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| Supernova | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 29, 2014 | |||
| Genre | Psychedelic rock, folk rock | |||
| Length | 42:39 | |||
| Label | Stone Dwarf Records, RCA | |||
| Producer | Dan Auerbach | |||
| Ray LaMontagne chronology | ||||
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Supernova is the fifth studio album by Ray LaMontagne, released by RCA Records on April 29, 2014. [1] The title track serves as the album's lead single. [2]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 78/100 [3] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| The A.V. Club | B+ [4] |
| AllMusic |    [5] |
| New York Daily News | [6] |
| The Guardian | [7] |
| Knoxville News Sentinel | [8] |
| Newsday | B+ [9] |
| Paste | 7.5/10 [10] |
| PopMatters |   [11] |
| Rolling Stone | [12] |
| USA Today | [13] |
Supernova garnered generally positive reception from music critics. At Metacritic, they assign a "weighted average" score to selected independent ratings and reviews, and based upon eight reviews, the album has a Metascore of 78 meaning that it received "generally favorable" reviews. [3] At Rolling Stone , Will Hermes rated the album three-and-a-half stars out of five, stating that "Predictably, [Dan] Auerbach [as producer] helps the singer pull bright colors from the Sixties' crayon box; less predictably, he makes it seem a perfectly logical progression of LaMontagne's 10-plus years of cozy vibes." [12] Thom Jurek of AllMusic rated the album three-and-a-half stars out of five, writing that "Supernova is unapologetically and indulgently retro; a casual listen might dismiss it as mere nostalgia", however the "pairing [of]Auerbach's detailed, careful production with LaMontagne's open, expertly crafted songwriting and breezy, sensual, emotionally unburdened signing, that boundary is shattered." [5] At The Guardian , Dave Simpson rated the album four stars out of five, remarking how "There's nothing here that's exactly new, but by assembling an array of unexpected influences in one blissful place, Lamontagne has crafted an unlikely perfect summer soundtrack." [7]
At The A.V. Club , Chris Mincher graded the album a B+, saying that "Supernova is a surprisingly bold, enterprising follow-up from an artist who could have easily ridden out the rest of his career on adult-alternative autopilot." [4] In addition, Mincher remarking that "Supernova's experiments aren’t all triumphs by any means, but, given how painless it would have been to stay the course, LaMontagne is to be commended for taking on a challenge at all." [4] At Paste , Hilary Saunders rated the album a 7.5-out-of-ten, stating how "Supernova sounds like a foray into the exploratory sonic terrains created by those who simply can." [10] Saunders closing with saying that "Supernova represents the idealistic (and exospheric) possibilities for LaMontagne after 10 years in the industry, what gets lost in the experimentation is the emotional connection previously forged though clear playing and exposed lyricism." [10] At Knoxville News Sentinel , Chuck Campbell rated the album three-and-a-half stars out of five, observing that "change is constant" with the release that "results in a chameleonic" and this "will attract some and repel others." [8]
At PopMatters, Will Layman rated the album seven out of ten discs, writing that "The result might just lull you into tomorrow" because "LaMontagne thread his needle through many styles, mostly good ones." [11] Elysa Gardner of USA Today rated the album three out of four stars, stating that "LaMontagne's folky sound takes on a psychedelic edge, with tracks that present delicate tunes in spacious, trippy arrangements", so "If his grainy vocals can seem a little less grounded, his nods to the past are canny and passionate, so the mix rises above nostalgia." [13] At Newsday , Glenn Gamboa graded the album a B+, writing that " LaMontagne succeeds in ripping down everything from his" past. [9] However, Jim Farber of New York Daily News rated the album three stars out of five, saying that "Auerbach's sound proves too defining, making the star seem like he’s trying to squeeze into another man’s clothes", yet "Due to the depth of LaMontagne’s talent, any recording by him has automatic conviction and appeal." [6]
All tracks are written by Ray LaMontagne.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lavender" | 4:25 |
| 2. | "Airwaves" | 4:41 |
| 3. | "She's the One" | 3:17 |
| 4. | "Pick Up a Gun" | 5:05 |
| 5. | "Julia" | 3:21 |
| 6. | "No Other Way" | 3:37 |
| 7. | "Supernova" | 3:55 |
| 8. | "Ojai" | 4:35 |
| 9. | "Smashing" | 4:40 |
| 10. | "Drive-In Movies" | 5:03 |
| Total length: | 42:39 | |
| Chart (2014) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Albums (Billboard) [14] | 4 |
| US Billboard 200 [15] | 3 |
| US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [16] | 1 |
| US Folk Albums (Billboard) [17] | 1 |
| Chart (2014) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Folk Albums (Billboard) [18] | 6 |
| US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [19] | 49 |
Raymond Charles Jack LaMontagne is an American singer-songwriter and musician. LaMontagne has released eight studio albums: Trouble, Till the Sun Turns Black, Gossip in the Grain, God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise, Supernova, Ouroboros, Part of the Light, and Monovision. He was born in New Hampshire and was inspired to create music after hearing an album by Stephen Stills. Critics have compared LaMontagne's music to that of Otis Redding, Ryan Adams, Beck, Pink Floyd, The Band, Van Morrison, Nick Drake and Tim Buckley.
