Anybody familiar with this artist? I read an artcle about him in the L.A. Weekly which left me intrigued.At the age of 21 he heard a Stephen Stills song on the radio & decided to be an artist & quit his factory job the next day. I've listened to the samples on Amazon & was very impressed, the dude got a beautiful voice,IMO.He's been getting rave reviews of his debut album. Here's an interview & a couple songs he did on a UK radio station.Available for the next 7 days..

http://s26.yousendit.com/...8JY4HOV1GD

I don't have his CD yet but I plan to.Fans of Jeff Buckley & Elliot Smith may like him He was on Letterman last night & will be on CBS Sat Early Show on 04/16/05.

http://www.raylamontagne.com



Allmusic.com review:

Review by Steve Leggett
The best songs on Trouble, the debut release from songwriter Ray LaMontagne, draw on deep wells of emotion, and with LaMontagne's sandpapery voice, which recalls a gruffer, more sedate version of Tim Buckley or an American version of Van Morrison, they seem to belie his years. The title tune, "Trouble," is an instant classic, sparse and maudlin (in the best sense), and songs like "Narrow Escape," a ragged, episodic waltz, are equally impressive, with careful, cinematic lyrics that tell believable stories of wounded-hearted refugees on the hard road of life and love. Most of the tracks fall into a midtempo shuffle rhythm, so the words have to carry a lot in order to avert a sort of dull sameness, and when it works, it works big, and when it doesn't, well, LaMontagne is so serious and sincere about his craft that you tend to forgive him instantly. Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek guests on "Hannah" and the sad, somber lullaby "All the Wild Horses," playing fiddle and adding vocals, and producer Ethan Johns adds drums and other touches on most tracks. The sound is measured and sparse, with few frills (a five-piece string section is used on a few tracks, but is never intrusive), all of which supports the emotional urgency of LaMontagne's writing. "How Come" sounds a bit like a rewrite of Dave Mason's "Feelin' Alright," and a couple of other cuts seem a bit labored, but overall this is an impressive debut by an extremely special songwriter.

[Edited 4/14/05 12:44pm]