Are there any true artists left in the commercial music industry? With the release of his third album, Gossip In The Grain, singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne may fit the bill. Here is a musician who doesn’t follow trends or crowd his sound with slick production, but has an original and fresh approach to songwriting. In short, LaMontagne is a craftsman. What shines through his music—from his first release Trouble in 2004 to his 2006 follow-up

Till the Sun Turns Black—is pure sincerity, an intimate, heartfelt connection to his material.

This sincerity is evident on the 10 tracks on Gossip In The Grain. Backed by his touring band, LaMontagne barrels through railroad blues like “Hey Me, Hey Mama,” and “Henry Nearly Killed Me (It’s a Shame).” But it’s his ballads that really showcase his voice—a breathy, smoky delivery that conveys emotional depth and vulnerability. In songs like “Winter Birds” and the gorgeous “A Falling Through,” you can hear the ache in his voice.

Producer Ethan Johns, who helped expand the singer’s sound on his last effort, wisely lets LaMontagne’s voice take center stage, buffering it with spare, evocative melodies. Reminiscent of Nick Drake and Steven Stills—whom LaMontagne considers influences—Gossip In The Grain creates a mood at times both melancholy and celebratory.

Though you could say he is working in the folk style, LaMontagne’s music does not fit neatly in that genre. On this album he has commented, “It was time to open up a little bit more, not be quite so reserved in my choice of songs that I wanted to record.” Gossip In The Grain is expansive in its musical choices and its emotional range. If you are not familiar with this excellent musician’s work, it’s time you got to know him.

By Robert Rossiello