Steve Leggett, All Music Guide

Ray LaMontagne was born in New Hampshire, but as he put it, his family was "just passing through." His parents split up shortly after his birth, and his mother began a pattern of moving her six children wherever she could find employment and housing, which meant LaMontagne grew up as the perennial new kid in school (when and if he went to school at all). He did graduate high school, however, and found himself working in a shoe factory in Maine when he heard Stephen Stills' "Tree Top Flyer" on the radio. The song amounted to an epiphany for LaMontagne, and he made up his mind on the spot to become a singer and musician.

By the summer of 1999 he had put together a ten-song demo tape of his songs, and that demo found its way into the hands of Jamie Ceretta at Chrysalis Music Publishing. The publishing house signed the young songwriter and teamed him with producer Ethan Johns in the studio, resulting in LaMontagne's debut album, Trouble, which was picked up by RCA Records and released in the fall of 2004. With a voice that sounds at times like a huskier, sandpaper version of Van Morrison or Tim Buckley and a tight, emotional writing style, LaMontagne impressed critics with such songs as the title tune, "Trouble," and the cinematic style of pieces like "Narrow Escape."

Ben Heege, Amazon.com

Some singer/songwriters (think Paul Westerberg and Elliott Smith) develop their world-weariness through the unforgiving trials of passing years and the heart-breaking grind of the music business. Others (Van Morrison, Neil Young) seem to have sprung from out of nowhere with the fully formed soul of a life well-lived. Ray LaMontagne belongs with the latter. On this, his debut, LaMontagne has crafted a handful of quietly devastating meditations on life and love--and delivered them with a raspy vocal all his own. The simple, mournful lyrics of "Burn," "Shelter" and the title track recall a Hank Williams ballad, and the reserved production by alt-country/americana genius Ethan Johns (the Jayhawks, Ryan Adams, Kings of Leon) make this a great disc for smoky Saturday nights, and rainy Sunday mornings.

William Pearl, Barnes & Noble

The first thing that grabs you is the voice. Rough yet instantly gripping, soaring in its passion, immediate in its authenticity; a lived-in vocal tone that speaks of hard times and hope. Then the quality of the writing hits you and you realize you're in the presence of a shining new talent. Ray LaMontagne is a singer-songwriter whose music can call to mind other memorable troubadours including Van Morrison, Ted Hawkins, David Gray, and even Tracy Chapman, yet LaMontagne always remains his own man. Working hand-in-hand with producer Ethan Johns -- famed for his work with Ryan Adams and Counting Crows, Johns provided the majority of the instrumental textures supporting LaMontagne's guiding acoustic guitar -- LaMontagne burrows deep into his songs, turning each performance into a compelling narrative replete with drama and emotional release. Accessible and distinct melodies harnessed by well-constructed hooks keep each song from descending into hermetic personal reverie. The sincerity of LaMontagne's emotive delivery and his unflinching honesty as a songwriter stand in recognizable contrast to the bathetic navel-gazing of his peers. As one listen to this impressive debut will announce, Ray LaMontagne is the real deal.

Lucy Davies, BBC

"Over a period of years I taught myself to sing from the gut and not from the nose."

So says Ray Lamontagne about his long journey from a factory worker to a singer-songwriter who has created a timeless album of graceful, genuine songs about heartbreak, vulnerability and hope.

Ray had been working in a shoe factory for four years, when one day he awoke at 4am, in the same manner as usual, to the sounds of "Treetop Flyer" by Stephen Stills on his clock radio. He missed work that day to get a copy of the album and then left his job so he could be become a musician. And so his music education began, he spent a huge amount of time intensely listening to Crosby, Stills & Nash, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Ray Charles and Otis Redding.

Lamontagne's voice is strong but with a quaver and a dry, rasping quality that hints at an inside breakability. It took Lamontagne over 3 years since his epiphany before he could start looking for gigs. He would tell himself; "You just have to find your voice, it's in there". This was someone who had problems speaking to people, let alone singing to them.

The subject matter of the album is doubtless inspired by a lifetime of travelling around with his mother and five siblings. Themes such as shelter and companionship reoccur. The story of the factory worker from Maine is certainly romantic, but how does the music stand up?

