Till The Sun Turns Black : Ray LaMontagne : Review : Rolling Stone

Ray LaMontagne's Till the Sun Turns Black might be the navel-gazing folkie record of the year: overly mellow acoustic poetry perfect for sensitive adults and Coldplay fans, courtesy of a demure bearded guy music-bizzers are all hyped up about. Darker and less lively than his debut, Till the Sun Turns Black works up gentle beauty and sweet, somnambulant melodies on songs like "Barfly" and the smitten ballad "Can I Stay"; elsewhere LaMontagne tosses in horns, strings and breezy keyboards. But neither his hushed murmur nor his raspy vocal swoops pack much charm or originality, and the same goes for his songs. He gets Van Morrison comparisons, but LaMontagne doesn't approach the Gaelic soul or deep undertow of Morrison's good stuff. Soundwise, LaMontagne is more like Nick Drake without the drama and emotion, or even a Windham Hill artist -- all airy beauty and not much backbone.