CD Review

Singer-songwriter, Ray LaMontagne, burst onto the music scene with his smash debut album, Trouble, in 2004. With his smoky, soulful voice and heartfelt lyrics, he captivated listeners and audiences all over the world. After two years of touring and writing, LaMontagne releases his follow-up effort, Till the Sun Turns Black. Compared to the rustic, intimacy of Trouble, this time around his weary isolation is traded in for elaborate studio compositions and dramatic cinema pieces, where his frailty sometimes becomes lost. His emotional vocals, poignant lyrics and powerful songwriting all remain on tracks like “Empty” and “Barfly.” The funky, Otis Redding-tinged standout single, “Three More Days” is a nice organ filled change of pace. Even the soul-wrenching “Gone Away From Me” is a rain soaked LaMontagne classic, but collectively the album doesn’t stand up to it’s predecessor.

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