Track Listing

1. You Are The Best Thing
2. Let It Be Me
3. Sarah
4. I Still Care For You
5. Winter Birds
6. Meg White
7. Hey Me, Hey Mama
8. Henry Nearly Killed Me (It's A Shame)
9. A Falling Through
10. Gossip In The Grain

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1040 in Music
• Released on: 2008-10-13
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: CD

Amazon.co.uk Review
Gossip in the Grain, Ray LaMontagne's third full length, is a slightly different record from 2007's Till the Sun Turns Black. But then that album was of course a move on from his 2004 debut, Trouble. Obviously creative progression is a large part of LaMontagne’s vision, which chimes well with that of his pal and producer Ethan Johns (Kings of Leon, Ryan Adams). On Gossip in the Grain, they offer a rainbow mix of mellow "Bonnie Prince Billy"-style Americana, brassy Memphis soul and meandering folk. The horn-fuelled opener "You Are the Best Thing", gets the record off to a flying start, but LaMontagne soon settles into a more introspective groove with the folksy "Let It Be Me" and the more expansive "Sarah", a tune that wouldn’t be out of place on Van Morrison's Astral Weeks. LaMontagne continues to careen casually across a plethora of styles, from the psychedelic "I Still Care for You", and the upbeat "Meg White", (an ode to the White Stripes drummer), to the catchy banjo-and-trumpet of "Hey Me, Hey Mama". Infectiously free-wheeling yet beautifully focused, this is arguably LaMontagne’s most career-defining album to date. --Paul Sullivan

CD Description
Described by his website as "his most creative and emotionally expansive collection to date", Ray LaMontagne's third album is also his third with prolific producer Ethan Johns. Joined for two songs by British folk artist Leona Naess, the album was recorded in Box, England and is expected to replicate the cult success of 2006's 'Till The Sun Turns Black' andhis critically acclaimed debut 'Trouble'.

Customer Reviews

A great show of diversity and longevity
Like many great albums this is a grower. You'll think you know what your favourites are but you'll listen again and other songs will emerge as magic. Trouble was heartfelt whilst retaining catchiness. TTSTB was dark, epic and moving. `Gossip' is all of those things and so much more. Here Ray shows what he is capable of in Genres from Soul to Country to Folk to Foot Stompin' Blues and back to gut wrenching Soul. This is a man that LISTENS to music. Lots of music and absorbs it like a sponge.

The single (You are the best...) is just pure STAX soul. Let It Be Me takes us back to classic Ray indicative of `Shelter' off Trouble. Wonderful vocals here. Sarah is a wistful ukulele laden number that reminds me of early Van Morrison. I Still Care for You with Leona Naess is a beautiful and calming song (a real grower). Winter Birds is possibly the greatest song the man has ever written. Nick Drake style picking with very strong images conjured up in the lyrics pertaining to the winter months.

After the first half, this album takes a trip through country and blues paying a tongue in cheek homage to Meg White. As well as a glimpse at his sense of humour, Meg White has some very Beatles-esque (White album) backing vocals. There is also use of the Metronome used on the White album. Hey Me, Hey Mama has a real jaunty barn dance feel to it. I can imagine an instrumentally talented southern family jamming this on their porch one Sunday afternoon. Henry Nearly Killed Me is what many fans have been waiting for...a blues foot stomper (hey he has the voice for it). My only complaint about this is that it doesn't breakout to be MORE raucous. A Falling Through (another grower) calms things down to bring us to the end which is the title track. The closing song wouldn't have been out of place on TTSTB with its eerie air about it and the scrape of Ray's pick audible over the strings, a great finish.

Overall I'd give the album 4.5 but settled for 5 (to compensate for the ridiculously childish and uninformed reviews of some of the others). Ray Lame-ontagne?? Deary Me. If you like blues/soul/country plus all the other sounds and individuality associated with established American music, then I recommend giving this a real listen.

Humble Genius
First of all I would like to address the other review L.Nash has left. Leaving a three star review for an album of which he's heard only one song, which he said he liked, is unbelievable. I'm sure his intentions were good but when this album starts to get a lot of reviews, that three star clanger will drag the rating down.
Thanks to one of Ray's websites I have heard six songs off the album and I can confirm that the man with the voice like a dusty cabinet is still in a rich vein of form. The track listing has now changed. Instead of Achin' All The Time we get the brilliant You Are The Best Thing. I've also heard Hey Me Hey Mama, Sarah, Winter Birds, Meg White and Let It Be Me. If you've listened to a Ray album or are lucky enough to have caught him live you'll know what to expect from this third album, and from what I've heard so far it won't disappoint. Easiest five stars I've had to give.

one that grows
A great album full of songs that might seem to be slipping past (quiet and subtle and earnest) but which contain lines and thoughts and moments that stop you short. It's less full throttle than 'Trouble' but the urgency has not gone from the music. Ray LaMontagne is incapable of dishonesty and that integrity on its own is moving. But that's not all. The musicianship is fine and there's a lot of space in the production. There are lovely changes of rhythm. 'Gossip in the Grain' is more experimental and wide-ranging than 'Trouble', and a step on too from 'Till the Sun Turns Black'. It is in many ways hypnotic. The overall tone is restrained, but it's exciting because you can hear how the songs will unfold when played live. At the core of it all there is LaMontagne's turning to face life as honestly as he can.

Stand out songs: 'Let it Be Me', 'Sarah', 'Henry Nearly Killed Me' and 'A Falling Through'.