Dublin City. Five young men with a head full of dreams and songs. With the likes of Idles breaking out of Bristol with their post-punk tunes now seems the right time right place for a band like Fontaines D.C to step up and show what they have.
Part indie, part punk, part pop all delivered with a broad Dublin accent I like what I hear. ‘Big’ is uptempo and lays the ground zero point from which Fontaines D.C are kicking this off. Its a slightly restrained rage like a cross between Idles (there’s no getting away from it) and someone like Pavement. ‘Sha Sha Sha’ is a Friday night out of work and down the pub anthem for the underdog and it makes you feel good. ‘Too Real’ is a brooding wall of noise. As it ebbs and flows rather nicely in a New York City kinda way that maybe had the Strokes been from Dublin then they might have had a bash at this. That Strokes vibe comes through on ‘Television Screen’ as well as it builds nicely.
‘Hurrican Nicely’ doesn’t make any sense to me but what does make perfect sense is that rhythm section roll on the cymbals and the rumble of the bass which is great and only escalates when the guitars kick in. Its got a heart as big as The Falls back catalogue and the flat delivery of the lyrics would have Mark E Smith inhaling with great approval I’m sure. In contrast ‘Roy’s Tune’ has a really strong melody and gets sung in a very Britpop sort of way as the song drifts along.
With many hats being worn here it’s hard to pinpoint or categorise the band which is refreshing and helps you listen to the songs without expecting to hear this style or that style. There is a reflective mood to ‘The Lotts’. ‘Liberty Belle’ is made for a sweaty live environment as is ‘Boys In The Better Land’ in all it’s happy go lucky let’s make a noise kinda way. Then to end it with the late night smokey barroom lament of ‘Dublin City Sky’ is a fine way to put a full stop on this barrel full of alternative music and a big bunch of very enjoyable tunes. It could go one of two ways here I guess- one, I’ll want to hear some of these songs again and again as they draw me in or two. I’ll crave a loud night in listening to a lovely Dublin lilt telling me stories of his home town and the people who live there all wrapped up in some gritty alternative rock and roll. Always a pleasure and never a chore that’s for sure.
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Author: Dom Daley
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