Trouble is the debut studio album by singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne. It was released on September 14, 2004, in the United States, and on September 20, 2004, in the United Kingdom. Although the album was released in 2004, the song didn't enter the top five of the UK charts until August 2006. The album was produced by Ethan Johns, released on RCA Records, marketed by BMG and distributed by Stone Dwarf Records.
Ethan Thomas Robert Johns is an English record producer, engineer, mixer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Johns has worked with artists including Ryan Adams, Kings of Leon, Paul McCartney, Ray LaMontagne, Tom Jones, Kaiser Chiefs, Rufus Wainwright, The Boxer Rebellion, Crowded House, Lauren Hoffman, The Vaccines, Laura Marling, The Staves, and Crosby, Stills and Nash. In 2012, he won the Brit Award for Best British Producer.
Till The Sun Turns Black is singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne's second full-length release, which was released on August 29, 2006. The album was produced by Ethan Johns and recorded at Allaire Studios in Shokan, New York. The album was a commercial success, becoming a top 40 album, selling 28,000 copies in its first week of release. The album was released in the UK on June 18, 2007, where it peaked at No. 35 on the UK Albums Chart.
Gossip in the Grain is the singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne's 3rd album, released on October 14, 2008. It was produced by Ethan Johns and recorded in Box, England. Along with his band members, LaMontagne is also joined by the 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". Up to May 9, 2009, the album had sold 238,435 copies in the U.S.
Last Chance for a Thousand Years: Dwight Yoakam's Greatest Hits from the 90's [sic] is the second greatest hits compilation album released by American country music singer Dwight Yoakam. It includes 11 of his hit singles from the 1990s, as well as three new recordings. These new songs are a cover of Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", as well as an adapted rendition of Rodney Crowell's "Thinking About Leaving" and "I'll Go Back to Her", originally by Waylon Jennings. “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” which hit #12 on the country singles chart and rose to #64 on Billboard’s Hot 100, was Yoakam's biggest hit single since 1993's "Fast as You." Last Chance for a Thousand Years has been certified gold by the RIAA.
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Dustin Lynch is the debut studio album by American country music artist Dustin Lynch. It was released on August 21, 2012 by Broken Bow Records. Lynch wrote or co-wrote ten of the album's thirteen tracks, including the first single, "Cowboys and Angels". The album's second single, "She Cranks My Tractor", was released to country radio on November 19, 2012. The album has sold 100,000 copies as of December 2012. The album's third single, "Wild in Your Smile", was released to country radio on May 27, 2013.
Trouble is the sixth studio album by the American country music group Randy Rogers Band. It was released on April 30, 2013, via MCA Nashville. The album includes the singles "One More Sad Song", "Trouble Knows My Name" and "Fuzzy".
It Goes Like This is the debut album by American country music singer Thomas Rhett. It was released on October 29, 2013, via Valory Music Group. The album's release was announced on August 22.
Rivers in the Wasteland is the fifth studio album by American Christian rock band Needtobreathe, released on April 15, 2014, through Atlantic Records, Curb Records and Word Records. The album was produced by the band along with Kevin Augunas, Ed Cash, Joe Chiccarelli and Jerrod Bettis at various studios.
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Riser is the seventh studio album by American country music singer Dierks Bentley. It was released on February 25, 2014, by Capitol Nashville, and debuted at number 6 on the Billboard 200, becoming his seventh top ten album. The album was nominated for Best Country Album at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards.
Lights Out is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson, released on April 15, 2014 through Cabin 24 Records under exclusive license to Mom + Pop Music. It debuted at number 5 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 37,000 copies in its first week. The lead single from the album, "Girls Chase Boys", was released on February 4, 2014. The second single from the album, "Afterlife", was released on October 2, 2014. The third single, "Time Machine", was released on February 19, 2015.
Where It All Began is the debut studio album by American country music duo Dan + Shay. It was released on April 1, 2014 via Warner Bros. Nashville. The album includes the singles "19 You + Me", "Show You Off", and "Nothin' Like You".
Meat and Candy is the debut studio album by American country music group Old Dominion. It was released on November 6, 2015 via RCA Records Nashville. The album includes the single "Break Up with Him", which has charted No. 1 on Country Airplay. The album's second single, "Snapback" released to country radio on January 11, 2016. The album's third single, "Song for Another Time" released to country radio on June 20, 2016.
Ouroboros is the sixth studio album by Ray LaMontagne, released on March 4, 2016. It features My Morning Jacket's frontman Jim James, who also produced the record. Lead single "Hey, No Pressure" debuted online on January 20, 2016. The rest of My Morning Jacket, minus James, joined LaMontagne on the road for the album's release tour.
