Ray Lamontagne – Trouble

Ray LaMontagne – Trouble

Originally released in 2004, Trouble is the acclaimed debut album from American singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne, introducing a distinctive, weathered vocal style and an intimate blend of folk, roots rock, Americana and blues-influenced songwriting. Produced by Ethan Johns, the album favours a deliberately sparse and organic sound, allowing LaMontagne's acoustic guitar, harmonica and expressive voice to remain at the centre of the arrangements.

The album opens with the quietly powerful title track, “Trouble,” one of LaMontagne's signature songs, before moving through the atmospheric “Shelter” and the soulful “Hold You In My Arms.” “Narrow Escape” adds a darker, cinematic quality, while “Burn” and “Forever My Friend” demonstrate the emotional directness that became such a defining feature of his early work.

The second half includes the memorable “Hannah,” “How Come” and “Jolene,” the latter becoming another of the album's best-known songs. Closing with “All The Wild Horses,” the record ends on a particularly gentle and reflective note. The album's arrangements remain understated throughout, with strings used selectively rather than overwhelming the intimacy of the songs.

Ethan Johns played a major role in shaping the record, contributing drums, guitar, bass, harmonium, piano, percussion and string arrangements as well as production and engineering. Sara Watkins also contributes fiddle and vocals to “Hannah” and “All The Wild Horses,” adding subtle country and Americana colour to the predominantly acoustic sound.

Trouble established LaMontagne as a major new singer-songwriter and remains an appealing choice for listeners drawn to Americana, folk rock, acoustic music, roots rock and emotionally driven singer-songwriter albums. Its combination of earthy production, intimate performances and memorable songwriting gives the album a timeless quality, sitting comfortably alongside the work of artists such as Van Morrison, Tim Buckley and other roots-oriented singer-songwriters.

Tracklist

1. Trouble – 4:02
2. Shelter – 4:37
3. Hold You In My Arms – 5:07
4. Narrow Escape – 4:39
5. Burn – 2:52
6. Forever My Friend – 5:45
7. Hannah – 5:43
8. How Come – 4:33
9. Jolene – 4:11
10. All The Wild Horses – 3:17