We Used to Think the Freeway Sounded Like a River

Richmond Fontaine's eighth album finds the band at their peak, both artistically and commercially. A long time critics fave, they now reach beyond the 'Kings of Americana' tag they were given by Uncut Magazine, sounding more like a cross between The Jayhawks, Replacements and Springsteen.

The album was written by lead singer Willy Vlautin, who has also released two fiction novels to great acclaim 'The Motel Life' and 'Northline'. (Vlautin's third novel will be published in Feb 2010 for Faber & Faber). 'We Used to Think the Freeway Sounded Like a River' was produced by JD Foster (Dwight Yokam, Calexico), at Jackpot studios in Portland (Elliott Smith, The Decemberists and The Shins).

Formed in 1994, Richmond Fontaine hit big in 2004 and have become a strong touring outfit with a large European fan base. This is the longest they have been away....

Here's what they said about Fontaine's last albums:

'Thirteen Cities' - "Quite simply, Vlautin's one of the most compelling songwriters working today, compared equally to great American novelists llike Raymond Carver or John Steinbeck and musicians such as Bruce Springsteen or Tom Waits."
- The Sun

"Heartbreakingly great."
- NME (7/10)

"Nothing less than the Dylan of the Dislocated."
- Independent (5/5)

'The Fitzgerland' - "..is mind-blowing...absolute perfection."
- UNCUT (Album of the Month" 5/5)

"the most beautiful sad album of the year."
- Q Magazine (4/5 stars )

"downbeat masterpiece...bleak but brilliant."
- The Sun (5/5)

'Post to Wire' - "Uncut's discovery of the year....Fans of a certain kind of orphaned Americana are likely to fall on Post To Wire like apostles on The Grail....soon be entirely enthralled with this dark and mesmerising masterpiece."