Gossip in the Grain
| Gossip in the Grain | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Ray LaMontagne | ||||
| Released | October 14, 2008 (US) | |||
| Recorded | Box, England | |||
| Genre | Folk, folk rock, folk blues, soul | |||
| Label |
RCA/BMG/Stone Dwarf/RED (US) 14th Floor (UK) | |||
| Producer | Ethan Johns | |||
| Ray LaMontagne chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| PopMatters | [2] |
| Rolling Stone | [3] |
| Spin | [4] |
| Stereo Subversion | [5] |
| Stereokill | [6] |
| This Is Fake DIY | [7] |
| Uncut | [8] |
Gossip in the Grain is singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne's third full-length release, which was released on October 14, 2008. The album was produced by Ethan Johns and recorded in Box, England. Along with his band members, LaMontagne is also joined by singer/songwriter Leona Naess on "A Falling Through" and "I Still Care for You." As commented on LaMontagne's website, the new album "proves to be his most creative and emotionally expansive collection to date."[9] As of May 9, 2009 the album has sold 238,435 copies in the U.S.
The album hit #1 in album sales on iTunes on its release day.
Track listing
All tracks written by Ray LaMontagne.
| Gossip in the Grain | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 1. | "You Are the Best Thing" | 3:53 |
| 2. | "Let It Be Me" | 4:41 |
| 3. | "Sarah" | 4:31 |
| 4. | "I Still Care for You" | 4:07 |
| 5. | "Winter Birds" | 6:20 |
| 6. | "Meg White" | 4:16 |
| 7. | "Hey Me, Hey Mama" | 4:27 |
| 8. | "Henry Nearly Killed Me (It's a Shame)" | 4:25 |
| 9. | "A Falling Through" | 4:28 |
| 10. | "Gossip in the Grain" | 3:59 |
| iTunes Bonus Tracks | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 11. | "Empty [Live]" | 5:50 |
| 12. | "Be Here Now [Live]" | 6:16 |
| 13. | "Roses and Cigarettes" | 4:18 |
| 14. | "Achin' All the Time" | 2:39 |
| 15. | "Trouble" | 4:01 |
During the week of November 1, 2008, Gossip in the Grain debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200. "Let It Be Me" was featured on the seventh episode of the first season of the new television show, Fringe. "Winter Birds" was featured on the tenth episode of the fifth season of ABC's Grey's Anatomy. "Let it Be Me" was also featured on the second episode of the second season of Eli Stone, the second episode of the sixth season of Criminal Minds, and the first season finale of Parenthood. "I Still Care For You" was featured on the twelfth episode of the fifth season of House, "Painless," and "Sarah" was featured on the fourth episode of the sixth season, "Instant Karma."
"You Are the Best Thing" was featured in the film, I Love You, Man. It was also featured in an episode of Australian TV show Packed to the Rafters.
Chart positions
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Charts[10] | 102 |
| Belgian Albums Charts (Flanders) | 25 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 3 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Rock Albums | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Independent Albums | 1 |
Personnel
- Ray LaMontagne – songwriting, vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar (6), harmonica (8)
- Ethan Johns – producer, drums (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9), bass (1, 3, 6), electric guitar (1), piano (2), B-3 (2), string arrangement (2, 3, 10), ukulele (3), percussion (3), Wurlitzer (6), Mellotron (6, 10), backing vocals (6, 7), banjo (7)
- Jennifer Condos - bass (2, 4, 7, 8, 9), drums (7), backing vocals (7)
- Eric Heywood - guitar (2, 8), pedal steel (4, 9), acoustic guitar (7), backing vocals (7)
- Leona Naess - backing vocals (4, 9, 10)
- Dominic Monks - synthesizer (4)
References
- ↑ Allmusic review
- ↑ PopMatters review
- ↑ Rolling Stone review
- ↑ Spin review
- ↑ Stereo Subversion review
- ↑ Stereokill review
- ↑ This Is Fake DIY review
- ↑ Uncut review
- ↑ Ray LaMontagne
- ↑ "Pandora Archive" (PDF). Pandora.nla.gov.au. 2006-08-23. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
External links
- "Ray LaMontagne News & Press". News update on summer tour & album release. Archived from the original on 2008-06-10. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
- Billboard review of Gossip in the Grain