“Into the darkness again”, declares Grian Chatten over the backdrop of Kubrick-esque horror, a picturesque scene of chaos and intrigue that followers of the band have grown used to experiencing. If there were fans expecting Fontaines D.C’s exploration of love and folly to be one of ballads and soppy hits, then they probably don’t know the band as well as they think they do.
As the Dublin post-punk outlet gets further into their career with each release, there’s a growing ooze of confidence that follows them in their trail; an unstoppable train rushing towards stardom. The three-chord ripping riff of early single ‘Boys In The Better Land’ sounds like a far cry of what the band would knock together now, yet it paved the way for what’s in front of them, always viewing the world with some sort of romantic lens. ‘Dogrel’ was preserved with the beauty and flaws of Ireland, ‘A Hero’s Death’ viewed the initial detachment of birthplace and ‘Skinty Fia’ explored the idea of Irishness and nationality under an interpersonal lens. Now with their fourth album, the band are the furthest detached from Ireland than they have ever been, and have given themselves eleven tracks to protect the “tiny flame of romance” Chatten says he feels so strongly.
First released single ‘Starbuster’ forces you to take a deep breath in the best way possible – singing along (or more like gasping) to Grian Chatten’s chorus, where he and the rest of the band have created a borderline feral noise that somehow manages to stay infectious in your ear. You’d be forgiven for thinking there isn’t much romance involved here, but the track perfectly describes the chaotic world the band are seeking to explore, and the beauty it forces you to search for. The psychedelic and hip-hop mesh of the track is uncharted territory for Fontaines, but they play it off with such swagger that it sounds like second nature.
With the first single released, fans expected the band to delve into a more experimental sound, which meant everyone was taken by surprise when their second release was the closest they’ve come to striking indie gold. Even with the decision to break an unspoken rule of never releasing your album closer as a single, the sweetness and overcoming nostalgia heard on ‘Favourite’ never becomes sour. Its influence from The Cure is so incredibly obvious that it hardly even feels worth mentioning, but it does pay dividends to the Dubliners that they can take a sound that was beaten to death in the 80s and make it so fresh and unique to their own voice. The track also features some of Chatten’s finest songwriting, with the climax having him describe his deep sense of infatuation, the tiny flame of romance mentioned earlier: “But if there was lightning in me/You’d know who it was for”.
‘Here’s The Thing’ followed, an explosive and grungier sound that has maybe the band’s best guitar riff. Chatten (once again) shines here, further showing his range of talent as a vocalist with his gasps that helps deepen the scope of the track’s mood; an anxious mess of relationship worries and vulnerability. All three singles are so different in sound yet none of them allow you a second to breathe, a full throttle display of the band’s creative exploration. With the rest of Romance, there are more introspective moments that are welcomed to clash against the early noise.
The pick of the ‘slower’ tunes comes through the form of ‘In The Modern World’, an expression of hopelessness at today’s society that takes surprising influences from the likes of Lana Del Rey. Despite its melancholy, the climactic chorus can’t help but feel uplifted by its noise, with both impressive stringwork and bass player Deego’s backing vocals eradicating any sense of loss, a recurring theme that strikes so deeply across all eleven songs, and one of the albums strongest pulls – the band’s ability to give hope to their own anxieties. Further on, ‘Bug’ feels like Romance’s answer to ‘Roman Holiday’, albeit not having just as strong of a sonic palette as its predecessor. Its bass line is terrific, though, and its tune perhaps sounds even sweeter after listening to what follows in ‘Motorcycle Boy’, a slower acoustic tune that builds and builds to no apparent payoff. Everything is ramped up for the penultimate track on ‘Death Kink’, a rollicking, rampant tune that appears to have the intention of being a vintage rock banger, but is instead warped by the claustrophobic theme of the album and takes on the form of something darker and twisted. It’s a song that also shows Chatten’s finest poetry on the chorus, exclaiming “Shit, shit, shit battered”, a lyric that has the potential to be the most enjoyable pick to sing along to live.
Perhaps Fontaines D.C’s most impressive trait is their output. Now six years into their career, they already have a discography to match some of their influences. When taking into consideration their unrelenting tour schedule, it’s remarkable how quickly the boys can put together a cohesive project and continue to grow as a visionary force. ‘Romance’ is predictably bold, expansive and brilliant. A band working at their creative potential, their next step won’t just be watched by Ireland, but by the entire world.
Words by Niall McGreevy