagne's voice is softened, and together the pair's voices meld into a single, harmonious melody.
On the whole, Gossip In the Grain is a pleasing new release. Ray LaMontagne doesn't shift too far from what he has done so well in the past, yet changes it up enough to not bore his listeners. It's an album of intense emotions and fierce passion - one that is definitely worth looking into.
