Review: Ray Lamontagne, Usher Hall

Published on Wednesday 9 September 2009 09:46

Ray Lamontagne ****, Usher Hall

FOR a guy who doesn't say very much, Ray Lamontagne doesn't half talk a lot. The 36-year-old is about as well known for his lack of between-song banter as his beautifully written songs. But last night, at the newly-refurbished Usher Hall, the singer-songwriter surprised just about everyone with a lengthy, and witty dialogue not even he could have predicted.

"New Hampshire!" someone shouted out – a place that also happens to be the where Lamontage is from.

"New Hampshire, huh?" the painfully shy singer replied. "It's the black sheep of New England. Crazy drivers there – they never use their turn signals."

A cry of acknowledgment shouts back from the audience.

"Yeah, see, I've driven behind you," laughs Lamontagne (another sight rarely, if ever, seen before). "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" the shouter slams back, the audience bursting into laughter simultaneously. "I'm from Virginia."

"Well, you got me there," Lamontagne smiled, barely believing he was actually conversing from the stage, for once.

And that was about as talkative and animated Lamontagne got all night, preferring, as usual, to let his music do the talking. This was Lamontagne's fourth visit to the Capital in recent years, and with his third album, Gossip In The Grain, to promote, he didn't disappoint; material from his latest offering showcasing a more lazy, laid-back Americana approach than his previous deep soul effort, Till The Sun Turns Black.

Backed by a female bassist, a drummer itching to be let off the leash, and a lap steel player whose instrument could be best described as an electric coffee table, Lamontagne looked more like a saloon bartender from the Wild West than a cutting edge songwriter. But he is, and with new tunes such as Let It Be Me and I Still Care For You coming across as modern, beautifully-crafted prayers, there is no doubting he is a songwriter at the top of his game. Indeed, while older, familiar favourites like Hold Me In Your Arms and Trouble were received like angels from heaven, rockier gems in the shape of Hey Me Hey Mama, and a tune blasted out via a distorted-sounding harmonica, indicated Lamontage can still pen a good, old-fashioned toe-tapper when he wants to.

And yet while there certainly wasn't much in the way of visual delights to feast on during his 90 minutes on stage, this was simply one of those gigs where the only thing to do was sit back, relax and enjoy. That said, producer, Ethan Johns, came out towards the end to sing along and bang the tambourine, but the best moments, as they say, were left to last. With his band having departed the stage, Lamontagne soothed any aching hearts in the audience, winding down with one of his finest ballads, the hauntingly brilliant Jolene. Then, with a quick wave, a whispered thank you, Lamontagne literally bowed out, ensuring that he left the stage to a standing ovation.