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Tradunt...
Dicono che nel 1999 Ray decise di abbandonare il Maine ed un lavoro in fabbrica per inseguire un sogno: diventare un folksinger. Pare anche che Ray abbia preso questa decisione all'improvviso, dopo aver ascoltato una canzone di Stephen Stills alla radio (Tree Top Flyer).
Ora, io non so se questa storia sia o meno vera. Forse è la solita favoletta che le major hanno l'abitudine di preconfezionare per cucire addosso ad un nuovo musicista una veste ricca di fascino per il pubblico. La mia connaturata malizia mi fa propendere per questa ipotesi, anche se vorrei davvero crederci. Tuttavia, in fondo non ha così importanza, perché quello che conta è sapere che Ray è riuscito a realizzare questo sogno, comunque abbia avuto origine.
Trouble (RCA-2004), il suo disco di esordio, ne è la prova. È un bel disco folk, che, a dispetto del titolo, si lascia ascoltare serenamente, senza problemi ed eccessivi pensieri. E per me questa è già una qualità importante, perchè non è per niente facile incidere un disco del genere, senza inutili orpelli, riuscendo a non scadere nella più assoluta banalità.
Con questo non mi azzardo certo a dire che Trouble è un capolavoro. I capolavori sono ben altri e devono affrontare la prova del tempo. Ma ciò nonostante è una buona opera prima per questo folksinger americano. È dunque "solo" un disco piacevole, che si lascia ascoltare, grazie soprattutto alle sue qualità vocali, essendo dotato di una voce carismatica, calda come un raggio di sole e densa come il miele, che si sposa perfettamente con un ambientazione giocata sull'equilibrio di temi come il dolore, la speranza, la malinconia e naturalmente l'amore.
Non avrà l'immensità di Van Morrison, la profondità di Bob Dylan, il carisma di Neil Young, la raffinatezza stilistica di John Martyn, ma Ray LaMontagne possiede una dote importante: la naturalezza. Questa si respira in tutto il disco, forse con la sola eccezione del brano "How Come", che perde spontaneità per la presenza di una chitarra elettrica un po' fuori luogo. Ma è forse l'unico passo falso di una produzione discreta ed intelligente realizzata da Ethan Johns - già produttore di Ryan Adams e Kings of Leon. Rispettosa dello stile del cantautore, infatti, non aggiunge molto alla sua voce accompagnata da una chitarra acustica: un accenno di archi sullo sfondo, una lieve sezione ritmica, a volte una seconda voce femminile ed il gioco è fatto. Ciò comporta un ascolto abbastanza lineare, senza picchi, con una sua coerenza stilistica definita.
È insomma il disco ideale da ascoltare in macchina un pomeriggio domenicale facendo un viaggio in compagnia di qualche amico, perché è il classico disco che rimane in sottofondo, senza disturbare nessuno. Ma probabilmente si ritaglierà il suo spazio, finchè qualcuno dei viaggiatori dirà "Bello questo disco, di chi è?". E allora voi potrete stupire il vostro inconsapevole compagno di viaggio raccontando "Si chiama Ray LaMontagne, sai aveva un sogno ..."
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Trouble (04:01)
Trouble...
Trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble
Trouble been doggin' my soul since the day I was born
Worry...
Worry, worry, worry, worry
Worry just will not seem to leave my mind alone
We'll I've been...
saved by a woman
I've been...
saved by a woman
I've been...
saved by a woman
She won't let me go
She won't let me go now
She won't let me go
She won't let me go now
Trouble...
Oh, trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble
Feels like every time I get back on my feet
she come around and knock me down again
Worry...
Oh, worry, worry, worry, worry
Sometimes I swear it feels like this worry is my only friend
We'll I've been saved...
by a woman
I've been saved...
by a woman
I've been saved...
by a woman
She won't let me go
She won't let me go now
She won't let me go
She won't let me go now
Oh..., Ahhhh....
Ohhhh
She good to me now
She gave me love and affection
She good tell me now
She gave me love and affection
I Said I love her
Yes I love her
I said I love her
I said I love...
