The Dublin-bred band Fontaines D.C returned last week with the highly anticipated release of their fourth studio album Romance. Taking a two-year break from releasing, Fontaines leaves the post-punk, raw-strumming of Skinty Fia (2022) and Dogrel (2019) for a more refined, polished sound.
Since the band’s formation in 2014, they have continued to evolve and develop as both musicians and lyricists. With Brit (2023) and NME (2022) awards under their belt, there is no doubt of their talent at their craft. However, the sound of Romance offers a different approach for the band and highlights their pursuit to explore new sounds and continue to push into the future. It is also the band’s first time working with James Ford as the producer, who has also collaborated with the likes of Arctic Monkeys and Blur in the past.
A far cry from the band’s early sound, Romance delves into the exploration of relationships (good and bad) in an intertwining, slow-burning, 11-part record of reflection, introspection and love. The record begins with the appropriately named “Romance”, which immediately sets a different tone. With a haunting synth and slow strummed guitar, frontman Grian Chatten’s opening line, ‘Into the darkness again’, solidifies this darker tone.
Yet, this is quickly contrasted by “Starburster” which sees odes to the band’s punky roots and Chatten’s vocals and lyricism at centre stage. The song picks up the pace compared to its predecessor and features a sense of panic in both the instruments and the vocals. With almost continuous vocalisation throughout, the band creates a feeling of anxiety – expertly translated across to the listener.
In its entirety, the album produces some of Fontaines’ most inventive work to date. Though there are moments of less creativity (“Here’s the thing”) a strong theme throughout the album is its lyricism and the band’s range. Leaving the anxiety and distress of the previous three tracks the album leads the listener into a winding exploration of love and loss. The elongated vocals of “Desire” see the band step into new territory, and feature a personal favourite line from the album: ‘They drown their wishes in the fountain like their fathers before.’ Following on, “In the Modern World” sees the band delve further into this abstract Romance and step away from their Irish origins to explore the conceptual rather than the tangible.
A highlight of the album in both range and personal preference is “Horseness is the Whatness”. It is one of the more elegant songs in the band’s catalogue and is the penultimate of both the band’s skill, lyricism and depth. It leaves you questioning the role of love, with Chatten’s desperate and pained vocals stating ‘You choose or you exist.’ “Death Kink” is also some of the best of the record. Much closer to their roots, the song is desperate with harsh vocals and strong guitar support creating a more rocky, grunge-inspired tune.
The 11-track record ends on a high with “Favourite” – a very new sound for Fontaines. An upbeat guitar tempo pairs with reflective lyrics and looks back on the journey of the previous ten tracks. Whilst the tone is certainly a juxtaposition to its predecessors, the airy tune of “Favourite” seems to offer some clarity in its lyrics and suggests a conclusion to the album’s journey and to the journey the band took with it.
Overall, the album stands as a testament to the band’s effort to look forward. It is exciting, it’s different and highlights the band’s ability to take on a wider range and execute it with poise. With lyricism and musical ability as talented as ever, the more refined sound of Romance could be Fontaines D.C.’s best work yet and looks to the bright future which the band is sure to have ahead.
9/10