Fontaines D.C. come into their own with the brilliantly progressive 'Romance'
Well respected as standard bearers of the new alternative movement, Fontaines D.C. have carved out their place with a murderers’ row of acclaimed LPs that bristle with a streetwise scrappiness and a poetic vulnerability that, despite the band's incredible talent, always felt like they were on the offensive with something to prove. After accumulating their accolades with Dogrel, A Hero's Death, and 2022's Skinty Fia, Fontaines D.C. at last seem like they feel worthy of the mountains of praise critics have heaped upon them with their latest album, Romance.
Romance is a progression, an expansion on the sonic ambition of Skinty Fia that leans hard into the heavier end of Britpop and jagged alt rock with an uncompromising approach to channeling emotions and aggressions into a breathtakingly widescreen commentary on life, love, and loss amidst the unrelenting turbulence of the modern era. The album is bigger in all quantifiable measures than anything Fontaines D.C. has done to date, a massive declaration of intent that ripples and flexes with vivacious muscularity.
The title track opens the album with a broodingly ominous atmosphere that wallows in self depreciation amidst a plodding rhythm and haunted house melodies plinked on the ancient keys of a dusty, forgotten piano. Ever so briefly the track begins to turn into the light, as Grian Chatten muses "maybe romance is the place for me and you," before releasing a tenuous grip on sanity to tumble once more into the abyss. It's a thrilling thesis that sets the stage for the entirety of the record, as Fontaines D.C. juxtaposes hope and desperation through a myriad of lenses with unique perspectives that are turned on a dime at a moments notice.
The tracklist is wildly diverse, but maintains a singular focus on the core themes as Fontaines D.C. take jaunts through every nook and cranny of Britpop's expansive sonic domain. From the menacing, early-Kasabian hooliganism of the beat-forward "Starburster" to exploring the darker tendencies of Richard Ashcroft on the expansive "Bug," Fontaines D.C. give nods to their forebearers but never linger long enough within established territory to make any of the tracks feel like simple retreads. Romance is Fontaines D.C.'s journey and landmarks along the path to their destination are acknowledged with reverence but abject hero worship is never a line item on the itinerary.
"Here's The Thing" stands out as a toweringly colossal expression of sympathetic emotion driven by razorblade guitars and a pummeling rhythm rendered with cinematic flair. It’s a festival ready-powerhouse produced with a glossy sheen, but inherently possessed with a gritty tenacity and unstoppable verve. Elements of ethereal shoegaze on "Sundowner" and abstract post-grunge riffs on "Death Kink" jostle against each other with a palpable intensity, shot through with complex prose and dynamic wordplay that bubble to the surface on the album’s more spartan songs where sheer bombast is swapped out for textural ruminations accented with haunting strings and emotive keys.
Fontaines D.C. closes out Romance with the brilliantly sunny "Favourite," an acoustic guitar driven track that layers shimmering harmonies over radiant rhythms making the track feel like a sort of happy ending after the relentless intensity that precedes. The hook is purely magical; simple but overflowing with the sudden realization that love has always been a companion, even though one may have been too distracted to recognize its presence. "You've been my favorite for a long time" is exhaled with a sense of cathartic relief, like breaking the surface from too long spent submersed and untethered in the deep, fingers entwined with the icon of salvation reaching from the protective stability of dry land.
By no longer worrying about proving to the world how tough they are, Fontaines D.C. are able to freely explore their more diverse impulses with the kind of self-assuredness that is earned with maturity, and the resulting Romance is indeed a master stroke.
Romance is out now via XL Recordings. Stream the album on Spotify and follow Fontaines D.C. on Instagram.
Upcoming Shows
Aug. 24, 2024 - Reading, United Kingdom - Reading Festival 2024 - tickets
Aug. 25, 2024 - Leeds, United Kingdom - Leeds Festival 2024 - tickets
Aug. 28, 2024 - Liverpool, United Kingdom - CONTENT - tickets
Sep. 20, 2024 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SoDo - tickets
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Nov. 20, 2024 - Wolverhampton, United Kingdom - Wolverhampton Civic Hall
Nov. 22-23, 2024 - London, United Kingdom - Alexandra Palace
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Nov. 26, 2024 - Plymouth, United Kingdom - Plymouth Pavilions
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Nov. 29-30 & Dec. 1, 2024 - Manchester, United Kingdom - The Factory
Dec. 3, 2024 - Leeds, United Kingdom - First Direct Arena
Dec. 4, 2024 - Glasgow, United Kingdom - OVO Hydro