Ray LaMontagne has a sense of humour.

[ForeverAutumn]

Who knew?!

Not the best song on the new Gossip in the Grain, but a pretty funny one complete with a simple White Stripes type drum beat.

Meg White
You’re alright
In fact, I think you’re pretty swell
Can’t you tell?

Meg White
Such a pretty thing
I saw your face on the cover
Of a magazine

Some day (some day)
I’d like (I’d like)
To take a walk with you
Maybe ride our bikes down by the sea side

Meg White
I saw you on the big screen
Oh, Jack was king, but you stole the scene

Meg White
Baby, you’re the bomb
Oh, Jack is great don’t get me wrong
But this is your song

Some day (some day)
I’d like (I’d like)
To take a walk with you
Talk about most anything you’d like to talk about
And watch the sun going down
Going down

Playin’ those drums is hard to do
It’s true
And nobody plays them quite like you do

Meg White
You’re alright
In fact, I think you’re pretty swell
Can’t you tell?

Meg White
Such a pretty thing
I saw your face on the cover of a magazine

Some day (some day)
I’d like (I’d like)
To take a walk with you
Maybe ride our bikes down by the sea side
And watch the sun going down
Going down

After a couple of listens of the new disk, it’s a good one. But after seeing him perform most of the songs live, I knew it would be. A little different than his previous disks in that it’s a bit louder and more upbeat which is quickly evident when the CD opens with a flourish of horns in the bluesy You Are The Best Thing.

Winter Birds is one of the most beautiful songs that I’ve heard in a very long time. This is the song that mesmerized the audience if you read my concert review, and is the highlight of the disk IMHO.

The title track, Gossip in the Grain is the weakest song on the disk IMO. I didn’t like it live and the CD hasn’t changed my opinion of it. But hey, two songs that I don’t like in three CDs is a damn good record (I don’t like Barfly either). And, lucky for me, it's the last song on the disk which makes it easy to skip by popping the disk out early.

Musically, this CD sees Ray come out of his shell a little. If he were more animated on stage you could almost see his concerts become lively with some of these tunes like Hey Me, Hey Mama and the train-filled Henry, Nearly Killed Me (It's a Shame). But having seen him live and then hearing the disk, the songs take on a more lively feel on CD, which is unfortunate for his performances. Hopefully, he can come out of his shell on stage like he's done here in the studio.

If you’re a fan of Ray’s, this disk is a must-have. If you’re not a fan of Ray’s, but you think you could be, this disk is a must-have. If you’re not a fan of Ray’s (what’s wrong with you?! ), it’s unlikely that this disk will change your mind, although not impossible with it's more upbeat tone.

[Finch Platte]

Ray's also getting laughs by putting the wrong discs in his new one.

D'oh!

[ForeverAutumn]

Well I think that's funny...but only because it didn't happen to me.