Ray LaMontagne

Till the Sun Turns Black, Ray LaMontagne's latest, doesn't voyage into new musical territory. The songs draw from traditional sources such as blues, folk and R&B, using familiar instrumentation (acoustic guitars, strings, brass) to underpin and augment LaMontagne's scratchy voice. Nevertheless, this simplicity only amplifies the impact of the songs,...

By Michael Roberts

November 16, 2006

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Till the Sun Turns Black, Ray LaMontagne's latest, doesn't voyage into new musical territory. The songs draw from traditional sources such as blues, folk and R&B, using familiar instrumentation (acoustic guitars, strings, brass) to underpin and augment LaMontagne's scratchy voice. Nevertheless, this simplicity only amplifies the impact of the songs, which coalesce to create an emotionally raw chronicle of love and loss. Not that LaMontagne makes the mistake of equating volume with intensity: Throughout "Empty," he hardly raises his voice, yet there's no mistaking the passion behind couplets such as "Well, I looked my demons in the eyes/Lay bare my chest/ Said, 'Do your best/Destroy me.'" This material doesn't constitute easy listening; the tunes clearly take a toll on the singer that anyone hearing it can feel. But the purity of the music made by LaMontagne -- who joins Dos Lobos for an e-town taping at the Boulder Theater and headlines at the Paramount -- causes Sun to shine.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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