Customer Reviews

Post to Wire

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I know it's early and great things may still be released by many reputable bands, yet this album deserves distinct and strong recognition, as expressed on the title of this review.
Willy Vlautin and the rest of Richmond Fontaine have managed to put together an absolute beauty of a album, gorgeous country ballads and rocking chronicles of forgotten people through the land.
Imagine if Raymond Carver, still young, had decided to form a band and sing about what he was beginning to see, rather than writing exquisite short-stories.
The comparison is particularly poignant in the interludes between songs -referred as "postcards" on tracks 4,6,9&13- but it's not limited to these short tellings. Exquisite examples of Richmond Fontayne's weary wisdon and weathered compassion are "Barely Losing," "Two Broken Hearts," "Hallway," "Polaroid," or "Valediction,"
Vlautin may not be the only person out there who's seen what life can do to some people, people who did not deserve the lack of luck they were dealt, yet Vlautin has the rare gift of crafting words and melodies for what he sees that makes the misery and the loss, sheer poetry.

Clever and amusing concept having the "Dear Pete" letters peppering this wonderful set of tracks. Post To Wire stands out as the most likable cut, but many others as well. World weary, forlorn, gritty, and occasionally gloomy, but heartfelt songs.

It's not that Richmond Fontaine does anything unique, but that they do it so well. Willy Vlautin's lyrics capture the sadness and beauty in the lives of normal people without sounding trite, while the music accompanies the words with familiar beats and tunes. The band's biggest departure from traditional alt-country is the constant presence of a pedal-steel guitar. This usually works - giving the music the gravity to accompany Vlautin's stories.

Richmond Fontaine is at their best on the album's first two tracks. "The Longer You Wait" paints a remarkably full picture of an estranged couple in only a few lines, while "Barely Losing" accomplishes the same but in showing simple happiness. As for the rest of the album, "Post to Wire" and "Through" would be radio singles in a better world - catchy tunes with accessible and relatively light lyrics. "Polaroid" and "Two Broken Hearts" are sad but strong songs.

Unlike most reviewers here, I don't give 5 stars out very often. "Post to Wire" misses out on a fifth star because of a few missteps where the band strays too far from their strengths by trying to "rock out" or be too moody and mellow. Maybe this works better live (if the band toured more I could tell you), but the album doesn't flow in a way that keeps you from skipping around. Still, two-thirds of the songs here are gems, and it's the best of the many albums I've bought in 2004 so far.

for most of his life but Willy Vlautin writes just as well, sings, and seems like a really nice guy.

I'd disagree with all of the other reviewers in that I think Willamette is the standout track on this great collection. I say this with some conviction because I saw them perform it live two nights ago in Portland. It's the closest thing to "The End" you may ever find in a genre that doesn't normally permit a lot of emotional bandwidth.

So, in short, buy this CD. Buy the live CD that they said they were making when I saw them two nights ago, and buy Willy Vlautin's books so they can all afford Nudies suits and guitars that weren't made in South Korea.

After seeing Willie and the gang live several times, this has to be the best album that RF has put out!! Every show is jammed packed and the album features new songs and tales of the adventures that Willie and the gang experience. ALSO CHECK OUT THE ALBUMS BY GRAND CHAMPEEN OUT OF AUSTIN,TEXAS. THEY TOURED W/ RF THIS SUMMER.

Listening to Post to Wire is the audio equivalent of the ultimate fantasy baseball world series...Songwriter Willie Vlautin, in confident Cy Young mode, throwing strangely beautiful curveball songs to his band who, in perfect Babe Ruth response, smirk, point to the stands, and drive each song home with a confident swagger. Both teams-and us fans-are the winners.

I love this CD. It's their best one yet. Willy Vlautin is amazing!

While Alt-Country darlings Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, et al, have long since lost the trail forged by Bands like Green On Red, and posers like Ryan Adams, spend more time preening in front of the mirror than working on their craft, RICHMOND FONTAINE is still running the race...AND winning. POST TO WIRE may be their finest effort yet in a catalogue of exquisite, if rarely heard CDs. Willie Vaultin continues to write the most literate, ocassionally chilling, character driven, four minute vinettes this side of Chuck Prophet (speaking of Green On Red). And the band's brand of Petal Steel laden atmospherics provide the best definition yet for "Alt-Country", whatever THAT'S suppose to mean. Our never ending need to catogorize and pidgeon-hole, springs from our self-serving desire to impress each other with our infinite knowledge, until we genre, sub-genre and sub-sub-genre ourselves into a musical intellectual wasteland. So here's a tout from "Gar's College of Musical Knowledge"; label it anyway you want, RICHMOND FONTAINE'S POST TO WIRE is the real thing. Take it from the horse's mouth.