Ray LaMontagne

It's not often when I hear an album and immediately go buy it on vinyl. Usually I need to make sure I love it before spending my hard earned $20 that'd I'd normally rather be forced to spend on Shopkins or Skylanders. DAMN KIDS CONSTANTLY BE DRAINING MY POCKETS WITH THEIR SHITTY ASS TOYS THAT THEY ONLY PLAY WITH FOR 48 HOURS AND THEN FORGET ABOUT SAID SHITTY ASS TOYS. 

But after the first listen so many things were adding up on Ray LaMontagne's new album that the purchase was completely justifiable. 

• First, it's Ray LaMontagne. Dude could cover the Biebs and I'd be salivating all over his voice that is pure as gold and as soft as cotton panties. 
• Secondly, Ouroboros is produced by one of my rock heroes Jim James, who in my opinion, is who'd you'd want to collaborate with if your folkiness is in need of some dreaminess. 
• Last and most importantly, this album is created for the true 'album experience' where the songs flow into each other and separated into a Part 1 and Part 2 (aka side A and side B for the Spotify listening assholes whose flow gets interrupted by commercials anyway). 

Naturally, many have been comparing Ouroboros to Pink Floyd, which is kind of accurate but not really. 

Sure, it's not often when modern day artists do the whole interconnected 'Dark Side Of The Moon thang' when building an album. And sure, this album is a little dreamy and psychedelic. And sure, the guitar reminds me of David Gilmour (especially on Part 2): a perfect amount of reverb, the 'mid' dial is pointed at the orgasm setting and the skill level is fluidly crisp - hitting the top of his bends so easily with accuracy and precision. This dude is like a stoned surgeon. 

OK FINE. Maybe it's like Pink Floyd, but I don't dwell on that while I'm listening. It's not what I'm thinking. I'm just thinking that it's a perfect collaboration of two people that I love. 

Jim and Ray. Ray and JIm.

Perfect strangers and long lost cousins learning how to live with each other's eccentricities in the big city. They rarely fight, but when they do they make up quickly and celebrate with the 'Dance of Joy'. 

And while I'm going to recommend that you listen to this album in full because it's basically 2 long songs made up of 4 sub-songs each, there is one song that I'm head over cankles for: 'In My Own Way'. Holy shit, this song has me feeling a wave of feelz I haven't felt since I first heard Phosphorescent's 'Song For Zula' or Rachel Yamagata's 'Sunday Afternoon' or Timber Timbres' 'Hot Dreams'. Yes. It's on that level. And one of my favorite songs this year.....definitely my favorite sub-songs. 

Go out and grab this album. Listen to it on a Sunday morning with a cup of coffee before the kids wake up. The coffee will stimulate your intestines. The music will relax your sphincter. Before you know the album will be finished and it will be time for your morning poop.