Man, I really need to listen to NPR. In case you haven’t heard, beginning yesterday, NPR Music is streaming the new Ray LaMontagne album, God Willin’ & The Creek Don’t Rise. AMAZING. I gave it a listen and fell in love with LaMontagne’s voice all over again. The album is distinctly more up-tempo than his past few records and I’d like to think that has something to do with the newly coined ‘Pariah Dogs,’ his four bandmates.
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| Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs |
NPR Music allows you to listen to individual songs OR to stream the whole album, from beginning to end. While I certainly recommend the latter, if you’ve got time constraints to worry about give “Repo Man” a listen. What a way to open the new album! “Repo Man” is an up-tempo, soulful stomper of a song that really sets the tone for the rest of the album.The album’s title track is another standout on the album, as is, of course, lead single “Beg Steal or Borrow” (listen below). The twangy folk “The Devil’s In The Jukebox” is another favorite and a strong closer to what shapes up to be a phenomenal album. God Willin’ & The Creek Don’t Rise is Ray’s fourth album and it might turn out to be one of his best. As much as I LOVE the slow, melancholy sound present on his last couple of albums, God Willin’ & The Creek Don’t Rise has an energy that I don’t think I have heard come out of those weathered pipes yet.
Singer/Songwriter and now producer – God Willin’ & The Creek Don’t Rise is the FIRST album Ray has produced himself. Recorded at Ray’s home in Western Massachusetts, the 10-track album is lead by first single “Beg Steal or Borrow” which currently sits in the Top 5 on the Adult Alternative airplay chart. Check out Ray on tour with ‘The Pariah Dogs’ this summer when he co-headlines with David Gray. Check out the album streaming on NPR Music now through the album’s release date on August 17th: http://www.npr.org/templates/
Tracklisting:
