Just found this beautiful duet between Rachael Yamagata and Ray LaMontagne as I forage for music that strikes me. The song appears on Yamagata’s 2008 release, Elephants… Teeth Sinking Into Heart. This song brilliantly captures all the possibility of bringing these two vocalists together, each singing parts of the song on their own and coming together for a “hmmm” and a series of phrases at the end. The essence of Yamagata’s voice invites comparisons to Ray’s as at the core she sounds like a female version of LaMontagne. Her voice is sultry, raspy and raw and offers heartbreaking emotional intensity. Her lovelorn, often mournful songs of relationships and heartache offer a intimate understanding of what is felt deep at heart. This delicate track is no different.

mp3: Rachael Yamagata – Duet – Elephants…Teeth Sinking Into Heart (2008)

Oh Lover, hold on
’till I come back again
For these arms are growin’ tired,
And my tales are wearing thin

If you’re patient I will surprise,
When you wake up I’ll have come

All the anger will settle down
And we’ll go do all the things we should have done

Yes I remember what we said
As we lay down to bed
I’ll be here if you will only come back home

Oh lover, I’m lost
Because the road I’ve chosen beckons me away

Oh lover, don’t you roam
Now I’m fighting words I never thought I’d say

But I remember what we said
As we lay down to bed
I’ll forgive you oh
If you just come back home

Hmmm mmmm
Hmmmm mmmm

Oh lover, I’m old
You’ll be out there and be thinking just of me

And I will find you down the road
And will return back home to where we’re meant to be

’cause I remember what we said
As we lay down to bed
We’ll be back soon as we make history.

Yamagata began as the vocalist for the Chicago funk-fusion band Bumpus. After six years writing, recording and touring with the group, and having written a number of songs that didn’t fit Bumpus’ funk style, Yamagata took the plunge into a solo career. In 2002, she landed a two-record deal with Arista’s Private Music and her self-titled EP was released that October. Yamagata’s first full-length album, Happenstance, came in June 2004, followed by 2 EPs, Live at the Loft & More (2005) and Loose Ends (2008), and a second studio album, Elephants… Teeth Sinking Into Heart in 2008.

This girl has been quite busy over the past few. Yamagata sings on Toots & the Maytals’ True Love (2004), made an appearance on Jason Mraz’s second album, Mr. A–Z (2005), adds vocals to “Barfly” on Ray LaMontagne’s Till the Sun Turns Black (2006), and on “Let it Ride”, “Sweet Illusions”, “Cold Roses”, and “Friends” off of Ryan Adams’ Cold Roses (2005). She was invited to sing backup on six tracks on Bright Eyes’ album Cassadaga (2007). She co-wrote “Kaleidoscope” with Jill Cunniff, formerly of Luscious Jackson, for Cunniff’s solo album City Beach (2007) and plays keyboards and sings. Yamagata also contributed a song to Mandy Moore’s 2007 release, Wild Hope and supported many of Moore’s live appearances. Yamagata’s songs have also been featured on a long list of TV shows, including Charmed, ER, Grey’s Anatomy and The O.C. Now that’s impressive.

Currently, Yamagata is on tour with The Swell Season (featuring Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova of the movie Once), both who will appear at the Ogden in Denver on November 29th. For those of you who haven’t seen Yamagata perform live, her honesty unabashedly oozes sex appeal. You should be tempted.

Nov 12 – House Of Blues, New Orleans, Louisiana
Nov 13 – Warehouse Live, Houston, Texas
Nov 14 – The Palladium Ballroom, Dallas, Texas
Nov 15 – Paramount Theater, Austin, Texas
Nov 17 – Mesa Arts Center – Ikeda, Mesa, Arizona
Nov 27 – Egyptian Theater, Boise, Idaho
Nov 28 – Jeanne Wagner Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Nov 29 – Ogden Theatre, Denver, Colorado
Nov 30 – Uptown Theatre, Kansas City, Missouri
Dec 2 – Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Dec 3 – Chicago Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, Illinois
Dec 4 – The Pageant, St. Louis, Missouri
Dec 5 – State Theatre, Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Download through Amazon: Elephants…Teeth Sinking Into Heart