Rob’s Album of The Week: Ray LaMontagne’s Long Way Home

There are very few singer-songwriters who exhibit a way of singing that’s anything close to Ray LaMontagne’s. The Nashua native coats his songs in a soulful array of lyrics with an approach that’s both genuine and heartfelt. He’s one of a few musicians that have the ability to make the listener feel something after they press play. His consistency is a quality that doesn’t get enough praise, but it’s exemplified with every record he has released. LaMontagne’s latest is his ninth full-length album Long Way Home, which came out via his own record label Liula Records on August 16.

With a few of his previous records expanding his stylistic scope, LaMontagne has returned to his artistic foundation, which revolves around his stellar vocals and the strums of his acoustic guitar. This goes along with the theme of him rediscovering his youth and being influenced by a time from his early 20s when he saw the legendary country musician Townes Van Zandt perform at a small club in Minneapolis. Another thematic element that’s present is a reflective one that has LaMontagne honoring the musical journey he has been on for the past 25 years. With these things coming into play, the result is an excellent assortment of songs. There aren’t any fancy production techniques or anything else of the sort, what you hear is what’s being conveyed and it’s fantastic.

In my neck of the woods over in Providence, August has been a weird month when it comes to the environment. The month started with some scorching heat, but the fast days it has cooled down with a lot of rain. Usually, this month is supposed to be when it’s at its most hot and humid, but it’s been relatively mild. I will say that some people have been acting much stranger lately, but that’s for another edition of this review column. For now, here are my top tracks off of the Album of The Week:

“Step Into Your Power” is a chart-topping hit and it’s easy to discover why. There’s a catchy chorus that isn’t overbearing and I love the groovy structure that’s anchored by the chords and harmonies. A really good love song off of Long Way Home is “My Lady Fair”. It adds a little extra with the keys and horns having a presence in the background. Another stellar example of the hooks and harmonies is “The Way Things Are”.

Ray LaMontagne has a plethora of shows coming up in support of his new album. This includes September 21 at the Orpheum Theatre in New Orleans, October 1 at Firefly Distillery in Charleston, South Carolina, October 4 at the Andrew J. Brady Center in Cincinnati and October 8 at the Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore. I really hope he returns to New England in the near future because he’s excellent live. In the meantime, grab a copy of Long Way Home. It’s a supreme display from an incredibly talented songwriter who deserves everyone’s undivided attention.

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