Fontaines DC - 'Romance' Album Review
- Mar 16
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 1
Fontaines D.C.'s fourth album "Romance" marks a bold evolution for the Dublin post-punk outfit, who've moved beyond their comfort zone while maintaining their distinctive core sound. The album blends industrial textures, shoegaze elements, and atmospheric production (courtesy of James Ford) with Grian Chatten's unmistakable vocal delivery, creating a collection that ranges from the anxiety-inducing "Starburster" to the hypnotic "In The Modern World" and the jangly closer "Favourite."
What makes "Romance" their most complete work to date is its willingness to explore the uncomfortable complexities of its namesake - not as a simple emotion but as "a place you're locked out of" or "something you're hellbent on protecting." The album's claustrophobic soundscapes and lyrical density reward repeated listening, revealing new dimensions with each play while balancing immediate impact with tracks that grow more compelling over time.
Artist(s) | Fontaines D.C. |
Release Date | 23rd August 2024 |
Genre | Alternative/Indie Rock |
Rating | 10/10 |
Side One: Post-Punk Evolution in New Territory
"Romance" opens with its haunting title track - an unexpected introduction that immediately signals Fontaines D.C.'s willingness to experiment. Eerie industrial sounds and "plump, squelchy electronic noise" create an unsettling foundation as Grian Chatten's vocals "creak and groan" throughout, building toward a crescendo of distorted sounds that feel apocalyptic.
"Starburster" - the album's lead single - offers no reprieve from the tension. Inspired by Chatten's panic attack at London's St. Pancras Station, the track drops you into "a thick soup of anxiety" with his characteristic "rat-a-tat delivery" punctuated by gasps for air. Tom Coll's thumping drumwork amplifies the disorientation, creating an urgent post-punk anthem.
The fuzzy guitars of "Here's The Thing" blend late-80s indie sensibilities with subtle Nirvana influences. Chatten's vocals soar unexpectedly high as he delivers lines like "Shockin' pretty is that face you're makin'/Is there a sentiment you'd like to tell?" against swirling guitar riffs and atmospheric backing vocals.
"Desire" slows the tempo while maintaining intensity through "filthy grunge sounds" that "throb and pulsate." This track represents Chatten's first confident foray into more sensual territory - proof that the band can maintain their distinctive core while pushing into unexplored emotional landscapes.
Side Two: Sonic Experimentation and Raw Emotion
"In The Modern World" emerges as a standout - a sprawling ballad where strings and backing vocals "swirl around each other like litter in the wind." Coll's "heartbeat drumming" creates a hypnotic backdrop for Chatten's detached proclamation: "In the modern world/I don't feel anything/In the modern world/And I don't feel bad. "The production crafts a vast sonic landscape that perfectly complements the visceral lyrics.
"Horseness Is The Whatness" (titled after a James Joyce reference from Ulysses) showcases multiple influences - echoes of Blur (perhaps James Ford's production influence), The Frank & Walters, and R.E.M. all make appearances. The track methodically builds layers, with floating strings eventually becoming "entangled in an industrial, almost nu-metal, resin" during its gritty climax.
"Death Kink" explores controlling relationships through disorienting time signature shifts and Chatten's distinctive "wobbly" delivery that sounds "like a warped record as the stylus lifts and falls." Despite clocking in at just 143 seconds, this grunge-infused belter leaves a lasting impression.
The album closes with "Favourite" - a "jangly, shoegaze-tinted, guitar-driven" track reminiscent of The Wedding Present or early Soup Dragons. Originally a 12-verse epic before the band edited it down, it sends listeners away "with a bounce in their step" while maintaining the album's lyrical density.
"Romance" ultimately succeeds as Fontaines D.C.'s most complete album to date - a continued progression that balances immediate throat-grabbers with tracks that "creep up on you, like the musical Jack the Ripper." The "lush production and often claustrophobic soundscapes" occasionally "take time to punch you in the guts," creating an album that reveals new dimensions with each listen.
Romance marks a significant evolution for Fontaines D.C., blending expansive soundscapes with deeply introspective themes, showcasing their growth as songwriters. The album skillfully navigates the tension between chaos and beauty, ultimately celebrating love and hope amidst uncertainty, solidifying its place as a compelling and emotionally rich work in their discography.
Rating: 10/10 - Their Most Complete Album Yet
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