Following 2022’s universally acclaimed Skinty Fia, Fontaines D.C.’s latest album, Romance, continues their evolution while showcasing their ability to surprise and captivate.
The album was born of contrasting ideas while the band were scattered across the globe. Guitarist Carlos O’Connell spent time in Spain, rediscovering his love for hard alternative acts like Alice In Chains, Deftones and Korn, and later becoming a father, while frontman Grian Chatten and bassist Conor Deegan hunkered down in LA and Paris respectively, the former reading Dylan Thomas and Nikolaj Schultz. The band’s new sonic direction would ultimately synergise while on tour in North America with the Arctic Monkeys and later watching Blur live at Wembley. The band would eventually hit the studio with James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Blur, Depeche Mode, Florence and the Machine).
As hinted at by lead singles ‘Starburster’, ‘Favourite’ and ‘Here’s the Thing’, the album marks a shift in sound from their earlier work, blending ‘90s alternative sounds ranging from grunge and alternative metal to big beat and trip hop. Opening with the Depeche Mode flavoured title track, the album has arguably the strongest trio of tracks of the band’s career to date; giving way to the bouncy, panic attack inspired ‘Starburster’ on which drummer Tom Coll channels his inner David Silveria, while ‘Here’s The Thing’ sees O’Connell and Conor Curley employ the sort of shoebox fuzz that Deftones’ Stephen Carpenter did on White Pony cuts like ‘Feiticeira’, ‘Korea’ and ‘Street Carp’.
The album then takes a slower, more deliberate turn on ‘Desire’ and ‘The Modern World’, the latter boasting gorgeous string swells. The influence of Chatten’s solo work looms large; his baritone sounding more refined and polished than it ever has before, particularly on the O’Connell penned ‘Horseness Is The Whatness’ – arguably his greatest vocal performance to date, even if the spotlight is somewhat taken by the guitar barrage in the outro.
The album picks up the pace again towards the album’s final moments. ‘Death Kink’ features an acerbic, pleading Chatten vocal (“Shit, shit, shit / Battered / I caved in my promise / Was clattered”) inally giving way to the Cure-via-Dinosaur Jr closer ‘Favourite’, and irresistibly sunny, jangly summer number.
Overall, Romance balances both energetic and slow-paced tracks, reflecting a more nuanced and experimental side of Fontaines D.C., without losing their distinct edge. Although some fans might miss the working class heroism of their earlier work, this album is likely to solidify their growing mainstream success.