February 16, 2007

Richmond Fontaine: Thirteen Cities

Brilliant whisky-drowned alt.country

7 / 10 Anyone partial to a serving of Lambchop, Calexico or Eels at their pedal-steel-propelled best should, as well as saluting themselves for their excellent taste in alt.country, clear some iPod megabytes for the new effort by Richmond Fontaine. Mainman Willy Vlautin and his Portland band have been making sublime country that conjures images of Brokeback-style mountains and sleepy small-town bars since 1994 and this, their seventh album, is as heartbreakingly
great as any of their previous work. ‘Moving Back Home #2’ is a brass-bound rollock Calexico would give their cowboy hats for, while ‘The Disappearance Of Ray Norton’ is an acoustic story that’ll have you blubbing into your trucker cap. Tear-stained hats off to ’em.

Jamie Fullerton

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