22. February 2025
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Media Review

Ray LaMontagne – Long Way Home

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Ray LaMontagne - Long Way Home

Ray LaMontagne - Long Way Home
3.9

Rating

 3.9/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Lovely atmosphere
  • Very persomal and relatable style

Flyctory.com Cons

  • Just four new full-length songs
  • Here and there a bit of lengthy

Ray LaMontagne released his solo debut album at the age of 31. In the meantime, the folk and folk-rock musician steadily grew his audience. On 16th August 2024, he is releasing his ninth album overall. Here is my review of Long Way Home.

 

Ray LaMontagne – About The Artist

Raymond Charles Jack LaMontagne was born as one of six children in New Hampshire in 1973. His mother was a single mother. The family later moved to Utah. He initially pursued rather civil jobs like working in a shoe factory in Maine after his graduation. In the late 1990’s he felt inspired to pursue a musical career. In 1999, he had his first appearances as a support artist. In 2004, he finally released his debut album Trouble. The album has been a platinum record in the US, selling over half a million units there. However, in regards of chart placements, it was rather successful in Ireland and the United Kingdom, where it went into the Top 10 of the charts.

Boosted by that success, his career grew in North America as well as in other parts of the world. His fourth studio album, the 2010 God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise, was Top 4 in the USA and Canada. However, it was also in the Top 30 of Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. LaMontagne’s most recent release was the 2020 album Monovision.

 

Ray LaMontagne – Long Way Home – Track by Track

The nine track album lasts 32 minutes.

1. Step Into Your Power

The album starts with two already released songs. The opener is Step Into Your Power, which is a groovy track with choir-alike background vocals. Especially the change between solo vocalist LaMontange and these singers leads to a catching and entertaining listen. I feel that a little more energy would make this song even better.

2. I Wouldn’t Change A Thing

The second song is a very nicely flowing song. Again, the artist is making use of background vocalists. The song is majorly concentrating on its storytelling – and this works out very well. Really like it.

3. Yearning

The first previously unreleased song on Long Way Home is Yearning. The style of the song is similar. LaMontagne is very lyrical, the song gives a nice personal touch. The organ is adding a lovely touch to the song with its scattered appearances.

4. And They Called Her California

And They Called Her California opens with harmonica tunes. However, the song is majorly driven by the strumming guitar, which is underlining the folk music spirit of the song. A really lovely Americana listen.

5. La De Dum, La De Da

La De Dum, La De Da is comparably short. The just 2:43 minute track almost feels like an instrumental, the vocal side majorly adds sounds and undefined words like the one in the final. This leads to a interlude-alike character.

6. My Lady Fair

My Lady Fair (not vice versa) adds a more joyful and peppy song to the album. Even though it is also fun digging into the story of the song, the versatile instrumental part of the sixth track is more of the heart of it.

7. The Way Things Are

With 4:03 minutes, the song is just the longest one of the album. It feels quite dreamy and is majorly based on a tootling acoustic guitar. This also leads to a very intimate touch of the song.

8. So, Damned, Blue

So, Damned, Blue is full instrumental. It continues with the dreamy touch of the predecessor. Due to its 1:47 minutes duration, it definitely rather takes an interlude role.

9. Long Way Home

The slow title track is concluding the album. The guitar play reminds of the interlude before. However, there is a wider instrumentation in this one. And, of course, Ray LaMontagne is back on the microphone. Long Way Home closes the album in a very atmospheric way.

 

Ray LaMontagne – Long Way Home – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotify:

 

Ray LaMontagne – Long Way Home – My View

Long Way Home is a very personal and atmospheric album. However, it feels lengthy here and there. If you exclude the interludes, you get an album of seven songs, three of them already released. This leads to a certain downside during the listen.

Favorite Song: And They Call Her California

 

Folk Music Posts in 2024

Here are all my Music & Media posts related to folk music published in 2024:

 

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