I love it. He manages to make typical singer-songwriter three chord fodder, with subject matter that's been heard a thousand times before, sound interesting and fresh. The title track, "Trouble" tells the original blues tale: "Trouble been doggin' my soul since the day I was born...worry just will not seem to leave my mind alone." On the other hand, "Forever My friend", with a backdrop of bongos and shakers and an irregular meter, is a song of pure unbridled optimism. "How Come" speaks for many, letting rip with the lyrics "I said how come, I can't tell, the free world from living hell?".

The album's success is not without the aid of Ethan Johns, whose production skills, string arrangements, bass playing, drumming and percussion could be responsible for turning Trouble into something special.

As Lamontagne says; "Life is so difficult, the thing about music is that you can take deep things that hurt you and turn them into something beautiful." If this album were to be the result of one man's life, and he finds there isn't another in him, I think this would be understandable. A classic - listen incessantly.

Personnel include: Ray LaMontagne (vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica); Jennifer Stills (vocals); Ethan Johns (guitar, piano, harmonium, bass instrument, drums, percussion); Sara Watkins (fiddle, background vocals).

Every once in a while a singer/songwriter comes down the pike in the grand emotive tradition of Neil Young and Van Morrison. In the early 2000s, the quietly intense folk of Iron & Wine and the rootsy-experimental stylings of Sufjan Stevens continued that lineage. Ray LaMontagne, whose impressive 2004 debut, TROUBLE, draws on alt-country, roots rock, and progressive folk in a unique, strikingly sincere way, seems a likely candidate for the keeper of the flame. The title track, which opens the album, introduces LaMontagne's deeply textured singing. Simultaneously raw, lilting, and expansive, LaMontagne's voice bristles with emotion, and immediately commands the listener's attention. Though the instrumentation on the album rarely changes--strummed acoustic guitar, tasteful string arrangements, bass, drums, and electric guitar for accents--the moods shift subtly from song to song. "Burn" is harrowingly intimate and hushed, while "How Come" works a shuffling groove and "Hold You in My Arms" has a wistful, waltz-like feel. LaMontagne's lyrics, strong on narrative detail and vivid imagery, are the crowning touch on these moving songs of love and loss. TROUBLE is so well realized, in fact, that it sometimes belies the truth that this is the artist's first effort.

Andy Langer, Austin Chronicle, September 17th 2004

Stephen Stills owes Ray Lamontagne a beer. In Rolling Stone's "2004 Hot List," the magazine's Hot Songwriter nominee explained how hearing Stills' "Treetop Flyer" led him to quit his factory job to pursue music.
"Some people find Jesus," says the 31-year-old from Maine. "I found Stephen Stills."

His debut has been in stores less than a week, but Lamontagne's already begun developing a cult of his own: If they haven't already, somebody you trust will soon tell you to buy his Trouble. It's the kind of album music lovers tell music lovers about: 10 straightforward, magnificent songs of self-doubt and hard living.

"They're really just simple songs," says Lamontagne, who grew up off the grid, with his mother sheltering her family in parked cars, backyard tents, and converted chicken coops.

"I'm not an intellectual. It's very heart-on-your-sleeve. And a lot of it comes from a dark place -- a really self-destructive period. I hope that doesn't turn people off."

Hardly. His is the bellowing voice of two Al Greens stacked head-to-toe. It's a knock-you-on-your-ass voice, the voice of obvious sincerity. In fact, fans at a string of recent Los Angeles and New York showcases have testified online that Lamontagne cried onstage.

"I'm right in there, feeling everything, and it can get exhausting," he says. "Night after night of being on that edge of songs written during a sad, sad time gets difficult. I've talked to my manager and booking agent about spacing the shows some. I'm afraid I'll wreck."

The wreck we needn't worry about is from the Hot Lists, four-star reviews, and "next Norah Jones" buzz going to his head.

"I'm realistic," he says. "I know damn well that next year, if not next month, there's going to be somebody else everyone is psyched about. I'm going to be old news real fast. Maybe the momentum could carry over to the next record and people who like the shows and the songs will stick with me and see where it goes next. That's all I can hope for."

