Fontaines D.C. – Romance Review

A stormer of a time on the festival circuit and off to do their headline slot in venues across the country, Fontaines D.C. is on the up and up. For those left wanting a little more from Skinty Fia, our prayers are answered by Romance, an outstanding new step for the Dublin-formed post-punk band. A prolific time for one Grian Chatten, a continued improvement in his writing and form as a frontman heading up one of the more promising pieces of post-punk of the last decade. Shiver at your desk, the flu you picked up in the fields of Branham just to hear a snippet of Romance is starting to feel less worth it. Bundle yourself in layer after layer, hear the gothic pangs of this titular opener and ease back into what may be one of the finest albums this year can provide.  

All credit to Fontaines D.C., they have grown and grown. A thematic scope can be heard here which is not found in their other works. Romance is a place and Fontaines D.C. are discovering this for new listeners. It is a location. Not far from wherever you are now but in the small joys. The big squeeze. A deep embrace. Some comfort may linger in the back of the mind as those crushing pangs and Hans Zimmer-like explosions of sound crash through. An incredible opener and it leads to perfect single Starburster, a finely tuned shock to the system which does plenty of heavy lifting for the band. Energetic, punchy punk tones flow through it and cover the lacklustre ground Here’s the Thing provides, a dull rock tone with solid lyrical contempt. At least Starburster is there, likely one of the best songs of the year. 

Flutters of classic rock stumped the band on Here’s the Thing but is the great cap on the talented writings found on In the Modern World. A generalised rock courage is needed to power through a lyrical tone and hatred for your hometown which Brett Anderson could mould into an acoustic-led Suede song. These are the joys of Chatten, a multi-talented writer who has found himself with a lucky streak of incredible works. His focus on releasing hate and contempt in a colourful and often inventive, welcoming experience, is masterful. It sets him apart as one of the finest writers of this decade and Romance, the whole way through, is proof of this. The rest of the band gets on well too, with echoed and bold percussion tones dominating much of the album, with plenty of space for softly applied yet still intense acoustic works.  

Touching and intense in equal measure appears to be the sound Fontaines D.C. is gunning for. They hit it well. Romance is a place. Romance proves it. Listen in the warmth of a sweet embrace. Fontaines D.C. has developed their sound and style far beyond what was expected of them after Skinty Fia. It sounds as though they cannot put a foot wrong and the likes of Bug, Motorcycle Boy and Sundowner provide remarkable bills of intense form. A slice of optimism in a world seemingly crumbling. Stick true to Favourite and the jangling guitar work, it is the chaser needed for the moody tones found earlier in this fantastic piece of work from Fontaines D.C.