04/06/04 Richmond Fontaine @ Water Rats, London

It’s a shame that, these days, for bands described as ‘Alt-country’ it has almost the same effect as being tarnished with the ‘Britpop’ or ‘Romo’ label a decade ago. There’s just so many. With this category, however, the cheap bandwagon-jumpers are easily sniffed out early on, but it is still with some trepidation that I dare to toss Richmond Fontaine’s delicious crooning and oily checked-shirt strumming into the Americana stable, for fear of receiving the cyber equivalent of a parental reproach for swearing in front of Granny.

However, clearly I’m not the only fan. Richmond Fontaine attract the kind of die-hard crowd that’s heaving with aging rock journo legends (Phil Sutcliffe), the new breed of infectious country warblers (Steven Adams, Broken Family Band) and the familiar, young ‘Ace Faces’ of the scene. Forget the tired image of country musicians dragging their haggard bones and cowboy ties to a creaky stool, or croaky divorcees growling out tales of woe, and instead rejoice in singer Willy Vlautin’s rather hunky rugged appeal, akin to that of Bruce Springsteen, or, er, Berger from Sex and the City.

The Water Rats often plays host to niche cult bands and Richmond Fontaine are no exception. Here tonight to promote their latest album ‘Post To Wire’, they kick off with the Strangelove-gone-Americana (did anyone say Britpop?) menacing brood of ‘Willamette’, featuring fleeting chunky guitar, interspersed with a chorus to make Embrace whimper, and sultry John Peel-baiting discordant verses. ‘Barely Losing’ is one of the more upbeat tracks in their collection, stringing Vlautin’s detailed observation and favourite theme of gambling into this subdued number, while ‘The Longer You Wait’ doesn’t mask the obvious Tom Waits influence. Its unusual tribal rhythm seems like something a Notting Hill carnival float band would be thumping out, hinting that Richmond Fontaine’s influences could be more sophisticated than their country credentials immediately reveal.

Sombre subjects never far from a Vlautin-penned track, the song’s subject matter is not one of hope, joy and elation, but rather about the chilling acceptance of the imminent break up of a doomed relationship.

Radio 2 probably wouldn’t mind a taste of the inoffensive ‘Always on the Ride’, with its trundling and dozey musical journey through the sweltering American countryside. Fast-paced ‘Montgomery Park’ pulls a hell of a punch live, with Vlautin’s snarling delivery and cymbal-heavy sharp rise up the scale. If the subject matter of their other tracks doesn’t already having you choking back a tearful memory, then ‘Polaroid’ will eke it out like a chocolate gateau would the contestants on Celebrity Fit Club. Undoubtedly, one of the tracks Vlautin wrote in his mission to deliver an album that evokes the uneasy feeling of vulnerability, rejection, resentment, pain and hungover regret, the hook “Not everyone lives their life alone” is powerful testament to his own lousy times, almost inviting you to give the band a comforting, squeezy hug.

Judging from the reception tonight, they’ll cheer up soon, cos the good times are most definitely a-comin’.