Ray LaMontagne believes in the power of music. "I'm a real music lover," the 31-year-old singer-songwriter said, calling from his home in Wilton, Maine. "I know there are some people who never listen to music and it's just hard to imagine for me. Nothing can make me feel the way music can."

His devotion shows in his major-label debut, Trouble (RCA), in the way he makes lines such as "I've been saved" sound like an Otis Redding triumph in the title track or the way "How Come" recaptures the Americana swagger of The Band circa 1969. It shows in the way LaMontagne deliberately avoids the concerts of his heroes such as Bob Dylan and even the appearances of contemporaries he respects such as Ryan Adams.

Read the full article at Newsday and be sure to check out the PM review on LaMontagne's latest Trouble.