Gravel vs. Air

I had never heard of Ray LaMontagne before Death Match '99, so I came into my first listen of "Gossip in the Grain" with an open mind. My initial thoughts were that the music was pleasant, but I didn't find it too memorable. So I gave it several more tries over the last few weeks.

The album kicks off nicely with the toe-tapping "You are the best thing," but then slows down a bit for the next few pleasant but pleasant songs. Lots of airy dreaminess, lots of songs to lovers (at least I imagined), lots of stuff that makes one think of sitting on the beach as the sun goes down, shared with that special someone (more on that in a minute) sitting close by. "I still care for you" was better than pleasant, with a nice change of pace in the middle...I imagine it has provided drama to a WB episode or two (and I mean that in a good way). Then I got to a song that did grab me: "Meg White." Interesting...beautiful...a little weird...and still airy. It took me a moment to figure out that it was indeed about Meg White (I don't always hear lyrics too well), rather than some generic Meg White. But I also had to wonder--how many different women does this dude sing about? There's a song "Sarah," and there are a few other romantic-sounding tunes that don't sound like they're about Sarah, and I couldn't get it out of my head that I was listening to a college kid hung up on a string of infatuations, and that took much of the charm away.

Ray, I think you have a wonderful voice, and the music is lovely, but nothing stands out.

Tom Waits is about as much of the anti-Ray LaMontagne as you could construct, and that filled me with hesitation and dread. Everybody loves Tom Waits. That didn't strike me as all that fair to Mr. LaMontagne or to me.

And I'm glad I held off looking at reviews until after I had a few times through "Mule Variations." There seemed to be two themes: 1) Tom Waits is really good, and this album isn't bad, or 2) None of you idiots knows good music, and if you're critical of this album, it's only because you know deep down in your soul that you could only dream of some day writing a song that is remotely close to his worst music. Lucky for me I didn't have to deal with jerks voicing 2).

Up to a point I can hear it with "Mule Variations," but not completely. It's clear that Waits is good...it just wasn't clear that I liked it. Waits employs tremendous variety in tunes, rhythm, instruments (they say he keeps mixing things up to challenge himself), and though I'm still not sure I'd be interested in hearing his voice for 50 minutes at a time, songs like "Cold Water" "Big in Japan" and "Picture in a Frame" are really good.

I have to admit that I don't know what to do with "What's he building in there?" I get what it's about...people worrying about and gossiping about someone who is different without bothering to talk to him...but after once through, I'm done with it. This song is the perfect reason to go digital--you could program things once and then never have to bother getting up to hit skip again.

So I suppose this is it, then. I found "Gossip in the Grain" easier on the ears than "Mule Variations," but I find MV more interesting and am fairly certain it would have more staying power in my collection.

Much to everyone's surprise, Tom Waits moves to the next round.