The High Country

Richmond Fontaine frontman Willy Vlautin has also written novels, including the well-received The Motel Life, and continues to bring a novelist’s eye for detail to his songwriting. Just as the band’s landmark Post to Wire was driven by a strong narrative, The High Country turns in an entrancing concept. It’s the story of two young lovers: the mechanic Claude and his girlfriend, who works at an auto parts store. Together, they yearn to leave the remote logging community that suffocates their dreams. Spoken-word passages and brief interludes chain the songs together, but it’s singer Deborah Kelly who, together with Vlautin, helps create the drama between the two lovers of life. A dreamlike ache haunts songs such as “Let Me Dream of the High Country,” “The Mechanic Falls in Love with the Girl," and “I Can See a Room.” Melodies drift in and out, reappearing in key spots, while strings and acoustic guitar gently guide the night. For a powerful break, “Lost in the Trees” throws growling electric guitars on top, in case anyone forgot that Richmond Fontaine can also really rock.