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Dec 11, 2024 Web Exclusive By Marina Malin

It’s a summer night and the night sky is settling in. There’s a crisp air that cradles curious bugs. The heat of the bonfire accompanies a mountain breeze that kisses your skin. The fire cracks in your ears and in this moment, you’re wholly content, overcome with sentimental gratitude. You can smile, you can dance, you can sing, and you may even cry over how simple it all is. This is the atmosphere that Long Way Home embraces.

Ray LaMontagne’s latest album is uncontroversial with its simplistic folk guitar and vocal tendencies. There’s a sense of devotion and gratitude for the moment. Bluesy undertones and the occasional harmonica accompany the lightness of the record. LaMontagne’s loyalty and earnestness is a comforting presence that reassures the listener of the preciousness of humans.

LaMontagne meets Long Way Home with a newfound maturity in storytelling that strays away from the romantic gestures he was once known for. Album opener “Step Into Your Power” is the type of song our world needs, with uncompromisable support and the right amount of encouragement. “Le De Dum, La De Da” is a beautiful wordless ballad thats power speaks for itself. We don’t need substance to be entertained. The haze is placed in the middle of the record, granting the listener a moment of regrounding, taking us to an internal place where our mind can explore its deepest desires.
Even though there are no musical elements worthy to hold on to in Long Way Home, LaMontagne evokes sentimental feelings of authenticity. The record may bore you with its stable and at times, underwhelming nature, but I am of the belief that we need more artists that will reconnect us to slowness. (www.raylamontagne.com)

Author rating: 6.5/10