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The "trouble" with Ray
by eggbod @ 24. Sep 2007 - 17:33:15

Ray Lamontagne - I've only just heard about this quietly unassuming New England singer/songerwriter and I'm overwhelmed by the simplistic sincerety of his music.

Naturally being the last to know that Pavarotti had snuff(led) his last truffle or that "all-the-way-Jose" Mourinho had finally put all his eggs in one basket and been fired, I've only just heard his first album "trouble". It's folk music. EEK! I never thought I would express an interest in that category but like everything else......it grows on you. Like mould on cheese left behind the lettuce at the back of the fridge. A little bit Paul Simon, a little bit Jeff Buckley, a little bit Van Morrison but mainly a huge amount of talent lyrically with a vocal similarity to a grit-soaked whisky and honey toddy without the spoon!

The "trouble" with Ray simply put is I need another fix

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Tags: folk, music, ray la montagne,

 
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niicboyniicboy [Member]
2007-09-24 @ 22:10

Call Mary Whitehouse!

The outrage - she disses a little innocent digging in the warm sand while SHE has turned into a cardigan wearing, real ale drinking, pipe smoking, corduroy loving, folk music appreciator!

The egg's finally cracked (& that even sounds like a folk song)

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eggbodeggbod [Member]
http://wordworld.blog.co.uk
2007-09-25 @ 06:24

You leave my corduRay outta this!

Besides I can feel a chill in th air

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Just_A_GuyJust_A_Guy [Member]
2007-09-25 @ 07:21

Fine music Miss Bod.

Old! Pah!

(groans as stands up to make tea!)

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eggbodeggbod [Member]
http://wordworld.blog.co.uk
2007-09-25 @ 08:14

I suspect the groans originate from mucking "abart" kite surfing or hill arse-tobogganing in't lakes.

Or even extreme rucksack carrying.

He is good tho' - Ray. Have you heard any of his stuff? Mellow but with a brutal fragility. Fuck I sound like the Brian Sewell of the muso generation!

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Just_A_GuyJust_A_Guy [Member]
2007-09-25 @ 14:58

I down loaded his album this weekend, but I've had 'Trouble' for ages. Type it into YouTube and you get loads of different live versions. Classic. Not sure about the beard though. Makes him look like Forrest Gump running!

As for Brian Sewell, you can critique like him all you want. As long as you dont start to look like him.

(Shudder........gazing longingly at the new Bod on hols photos)

Going up 'The Old Man of Coniston' tomorrow. He doesn't know it yet, its going to suprise him ;)

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eggbodeggbod [Member]
http://wordworld.blog.co.uk
2007-09-26 @ 07:27

You see, that's why I said I'm always the last to latch onto the bandwagon. I think I prefer "Trouble" to the later album but they are both excellent albums.

I hope "the Old Man of Coniston" is prepared. You don't wanna be responsible for his heart murmurs.

And take a map, swiss army knife and a bar of chocolate....and naturally your gortex anorak!!

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Just_A_GuyJust_A_Guy [Member]
2007-09-27 @ 12:10

The Old Man had a reprieve, we went here instead

http://www.mapmyrun.com/hike/united-kingdom/wastwater-cumbria/260342176

The bit between the 1 and 2 mile mark was torturous, but it was very scenic. You're are showing you age, its energy bars and Gerber knives these days!

Legs are achy today, need massage. Care to help?

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deleted user [Visitor]

2007-09-25 @ 15:16

Ray is brilliant - Flicky introduced me to him and now he's a permanent fixture on my playlist.

Brian Sewell is brilliant - I heard him on one of the Radio 4 6:30 comedy slots once, and was in stitches all the way home :))

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eggbodeggbod [Member]
http://wordworld.blog.co.uk
2007-09-26 @ 07:31

I'm always a latecomer to anything with outstanding talent...

But I was keen on that guy you had on your site a while back. The Canadian accoustic guitar player. His talent with that guitar was scary.

Are we talking about the same Brian Sewell. The art critique with voice sounding like "he has his own foot up his arse"?

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jackfrostjackfrost pro
2007-09-25 @ 20:38

Just for you ...if you haven't been there
.
http://www.myspace.com/raylamontagne
.
:wave:

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eggbodeggbod [Member]
http://wordworld.blog.co.uk
2007-09-26 @ 07:22

Without fear of favouritism that was an inspired choice as that is MY personal favourite on that album.

Thanks J ;)

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ianrthorpeianrthorpe [Member]
2007-09-26 @ 17:47

Folk music is just music of the people, anyone who expresses horror at the phrase is terminally pretentious. I'm not sure Ray Lamontaigne fits into the category though, bland is a word that springs to mind. Still eaxch to their own. Watch out for a link to Brother Bastion on my blog in the next couple of days, now THAT is music to liven up the catatonic (except James Blunt fans of course)

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eggbodeggbod [Member]
http://wordworld.blog.co.uk
2007-09-26 @ 22:27

I must take umbrage sir.............

Bland? I think not. But "to each their own" as you expressed earlier

James Blunt (an unfortunate name if ever there was one) and I may concur. Bland/You're Beautiful/Blunt - muzak for the masses. Toons for the geriatic generation. Seroxat for the soul

But not my Ray. It's folk with poke.

"I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour and heaven knows I'm miserable now....

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ianrthorpeianrthorpe [Member]
2007-09-27 @ 15:49

Precisely what I mean, the line is a paraphrse of a Richard Thompson song from the 1980. Singing other people's songs is a perfectly respectable way for a musician to earn a crust, but writing other peoples' songs is just not on. I had not come across that line before but I am always struck by how "derivative" the songs of this new generation of songwriters are.

Have you ever listened to Tom Waits? Now that guy has poke, he's edgy, subversive, knowing and decadent. By comparison Ray LM is just pink syrup. Or as my son, a professional singer, put it "music for people who don't like music." ;-)

From Heartattack and Vine by Tom Waits:

"...don't you know there ain't no devil,
it's just God when he's drunk,
this stuff will probably kill you,
let's do another line.....

You see, Tom has been to hell and back, Ray could probably not even go to Hull and back without a bodyguard.

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Dug Falby [Visitor]
http://www.donkeyontheedge.com
2007-09-30 @ 21:22

Hey, if you're liking it, go for it:-)

I'm currently struggling with a guilty pleasure of my own. I'm not supposed to like top-40 stuff but I recently discovered Amy Winehouse and I just can't stop listening to her...

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