Fontaines D.C. have come a long way in a relatively short time. On their first album, Dogrel (2019), they could have been mistaken for another Art Brut, with simple observations like “My childhood was small / But I’m gonna be big.” With such a declaration of intent, the Dublin band couldn’t have planned their trajectory any better.
Grian Chatten (vocals), Conor Deegan III (bass), Conor Curley (guitar), Carlos O’Connell (guitar), and Tom Coll (drums) met when they attended Dublin City Music College (thus, the D.C. in their name). Where Dogrel was nominated for the Mercury Prize, A Hero’s Death (2020) received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Album, and Skinty Fia (2022) became a number one album in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Fontaines D.C. seemed poised for great things, only getting bigger with each record, and Romance finds them taking that next step.
As the title suggests, the LP centers on idealism and romance. That focus brings with it crisp and polished sonics, avoiding any abrasive texture from former outings. Chattan’s vocals regularly follow suit and possess a genuine, dramatic quality. Here, Fontaines D.C. channel bands that rose and (in most cases) fell in the early-to-mid 2000s, yet they stay true to their spirit. Romance is a mature effort with a level of sophistication very few had expected from the band at this stage in their career. It is a triumph that will only further reward listeners over time.
The most striking aspect of Romance is its unabashed sentimentality. “In the Modern World” celebrates the sappiness of Coldplay from back when they were critical darlings while integrating the breathy vocals of Jan Scott Wilkinson from Sea Power (formerly British Sea Power). It’s hard not to be moved by lyrics like, “Seems so hard not to be free / When you walk / Right beside me” and images about kissing on the corner and going away together. Reflecting on one’s emotions, however, cuts both ways. “Horseness Is The Whatness” challenges the idea that “love” really makes the world go round in favor of “choice”, a starry-eyed reaction to romantic rejection.
Even if Romance mainly concerns the idealized, the record pulses somber undertones. “Motorcycle Boy” presents dark themes, a military drum beat, and orchestration that calls to mind bands like South and Doves. The melancholic dream pop of “Sundowner” speaks to the sadness of the soul and unrealized dreams. “Desire” is especially bleak in the way it illustrates the concept of determinism (“They drown their wishes in the fountain like their fathers before”). When speaking about the album, Chattan said, “We say things on this record we’ve wanted to say for a long time. I never feel like it’s over, but it’s nice to feel lighter.”
Romance still contains some bangers. The lead single “Starburst” is on the shortlist for song of the year, and it hits with a vitality not experienced on previous Fontaines D.C. efforts. The gulp for air heard on the track is for effect (and symbolizes the panic attack Chatten suffered in a London tube station), but it also reflects the collective gasp for breath required after such ferocity. Many of the lyrics are sinister, especially the refrain, which is a vow to ruin another’s bliss just because you can.
Other tracks hit with similar potency. “Death Kink” most closely aligns with the band’s earlier work, with the refrain beginning “(it was) shit, shit, shit” and brash guitar work that pays homage to the Pixies. “Here’s the Thing” finds Chattan hitting falsetto notes in time with processed sounds that are actually manufactured by the group. The mid-tempo flicker of “Bug” tells the story of moving beyond a former affair and reclaiming oneself. All of these find Fontaines D.C. driving their sound forward with their quintessential momentum.
Even with the immediacy of a track like “Starbuster,” album closer and second single “Favourite” is bound to be a crowd pleaser. Propelled by a buoyant guitar line, the track bounces along with infectious moments of repetition despite its wistful underpinnings. Lyrics like “The misery made me another marked man / And I’m always looking over my shoulder / And each new day, I get another year older” cannot weigh the song down. In fact, it would risk being too sugary-sweet if it wasn’t so damned good.
With Romance, Fontaines D.C. have opened up a new realm of possibilities in their sound, proving that they are (perhaps always were) multifaceted. Where they once were a band to watch, they now have become an act that must be followed and will likely increase in stature over the coming years. Fontaines D.C.’s previous efforts were acclaimed, and rightfully so, but Romance should be considered a high-water mark for them, a work that is equally challenging and considerably more gratifying.