Colin Weston, Drowned in Sound

Once in a while an artist comes to prominence almost out of their era. An artist who reminds you of times past and stands up as well as any of their peers. In 2004 one of these artists is preparing to step in to the spotlight and his name is Ray Lamontagne.

Originally from New Hampshire and aged 31, a series of chance meeting and opportunities have lead to this debut album, but it wasn't fate that gave this man a voice to melt and break your heart at the same time; that was pure god given talent. Throughout all 10 tracks of this album he uses it to the optimum. From the opening moments of 'Trouble' the scene is set with Ray putting every drop of emotion he has in to each word. Sounding like the long lost U.S. twin of Joe Cocker and backed by a near-acoustic backline throughout, the record is solely focused on one man, his words and voice. 'Hold You In My Arms' owes much to Dorothy Moore classic 'Misty Blue' while 'Narrow Escape' evokes images of Bob Dylan in his heyday. And that is what makes this album so compelling. This could have been released at any time over the last 30 years and it would still hold relevance and be a leading album in the genre.

This is the kind of guy you see on Jools Holland in-between Embrace and Ladysmith Black Mambazo (or Interpol & Elton John as he was on the show); an artist who you have never heard of but has the potential to change your life in a moment. You can see him as the next Jeff Buckley or Van Morrison perhaps or another potential chart breaker like Damien Rice or Ryan Adams but however you see it, this is a fantastic debut which leaves you both emotionally drained and still wanting more.

L. Keane, Hybrid Magazine

Every once in a great while, a record comes along that contains all of the ingredients to make it an instant classic. Ray LaMontagne's new release Trouble is one such record. Hearing one of these songs on the radio, one is sure to recognize the instantly accessible sound, the righteous vocals, and the truly great musicality. But the truly great experience comes when listening to the full record, song after song of blissful melody and easy rhythm. From the album opener "Trouble" through to the closing notes of "All The Wild Horses", Trouble is packed with the kind of rock music that wraps itself calmly around your heart and squeezes, instilling warmth and a peaceful sense of well-being. The songs tend to be a bit downbeat, similar in cast to the archetypal Van Morrison Tupelo Honey-era. Lush string accompaniments fill out the slow-down of songs like "Shelter", creating a memorable and calming resting place amidst the daily storms of life. A little bit of Bob Dylan's spirit breaks loose on "Narrow Escape", all acoustic guitars, howling harmonicas, and gruff vocals. "Burn" has an airy and complex quality that recalls the early years of David Gray, while maintaining a more vintage-era rock-folk tone. Perfect acoustic guitars provide the main rhythms and add a glorious spiritual uplift on "Forever My Friend". Turning on the lo-fi yet clean on "All The Wild Horses", LaMontagne leaves the heart with a sense of complete fulfillment, yet also a longing for more.

The songwriting on Trouble is incredible, showing the world that Ray LaMontagne is no flash in the pan. The lyrics are filled with a mysterious depth and heart-wrenching honesty that is amplified with LaMontagne's forthright delivery. This is not a record for background listening, although it would play the part well, but is more suited to periods of calm meditation and introspection.

Pop Matters, Austin L. Ray, December 2nd, 2005

Astral Weeks was one hell of a record. Lester Bangs worshipped it, but your mom probably does too, which is something you just can't say about many albums. Although perhaps Van Morrison is still best known for the wedding reception and classic rock radio fodder of "Brown Eyed Girl", none of his albums stand up to the sheer beauty of his 1968 classic. Alas, he's getting old. His recent material, while certainly not horrible, just doesn't stand up to records like the aforementioned and Tupelo Honey. This is oftentimes to be assumed, though. We'll gladly let him fade slowly into the golden land of singer-songwriters, won't we? After all, we owe him for the piles of great tunes. And besides, we've got Ray LaMontagne.

