Ray LaMontagne: "You Are The Best Thing"

It's not particularly hip to dig Ray LaMontagne. His folkie blue-eyed soul is hardly revolutionary, and his grainy, worn voice is essentially a slightly heartier version of Sam Beam's. But his newest album, Gossip in the Grain, is out Oct. 16, and his new single "You Are The Best Thing" is an uncharacteristically cheerful R&B-tinged number that recalls Van Morrison more so than Iron & Wine. Give it a listen here.

Number one

Hey all,

I'm new to this blogging thing, but I think it will be a good exercise for me as a freelance journalist. I'm currently writing for a few different places but still always have one too many thoughts in my head itching to get out. This blog will serve as a venue for said thoughts, with a combination of irreverent opinion, offbeat web discoveries, and sweet new songs I've discovered (I write about music for The Boston Globe and musicOMH, among other places). Plus, I'm sure, a whole lot of other stuff. Stay posted and comment often!

Adam