God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise
Ray LaMontagne · 2010
44 min · 10 tracks · folk music
A soulful blend of folk and Americana, underpinned by heartfelt lyrics and LaMontagne's signature raspy vocals.
Top tracks — play these first
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Repo Man Start here — This opening track sets a gritty tone with its storytelling style and reflective lyrics about life's struggles, showcasing LaMontagne's lyrical depth.
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God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise — The title track encapsulates the album’s themes of resilience and hope, enhanced by its melodic simplicity and LaMontagne's evocative vocal delivery.
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Beg Steal or Borrow — With its catchy chorus and relatable narrative about longing and loss, this track exemplifies LaMontagne's ability to blend emotion with accessibility.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases strong songwriting with varied arrangements while maintaining a cohesive sound.
What we noticed
- The first three tracks feature a steady build in instrumentation, layering strings and percussion before the fourth track introduces a more stripped-back arrangement.
- LaMontagne's vocal delivery varies from soft and introspective to powerful and raspy, particularly evident in the chorus of 'Repo Man' and 'God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise'.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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7/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady mid-tempo reflective moments
- introspective lyrics for contemplation
- for late-night drives
- heartfelt melodies for quiet evenings
Maybe skip if you
- seekers of high-energy tracks
- prefer instant gratification hits
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — This album solidified LaMontagne's reputation in the folk genre and achieved commercial success.
- Themes
- small-town struggles· gritty resilience· personal longing
- Career context
- Released in 2010, God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise is Ray LaMontagne's third studio album, following his acclaimed release Gossip in the Grain. At this point in his career, LaMontagne had established himself as a prominent voice in contemporary folk music, with increasing recognition and critical acclaim.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Iron & Wine· Damien Rice· Nick Drake
Tracklist
- 1 Repo Man Start here 6:08
- 2 New York City's Killing Me 4:13
- 3 God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise 3:10
- 4 Beg Steal or Borrow 4:32
- 5 Are We Really Through 4:59
- 6 This Love Is Over 3:30
- 7 Old Before Your Time 4:04
- 8 For the Summer 3:52
- 9 Like Rock & Roll and Radio 6:05
- 10 Devil's in the Jukebox 3:59
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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