Long winded explanations aside, calling the young LaMontagne the "modern day Van Morrison" is obviously hyperbolic and a bit silly really, but listening to his debut album, Trouble, it's easy to see how the overstatement gets placed on the songwriter's shoulders. On the opening, title track, LaMontagne repeats the world "trouble" in a slow, world-weary way that one can't help but think of Morrison's trademark wordplay. "Hold You in My Arms" similarly echoes the romantic sentiment of Morrison's "Sweet Thing". Through acoustic guitar, breathy vocals, and often prominent bass, LaMontagne does indeed strongly evoke the old Irish master's work.

But is that all there is to LaMontagne? Not really, but his best tunes are the ones that sound like updated versions of Morrison outtakes. On "Forever My Friend", LaMontagne picks up the pace a bit, seemingly striving to place a bubblier pop number amidst a collection of beautiful, sad bastard music. Unfortunately, in his cheerier moments like this one, the material doesn't shine as much. In such instances, it's easier to compare him to the increasingly mediocre output of John Mayer. Luckily, these moments are fairly rare on Trouble.

Aiding LaMontagne in no small way throughout the album is an excellent cast of musical contributors. Producer Ethan Johns lends his percussion, piano, and additional guitar and bass work and a five-piece string section peppers some of Trouble's best tracks. Additionally, Nickel Creek's Sara Watkins plays fiddle and sings backing vocals on the contemplative "Hannah". While in many situations, this kind of musical fleshing out will dilute a talented songwriter's work, the accompaniment here agreeably gels with LaMontagne's vision.

Based on this natural talent alone, LaMontagne probably has quite a future ahead of him. Likely his legend won't inflate to that of Morrison's, but if his current nation-combing tour is any indication, he'll be doing all right for a while. The fun part will be seeing what's next. He's got the solid debut under his belt -- now comes the tricky part of building on it.

Donna Swabey, The Reservoir

There are few traditional singer-songwriters whose voices are strong enough to carry the emotions they express in their songs, but Ray LaMontagne is the exception.
In essence, the ten songs on his debut album Trouble are simple love songs about an ordinary life, but the unconventional beauty of LaMontagne's voice is enough to make you sit up and listen. This isn't the whitewashed overproduced serenity of Norah Jones, although it could quite easily fit into the AOR coffee table category, nor is it the overwrought warblings of yet another David Gray. This is heartfelt emotion without the histrionics and with all the gloss stripped away. It sounds real.

The songs are simple in structure, the lyrics are anything but contrived and the instrumentation consists largely of standard instruments, with subtle flashes of harmonium and a string section, including Nickel Creek's Sarah Watkins and producer Ethan Johns' piano. Holding it all together though is LaMontagne's voice, quite obviously the driving force behind the whole shebang. And that's a rare thing.

LaMontagne's style echoes so many other singers that to list them would be pointless. It's not a sham and he's not a copyist. His voice crackles and breaks with emotion, with a gravelly, heartbreaking hoarse quality. It's not unique but it works and bestills the listener into feeling those emotions along with him.

'Trouble', the album's title track, sits somewhere on the soul/country spectrum, and hits the tingle factor within a matter of bars. 'Narrow Escape' is a simpler folk number, with slack drumming, harmonica and lush vocal harmonies provided by Jennifer Stills. 'Forever My Friend' positively hums with the joy of finding your soulmate. 'How Come', one of the livelier country songs on the album is a mild mannered protest song that plays with rhythm with tinges of the blues.

The album was recorded in two weeks, just enough time to capture the heartbreak emotions of Ray LaMontagne's message without drowning it with overproduction. Despite their apparent simplicity, these songs are neither immediately catchy nor singalong, but they will grow on you and leave a serene smile on the listeners face.

Robert Christgau, The Village Voice, November 22nd, 2005

I admire LaMontagne, who's had nothing handed to him. But it bodes ill that the Stephen Stills album that moved him to quit his factory job was a '90s one. Just as we live in a world where some radio stations get on Stills's latest, we live in a world where some record buyers suck up folk-rock verities—to which LaMontagne adds nothing but a backstory. Since his admirers bring up Van Morrison, it is my duty to report that he lacks Morrison's voice, poetry, Gaelic soul, and r&b feel—in other words, everything that once made Van worth bringing up. Nothing lasts forever, folk-rock included.

© Frank Steven Groen