Till the Sun Turns Black RCA Music   ••••½ Sound   •••½

More than fulfilling the promise of his 2004 debut, Trouble, singer/songwriter Ray LaMontagne's new album is a tour de force of idiosyncratic folk flecked with compelling jazz and blues accents. He sets up intriguing contrasts, placing the whispered confessions of "Barfly" next to the randy soul of "Three More Days." And in the stunning finale, he seamlessly joins the title track and "Within You," which argues with Lennon-like wisdom that "War is not the answer / The answer is within you."

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