Ray LaMontagne
Part of the Light
(Sony)
3/5
Ray LaMontagne is back with his seventh studio LP, Part of the Light, a return to form after the 2016 Pink Floyd-inspired concept album, Ouroboros. Part of the Light is more reminiscent of 2014’s Dan Auerbach-produced Supernova.
Musically, LaMontagne is drifting. The first single, “Such a Simple Thing,” is a good song with the feel of a Rolling Stones ballad, and “As Blood as Black is Blue” is a bass-driven blues track that nods to Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, but these tracks seem out of place surrounded by folk songs. Part of the Light has the feel of a compilation with no hits on it.
At his best, LaMontagne is one of the best folk/rock singers around, with a powerful and raspy voice reminiscent of Joe Cocker and Otis Redding. But on this album, his singing doesn’t lead his sound the way it did on his earlier folk albums. While LaMontagne fans will find something they like in the driving guitars, melodic folk tunes, and smoky vocals, there is nothing here that will bring rock ‘n’ roll back to mainstream prominence.
LaMontagne is a world-class musician, and all of the components of a great rock album are present here, but Part of the Light has a retro feel that seems contrived and overproduced at times.