till the sun turns black

is the second album from ray lamontagne
it's been out for a while but i only bought the cd a week ago
and have been listening to it a lot since then
tonight i was driving for quite a while
and played it through twice
in the dark and the rain and the fog
the conditions were perfect for the album
for it needs attention and no distractions
i first read about him a couple of years ago
when he released his first album
seems he had a very sad and violent childhood
in new england in old u s of a
lives in a hand built log cabin
his instrument is acoustic guitar
his voice is slightly husky
and his songs are gentle but powerful
be here now
is the opening track
it is a gift of a song
sounds like it has lived forever
bought tears to my eyes the first 6 or so times
now i just listen in awe
dont let your heart get heavy
child inside you there's a strength that lies
dont let you soul get lonely
child it's only time it will go by
guitar, piano and strings arranged beautifully
empty
picks up the pace
it sounds familiar
but it's the arrangement again
violin and cello out front with the guitar
well i looked my demons in the eyes
laid my chest bare said do your best to destroy me
you see i been to hell and back so many times
that i have to admit that you bore me
no relation at all but
i'm thinking waterboys circa fisherman's blues
which can only be a good thing
barfly
is the third track
it's ok but it's up against some tough competition
three more days
is the song for the band
that wouldn't be out of place
on a springsteen and the e street band record
can i stay
is the quiet one and the love song
voice and violins
and contains the curious wish
can i stay with you till the morning
there's nothing i want more than to wake up on your floor
(methinks he needs to lift his goals a little)
but it's a lovely tune
you can bring me flowers
has the band and brass backing up
and a flute solo
as he pines for a love gone wrong
gone away from me
continues the theme
and introduces a mandolin
that sounds so clear in the openness
of the sound production that is found across the whole album
lesson learned
is a straightforward little ditty
some more love gone wrong lyrics
and the inclusion of what sounds like a classical guitar
which is also featured on
truely, madly, deeply
a brief but beautiful instrumental track
till the sun turns black
the title track
brings back the string section
as he opines about wasted time and wasted lives
can you see the young and pretty confident as cops
blooming, laughing in the shops
till the sun turns black
can you see the old and lonely
walking through the park pushing grocery carts
till the sun turns black
and you hardly notice the segue into
within you
the anthemic closer to the album
it has john lennon stamped all over it
there's drums and tambourines
and a rousing chorus
war is not the answer
the answer is within
he's big in england apparantly
the smart woman's james blunt they say
not sure about that
but he's going to be around for a lot longer
and anyway missy higgins loves him
she said so publicly
she supported him on a u.s. tour
maybe she will return the compliment
before he gets to be too famous
....i reckon