Supernova
Sony Music
Ray LaMontagne rarely gives interviews and is said to be a very private fellow. It is hard to know if this is due to the fact his background included being a shoe salesman or that he drew pictures of Dungeons & Dragons as a child, but either way it’s difficult to know what he has been doing in the four years between albums.
Supernova is LaMontagne’s fifth full-length and continues his reputation as a unique voice on the musical landscape. The smooth sounds that sit somewhere between classic rock and roots music is still at the forefront even if the teaming up with Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach has added some more diverse twists.
The title track is as up tempo as LaMontagne has been throughout his career and is a brightly delivered standout that even has a hint of Rod Stewart circling around it. Julia on the other hand, is sonically dirtier than expected from LaMontagne even though it tends to go up and down on the same spot for the most part.
Supernova sees LaMontagne embracing some modern techniques to add to his love of yesteryear. Sadly this collection of tunes is just not worth all the extra effort.
CHRIS HAVERCROFT
