# Musician Ray LaMontagne - thoughts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 23, 2010, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musician-ray-lamontagne-thoughts/547706 "2010-07-23T13:27:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musician-ray-lamontagne-thoughts/547706/1 "2010-07-23T13:27:26Z")
I know the song [You Are the Best Thing](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJ3xTjvj9tw&feature=related)- which is a wonderful song that uses classic 70’s R&B arrangements - could be Al Green or Van Morrison… Now he has a new band - RM and the Pariah Dogs - and the new CD is coming out in a few weeks. The track I have heard is [Beg Steal or Borrow](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6a_1R3w5i4)- much more of an Americana feel - the pedal steel lead about 2/3 of the way in is really sweet. He’s not breaking new ground, but I like how he works within existing idioms. What do Dopers think? ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musician-ray-lamontagne-thoughts/547706/2 "2011-09-16T05:25:36Z")
He is one of my favorite artists right now. He sounds like rod stewert doing folk tunes. Truly love this guy ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musician-ray-lamontagne-thoughts/547706/3 "2011-09-16T06:33:33Z")
I don’t know much about his music other than the fact I really love and wish I had his voice. A friend just went to his show and apparently he yelled at a girl because she was talking very loudly while he was performing. That made me have more respect for him. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musician-ray-lamontagne-thoughts/547706/4 "2011-09-16T07:18:12Z")
I saw him at White River State Park in Indianapolis a few months ago. He was very good. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musician-ray-lamontagne-thoughts/547706/5 "2011-09-16T13:26:13Z")
She has a lovely voice, but none of her songs that I’ve heard really do it for me. Too emo. ---
**Author:** ![beachbetch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@beachbetch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beachbetch)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musician-ray-lamontagne-thoughts/547706/6 "2011-09-16T15:50:28Z")
I’m not a fan of the whole folksy-emo genre, but I love his voice. His songs also remind me of my bf who first had me listen to him, which doesn’t hurt either. Put me in the ‘thumbs up’ column. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musician-ray-lamontagne-thoughts/547706/7 "2011-09-16T15:53:27Z")
I think he tries _way_ too hard. His singing sounds really tortured to me. ---
**Author:** ![Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine_and_Smiles)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musician-ray-lamontagne-thoughts/547706/8 "2011-09-16T16:08:50Z")
It’s right up my alley, but for some reason it just doesn’t do it. For comparison, I really like: [Josh Ritter](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4aBD0z0iaY) - Really bummed I could only find a live version of this, but it’s pretty clean. His vocals aren’t as good as Ray’s but I think his songwriting is better. [Ryan Adams](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPQwcHfuxWc) - REALLY bummed I could only find a live version of this. See if you can track down an album mp3 (if you’re at all intrigued of course). His vocals are amazing (fast forward the video the three minute part and you can see a bit of what he’s capable of) and he (generally) works within a folksy americana inflected style. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musician-ray-lamontagne-thoughts/547706/9 "2011-09-16T17:15:13Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I know the song [You Are the Best Thing](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJ3xTjvj9tw&feature=related)- which is a wonderful song that uses classic 70’s R&B arrangements - could be Al Green or Van Morrison… > > Now he has a new band - RM and the Pariah Dogs - and the new CD is coming out in a few weeks. The track I have heard is [Beg Steal or Borrow](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6a_1R3w5i4)- much more of an Americana feel - the pedal steel lead about 2/3 of the way in is really sweet. > > He’s not breaking new ground, but I like how he works within existing idioms. What do Dopers think? This version is great too. https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ug_sSV0-Eb0?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque I like him, but I like guys like this on general principles. He toured with John Prine and Levon Helm last summer and that was pretty cool, two of my all time favorites. That’s how I got on to LaMontagne in the first place. (Check out Todd Snider too. But that should be another thread.) ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musician-ray-lamontagne-thoughts/547706/10 "2011-09-16T17:47:29Z")
I lost track of him a bit – I remember really liking his debut, _Trouble_, but I somehow forgot all about him afterwards. Perhaps it’s time to give him another go! ---
**Author:** ![Neevil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Neevil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neevil)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musician-ray-lamontagne-thoughts/547706/11 "2011-09-18T12:59:01Z")
He is one of my favourite musicians. You are the best thing was the first dance at our wedding. I’ve been a fan since his first album and have seen him live a number of times. That’s where he truly excels, although he doesn’t really interact with the audience at all, no more than a few hushed thank yous. It doesn’t take away from his amazing voice which deserves a live hearing to really appreciate. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musician-ray-lamontagne-thoughts/547706/12 "2011-09-18T18:07:22Z")
I could listen to a couple songs but any more would put me to sleep. And everything reminds me of that commercial with the dog.