She good to me now
She's good to me
She's good to me
02 Shelter (04:36)
I guess you don't need it
I guess you don't want me to repeat it
But everything I have to give I'll give to you
It's not like we planned it
You tried to stay, but you could not stand it
To see me shut down slow as though it was an easy thing to do
Listen when all of this around us will fall over
I tell you what we're gonna do
Hey
You will shelter me, my love
And I, I will shelter you
I will shelter you
I left you heartbroken
But not until those very words were spoken
Has anybody ever made such a fool outta you
It's hard to believe it
Even as my eyes do see it
The very things that make you live, they're killing you
Listen when all of this around us will fall over
I tell you what we're gonna do
Hey
You will shelter me, my love
And I, I will shelter you
I will shelter you
I will shelter you
I will shelter you
I will shelter you
Listen when all of this around us will fall over
I tell you what we're gonna do
Hey
You will shelter me my love
And I, I will shelter you
If you shelter me too
I will shelter you
I will shelter you
04 Narrow Escape (04:39)
Lejos and Mary
Lay dazed in Liula
Dreaming of tropical signs
As Lejos lay sleeping
She knelt over him weeping
Feeling the weight of his crimes
It seems he cut a man down in a Tennessee town
He's just licking his wounds for a spell
But it won't take long for the boys to catch on
And soon he'll be running like hell
Run Lejos run
This ain't no time for that ball and chain
Run Lejos run
Climb on that pony and ride like you ain't never done
Well their love it was long
It was gentle and strong
And for a while she forgot his sins
And she kissed him for love
She kissed him for luck
She kissed him one time for a kid
Well they came in without a warning in the hours before morning
They come-a blasting through the windows and walls
When the smoke it did clear
Somebody cried out, he ain't here
Killed ourselves a woman that's all
Run Lejos run
This ain't no time for that ball and chain
Run Lejos run
You climb on that pony and ride like you never done
Ride like you never done
06 Forever My Friend (05:44)
Who am I to tell her
Who am I to play god
Who am I to think I can go it alone
Something tells me girl this is bringing you down
Something tells me this is bringing me down
We've been through some changes
Always seem to hold on
Lately it feel like you can't take anymore
Something tells me girl this is bringing you down
Something tells me girl this is bringing you down
Forever my friend
Forever my love
Forever the woman that I'm thinking of
I just think if we keep our hearts together
Just think if we build on this trust that we have for one another
Baby we can make this last a lifetime
Who am I to tell her
Who am I to play god
I don't know just what's for real anymore
Something tells me girl this is bringing you down
Something tells me girl this is bringing you down
Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm right
Maybe it's the last thing you want to hear me say
I just think if we keep out hearts together
I just think if we build on this trust that we have for one another
Maybe we can make this last a lifetime
Forever my friend
Forever my love
Forever the woman
That I'm thinking of
I just think if we keep our hearts together
I just think if we will build on this trust that we have for one another
Maybe we can make this last a lifetime
09 Jolene (04:10)
Cocaine flame in my bloodstream
Sold my coat when I hit Spokane
Bought myself a hard pack of cigarettes in the early morning rain
Lately my hands they don't feel like mine
My eyes been stung with dust, I'm blind
Held you in my arms one time
Lost you just the same
Jolene
I ain't about to go straight
It's too late
I found myself face down in the ditch
Booze in my hair
Blood on my lips
A picture of you, holding a picture of me
in the pocket of my blue jeans
Still don't know what love means
Still don't know what love means
Jolene
Ah, La, La, La, La, La
Jolene
Been so long since I seen your face
or felt a part of this human race
I've been living out of this here suitcase for way too long
A man needs something he can hold onto
A nine pound hammer or a woman like you
Either one of them things will do
Jolene
I ain't about to go straight
It's too late
I found myself face down in the ditch
Booze in my hair
Blood on my lips
A picture of you, holding a picture of me
In the pocket of my blue jeans
Still don't know what love means
Still don't know what love means
Jolene
La, La, La, La, La, La, La
Jolene
La, La, La, La, La, La, La
Jolene
10 All the Wild Horses (03:16)
All the wild horses
All the wild horses
Tethered with tears in their eyes
May no man's touch ever tame
May no man's reigns ever chain you
And may no man's weight ever defrayed your soul
And as for the clouds
Just let them roll
Roll away
Roll away
As for the clouds
Just let them roll
Roll away
Roll away
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