ALBUM REVIEW: Fontaines D.C. – Romance

’…beguiling collision of dreamy majesty and scrappy punk making for an enticing listen…’

Back in 2020, Irish post-punk outfit Fontaines D.C. broke through into mainstream consciousness with their sophomore effort, ‘A Hero’s Death’. Lauded by fans and critics alike, it was an album that propelled the underground stars into the upper echelons of the indie realms. A landmark album in many regards.

And I really, really… did not like that album.

Whilst many commended innumerable aspects of ‘A Hero’s Death’, I found it to be a dull, dreary, repetitive listen, lacking in any sense of charisma or inventiveness. It was post-punk colour-by-numbers that felt as though it was trying very hard to say something important, whilst having absolutely nothing of merit to actually say.

So I find it immensely baffling to say that the latest effort from Fontaines D.C. is actually… really quite good?

‘Romance’ is often a beautifully crafted album that is soaked with a pensive melancholy and a weary humour. However, the roots of the five-piece are still clear and present on this album. This is, despite the cinematic scope and sweeping elements of orchestration, a gritty post-punk record that holds a magnifying glass over all of the dirt and beauty of real life.

The hit singles from the album, such as ‘Starburster’ and ‘Here’s the Thing’, bring swaggering alternative rock energy to this formula, with some surprisingly catchy choruses and cutting, acerbic lyricism. Vocalist Grian Chatten weaves in subtle yet compelling melodies between passages of hid trademark aloof spoken-word delivery; the result is a much greater sense of emotive weight and vulnerability, which is wholly unexpected from a band famed for an abrasive, no-nonsense style.

Much of the same can be said for the instrumentals here. Whilst those aforementioned big cuts do feel charged with accessible arena rock energy, part of the real charm of this record are the experimental and cinematic ways in which Fontaines D.C. push their sound. Sweeping strings and sparkling keys decorate the album with a sense of immense ambition, whilst pulsing, winding synth lines pay homage to the glorious gothic roots of the post-punk genre.

This is particularly true on the more experimental moments of the album, such as the dramatic, foreboding opener that is ‘Romance’, or the haunting rumination of ‘Horseness Is The Whatness‘. Moments such as these act as frankly remarkable subversions of what can even be expected from Fontaines D.C.; post-punk hasn’t just been revived, it’s been evolved and pushed into new and exciting dimensions.

Some of the band’s faults from their earlier material do unfortunately rear their head every once in a while. Tracks such as ‘Bug’ and ‘Death Kink’ feel undercooked and superfluous, not matching up to the sense of scale that the album presents with. ‘Motorcycle Boy’, on the other hand, is incredibly memorable thanks to the downright irritating looping vocal refrain that permeates the entire track; much of the rest of the track is actually quite well composed, so it is a real shame that the incessant backing vocals are so annoying to listen to.

The highs of ‘Romance’, however, more than make up for the flaws present. Since exploding in popularity with ‘A Hero’s Death’, I’ve remained a firm skeptic of Fontaines D.C; whatever it was everybody else was able to hear simply did not make itself known to me. However, ‘Romance’ is a record that has done the unthinkable, and converted me into a firm believer of Fontaines D.C., with its beguiling collision of dreamy majesty and scrappy punk making for an enticing listen that scratches an itch you never knew you had.

RATING: 76/100 – Mostly Very Good

For Fans Of: Kneecap, Yard Act, alright (okay), Idles, Wunderhorse