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Ouroboros
by
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Ouroboros Image
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 24 Ratings

  • Summary: The sixth full-length release for the singer-songwriter was produced with Jim James of My Morning Jacket.
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  • Record Label: RCA
  • Genre(s): Pop/Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    Mar 4, 2016
    91
    Ouroboros is a perfect throwback to the lost art of the album-length format.
  2. Drowned In Sound
    Mar 10, 2016
    80
    It's so different from the majority of his previous output that it might take some time to truly get to grips with. The coherence of the whole record is a joy.
  3. American Songwriter
    Mar 4, 2016
    80
    Those willing to take the plunge will be rewarded with one of the more challenging major label efforts released this year.
  4. Q Magazine
    Mar 16, 2016
    80
    While his left-field turn may sharply contrast with what he initially promised, he's sacrificed none of his mystery. [May 2016, p.111]
    All this publication's reviews
  5. Paste Magazine
    Mar 4, 2016
    75
    If all of its parts can’t stand up to scrutiny, however, there’s conviction in the whole, enough to take Lamontagne one step deeper into the mystic.
  6. Uncut
    Apr 28, 2016
    70
    He's hired JIm James, whose spiritual beliefs he seems to hare, along with a taste for cosmic rock and psychedelic blues, all of which figure on the compellingly heavy "Hey, No Pressure." [Apr 2016, p.75]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. NOW Magazine
    Mar 9, 2016
    60
    Only about half of the songs captivate; the others could be used as sleep aids. This is frustrating, because the strong songs are fantastic. The lesser ones suffer from too much washed-out dreaminess.

See all 10 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Mozeef98
    Mar 8, 2016
    10
    This dark, mysterious, and charmingly spacious adventure in sound with co-producer Jim James will certainly go down as a drastic departure forThis dark, mysterious, and charmingly spacious adventure in sound with co-producer Jim James will certainly go down as a drastic departure for Ray, but I am not disappointed in the least. This album is a display of Ray's ability to bend with his creativity. If Ray continues to let the music lead him where it may, I will certainly continue to allow him to lead me from one project to the next, but for now, this is the album I'll be pumping into my headphones for the foreseeable future
    .    … Expand
  2. surfish
    Apr 3, 2016
    10
    This is some seriously beautiful stuff.
    I'm floating on a Pink Floyd-ish cloud.
    Reminds me of Meddle, without the heavy stuff. Grilling a    This is some seriously beautiful stuff.
    I'm floating on a Pink Floyd-ish cloud.
    Reminds me of Meddle, without the heavy stuff.
    Grilling a chicken on my Big Green Egg today, Sunday.
    Love this work he's done.    … Expand
  4. Shoten
    Apr 23, 2016
    10
    A sonic experience that left me astounded as week extremely satisfied. I haven't heard an album like this in a very long while and I'm glad IA sonic experience that left me astounded as week extremely satisfied. I haven't heard an album like this in a very long while and I'm glad I came across it. It's the kind of album that can transport you to a better place and I welcome the opportunity to do so at any moment. Don't miss this album from beginning to end!… Expand
  5. WESAUS
    Aug 8, 2016
    9
    I love this album. It's mellow and dark but damn it's good. One of my favorites of 2016. Love the Jim James influence. It may lack in energyI love this album. It's mellow and dark but damn it's good. One of my favorites of 2016. Love the Jim James influence. It may lack in energy but the songwriting makes up for it.… Expand
  6. Platendraaier
    Mar 6, 2016
    8
    Ouroboros is a rich an powerful album, where the emotional melodies connects effortlessly with warm vocals and poignant lyrics by RayOuroboros is a rich an powerful album, where the emotional melodies connects effortlessly with warm vocals and poignant lyrics by Ray LaMontagne. The album may be full of references to the great masters of Pink Floyd, nowhere the talented LaMontagne is in trouble for giving it his own twist. As an artist, he no longer needs to prove to the public his talent and therefore it seems to cost him no effort to look for innovation and change in his musical path. Where the psychedelic sounds remains his inspiration the blues is also present, resulting in the alternation of guitars, synths, organs and harmonies. The compositions holding an impenetrable force thanks to the instrumentation of the musicians, where each element is closely connected to the other. The production of Ouroboros is one of the top pieces and lets Ray LaMontagne as Changing Man colorize his musical pictures with lots of moving atmospheres. LaMontagne adds the influences of several musicians into his own experiences and develops a musical piece which as a whole supports the eternal cycle. 8/10

    Full Review in Dutch: https://www.platendraaier.nl/albumrecensies/ray-lamontagne-ouroboros/    … Expand

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