Fontaines DC: Romance

The latest record by Irish band Fontaines DC is next up for review. A record that is the bands most ambitious to date. Its a record that shows where the band are going but also where they've been. Believe me its a good one. 

Opening the record is ‘Romance’ a rather dark and foreboding opening. This song has James Ford’s DNA all over it. A far cry from the opening track to their debut album ‘Big’ but its still very much a Fontaines song. It's a future classic and I'm sure it will become a fan favourite. ‘Starburster’ ups the ante and leaves fans catching their breath. Literally. This was the albums first single and saw the band make a huge leap. Verging on Hip-Hop in places. Written about panic attacks, the song feels claustrophobic and it definitely has its desired affect. One of the best songs of 2024. 

‘Heres the Thing’ the albums third single, is a guitar heavy anthem. Its riff is brilliant and this one will be a huge song in the live set. Picking up where ‘Starburster’ left off. Fans are not given time to breathe. The band keep the ante up. ‘Desire’ is the next song and one of my favourites on the record. Its the band at their atmospheric best. Lyrically this songs has some of the best lyrics the band have ever written. One of the songs I keep coming back too. Sung in a higher key than usual and with backing vocals from the rest of the band intertwined. A brilliant song. 

‘In the Modern World’ the albums final single is next. A string backed anthem, again with James Ford’s magic touch. A song about the hopelessness we all face in today's society. With a sense of hope brooding the choruses. This song is one of the best things Fontaines have ever done. Its so different and gives the band another direction to explore. 

‘Bug’ ends Side A, and shares a lot of similarities with the ‘Skinty Fia’ track ‘Roman Holiday’ it's a classic Fontaines tune. Fans will love this one. I can imagine it's going to be in the live set for a very long time. Its got a familiar feeling to it. In an album that sees the band tread new ground, its a look back to see how they got to this point. Its not the only time they do that on this record. 

Side B opens the with the albums weakest track in my opinion, the acoustic led ‘Motorcycle Boy’ its not a bad song, its just not as good as the others. The band build up into something that doesn't really go anywhere. Instead the ending of the song is quite subdued, another different sounding song that sadly doesn't have the same effect as the others. ‘Sundowner’ however, is a future classic. Conner Curley takes centre stage on this one. A shoegaze-inspired tune that has some of the Fontaines DC DNA to create this. I can hear some Tame Impala, some My Bloody Valentine and even some Slowdive. Its a brilliant tune. 

‘Horseness in the Whatness’ wins the award for the weirdest song name on the album. You'd expect another ‘Starburster’ what you actually get is a string laden affair that wouldn't sound out of place on the 2022 Arctic Monkeys album ‘The Car’ it's a beautiful song. With some more amazing lyrics. 

‘Death Kink’ is the penultimate track on the album, and ups the ante for one last time. Its Fontaines do grunge. This one will be amazing live, the guitars are distorted, the vocal fluctuates, the drums snarl. ‘Shit Shit Get Battered’ will be bellowing out from fans on the winter tour. 

They really did save the best till last. A song that has been on heavy rotation since its release. ‘Favourite’ has become my favourite thing the band have ever done. Its a beautiful song, a glimmer of hope after what has come before. Everything will be ok in the end. Despite what they've told us before. 

With nods to The Cure and in particular ‘Just Like Heaven’

Lyrically this is one of the best Fontaines songs to date. I felt as if the lyrical quality really went up a level on the last album ‘Skinty Fia’, particularly on songs like ‘I Love You’. ‘

Favourite’ shines lyrically. Commenting on the fast nature of change. ‘Each new day I get another year older’.  ‘Every time you blink you feel a change.’

The mistreatment of the working classes ‘when they painted the town with Thatcher’.

The gentrification of cities, and the feeling of homesickness due to touring and being away from their native Ireland. ‘Cities on return are often strange’. 

Fontaines are quite possibly the best band we've got in Britain. They just keep getting better.

Thank you for reading