Richmond Fontaine High Country disappointment...

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half-n-half
Posts: 2567
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2003 2:31 am

Post by half-n-half »

This cd is consuming me, much like a good book or poem. I find myself wondering about angus king. A whole book or movie about angus king would be awes. When did he start using, family of origin, when did it all go south for him?

I am also in love with the guy with the scarred eye from Northline. He seems sweet and sensitive.

WV characters all find a place in my heart.

Gay for lit!

Half

calexico
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Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2005 9:51 am
Location: Terrigen Mists

Post by calexico »

half-n-half wrote:Willy Vlautin is a genius.

The thread, distilled. Rubber stamped by halfy.

half-n-half
Posts: 2567
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2003 2:31 am

Post by half-n-half »

High Country Spoiler Alert!


this is my first richmond fontaine cd. i finally heard it today, in its entirety, during a shit load of errands. I almost had to pull the car over to listen to what happens to The Girl on one of those last tracks (16?). Gasping, hand to mouth mind you, about the fate of The Mechanic.
this cd is like listening to one of his books. i really like it. the story is so real and haunting. and even though Claude (?) is a complete mudering assh*$e, he still has a bit of humanity. Even the trees have a role, as does the logging road. Willy Vlautin is a genius.

zach
Posts: 272
Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2003 2:54 pm

Post by zach »

Curious as to how you folks got your hands on the new one.
Doesn't look like it's been released overseas yet.
"September 2011" is all I see.
Anticipation.

Image

calexico
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Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2005 9:51 am
Location: Terrigen Mists

Post by calexico »

I have to disagree. I think this is one of their many high spots.

It is the perfect fusion of Willy's words and the band's atmospherics. It is a staggeringly beautiful, sad, angry and lonely album. Superb.

gdavis5446
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Location: Tampa, FL

Post by gdavis5446 »

I have not heard his last two albums. Alot of instrumentals? Maybe he is using all his words for his novels, which are freaking great!

My favorites are Lost Son and Thirteen Cities but those two albums souns nothing like each other.

zach
Posts: 272
Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2003 2:54 pm

In defense of Willy and the Boys

Post by zach »

I haven't heard the new album, other than the three songs on the 7" they just put out and "The Mechanics Life" from the video they posted; those all sound great to me.

You bet your ass Paul Brainard can play some pedal steel (& trumpet), and he's been on pretty much everything since "Miles From." Fine work on the new tunes on the 7" (listen at http://www.richmondfontaine.com/).

Willy's just doing what good artists do. The band has gotten better & better, I say.

Looking forward to hearing the new one in its entirety, once it's released.

Grifterwithafunnylittleha
Posts: 1674
Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:40 pm

Post by Grifterwithafunnylittleha »

'Tis because hardly anybody outside-uh Nashville can afford a pedal steel player anymore ...

Hardtimesain'tgonnarulemymindsugar,
Pony

bellevillemusic
Posts: 84
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2005 10:55 am
Location: Berkeley, Ca.

Post by bellevillemusic »

I'm a fan of all their records and I find this record no different. Sure, hardly any steel to mention, rockers are few and far between, but the songs are there. The title track is one of the more moving pieces of music I've heard this year. I've had it for a couple of months now and it's grown into something special. I'm also a fan of Willy's books, having read all three.
I know they're trying to do something different with the spoken word/storytelling/music, but give it some time. It'll be worth it in the end.

As for 'We Used To Think The Freeway....", I felt the same way, but that one has grown on me as well. C'mon, go crank 'Lonnie' and tell me that don't have it.

mcmoss99
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Oct 01, 2009 10:35 am

Richmond Fontaine High Country disappointment...

Post by mcmoss99 »

Am I wrong when I say I really miss the Richmond Fontaine that made Lost Son, Winnemuca, Post to Wire, Miles From, and even Thirteen Cities. While they are still my favorite band out there I'll admit"We Used to Think.." and High Country really disappointed me. I see that they are doing here with the album/story and it is still good stuff but it just doesn't compare to their older stuff. Their huge appeal for me was the hard rock guitar paired with the Steel Guitar and they don't do that anymore. This new album almost has no steel (except in Driving Back to the Chainsaw Sea which plays songs that the character say are terrible when he is flipping through his dial). I wish they would put out an album like this and then a more alt country sounding album like Lost Son or Winnemuca again. I don't see why they couldn't considering half of the High Country is Instrumentals. Maybe they got tired of the Uncle Tupelo comparison but thats when they were great! Ohh well I guess for now I'll just have to keep listening to Western Skyline Four Hours out, Willamette, Mule, El Cortez, Miles From, Settle, Winnemucca, 5 degrees Below Zero, Lost Son, Trembling Leaves, Contrails, Capsized, White Out, 15 year old kid in Mexico, Water Wars, Ghost I Became, and my countless others that I love and have listened to more than any other band.

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