It’s hard to think of a band who have as much hype as Fontaines D.C. The band are back for their 4th album with a new look, a new label and new sound.
Release Date: 23rd August 2024
Label: XL Recordings
Formats: CD / Vinyl / Digital
Fontaines D.C. previous album Skinty Fia (our review here) was released in 2022 to widespread critical and commercial acclaim. This made it their first album to reach number one in the UK and Ireland. The group continued to build their following with their own massive UK tour in support of the record, as well as supporting Arctic Monkeys on their North American tour last year.
STARBURSTER
The public’s first taste of Romance was in April this year with the release of the bombastic single Starburster, a track that saw the band trade their gruff post-punk sound for a much more punchy, hip hop inspired atmosphere unlike anything else that they had done before. Along with the release of the song, the band announced they had signed to XL Recordings, a label home to acts such as Radiohead, Peggy Gou, King Krule and The xx. Fontaines D.C. also brought along legendary producer James Ford to produce the album.
James Ford’s contributions are clear in the overall sound of the track but especially in the depth and bounce of the drums. To put in bluntly, Starburster would’ve stuck out like a sore thumb on any of the band’s previous releases which only added more anticipation for Romance to see what the album as a whole would sound like.
BELIEVE THE HYPE?
It’s so normal to see bands who are well into their careers take a back seat and not challenge or push themselves creatively, making it even more exciting and refreshing seeing what Fontaines D.C. were doing in the lead up for the release of Romance. Following some more extremely well received singles (Favourite, Here’s The Thing, In The Modern World) and a plethora of festival appearances, Fontaines D.C’s forth record was finally released. Prior to listening I was stuck with one question; would it be able to reach the levels of hype that surrounded it?
The short answer is yes however, the album’s overall sound and feel was not what I expected going into it. If I had to compare Romance to any of the bands previous work, I would say it reminds me the most of their second record A Hero’s Death, an album that beneath the bangers, is layered in melancholy and darkness. Romance has moments of pure euphoria and intensity, however throughout there is a great deal of restrained and mellow moments that are up there with the most beautiful tracks the band have produced yet.
ROMANCE
The record opens with intro and title track Romance, a song that sets a tone right away through its powerful, fuzzed out stabs alongside the sparse percussion and guitars. Frontman Grian Chatten’s opening lyrics of ‘Into the darkness again” match the instrumentation perfectly, creating an unnerving yet alluring feeling, inviting the listener to delve deeper and immerse themselves into the journey the album is going to take them on. The track builds and builds to levels that are new for Fontaines D.C, showing yet again how this change of production and sound has elevated them into unchartered territory as a band.
Following this is the amazing two track punch of singles Starburster and Here’s The Thing which sound even more explosive and exhilarating in the context of the album. Here’s The Thing in particular gives more of a 90s alt-rock feel akin to bands like Weezer and Nirvana through the sleek guitar grooves and Grian’s sharp vocals on the chorus. Both of these songs will be mainstays in the bands live set for years to come.
The album then takes a real tonal shift with the delicate yet captivating Desire which sees the band tap into more psychedelic, almost shoegaze elements with the soaring guitar that hits in the chorus matched with the layered vocals and hypnotic drum grooves courtesy of Tom Coll. The band introducing the electronic elements as well as the string quartet in this track creates such an almost overwhelming atmosphere that displays the care the band have and just how much they are throwing themselves into this progression of their sound.
A TOTAL EARWORM
The opposite of this is seen on the track Bug which is much simpler yet still incredibly effective. The song is a total earworm and almost feels familiar right away. It is incredibly direct, wasting no time whatsoever. As one of the shorter tracks on the record, Bug really shows how the band have mastered their song writing. Drummer Tom Coll remarks: “With songs like that, trying to skew them and put a spin on them that they don’t need is overwriting.”
The album continues to take the listener down this rather beautiful and delicate soundscape which sees its peak on Sundowner. Written as an ode to friendship, the track is the first song by the band to not feature Grian on lead vocals. Instead, guitarist Conor Curley takes the reigns and delivers a soft yet emotive performance, perfectly accompanied by the hazy guitars and drums which crack through the mix effectively. It’s a true high point for the band and a sound I would love to see them explore even more in the future.
DEATH KINK
As the record reaches its end, we are hit with another fantastic two track run which brings the listener right back to the energetic sound that the group are known for. The first being Death Kink which would have been a great choice for a single through its relentless chorus and bratty verses that give off pure swagger yet again akin to the 90s alternative rock outfits of the past.
The closer of the album is the beautiful and life affirming Favourite, a song that since its initial release as a single, has connected with so many people through the personal, reflective lyrics paired with what might be their most lush and anthemic instrumental to date. Whilst I loved the more delicate middle of the album, having the record reach its end with such highs is a brilliant way for it to close.
Romance feels like an important album for the band with them continuing to build and evolve on their sound reaching heights that they hadn’t previously. It’s an incredibly enjoyable listening experience throughout and is one that you can just tell how much love and effort was put into it as a whole. Believe the hype.
Watch the official video to Starburster – the album’s lead single – here:
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