Atwood Magazine’s writers discuss Fontaines D.C.’s fourth studio album ‘Romance,’ a deeply unapologetic, authentic, and angst-filled record that arrives on the heels of the Irish indie rock band’s meteoric rise.

Featured here are Atwood writers Adam Davidson, Christine Buckley, Claire Meyer, Dimitra Gurduiala, Frankie Rose, Jada Moore, and Olivia Martinez!

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To start, what is your relationship with Fontaines D.C.’s music?

Olivia: I hadn’t heard of Fontaines D.C. until this year. My boyfriend introduced me to them because he knows I like The Smiths and said the music of Fontaines D.C. fit within a modernized version of a similar genre (especially in regards to the vocals and the lyrics). I really liked the songs he played me and we have been listening to them in the car a lot recently. I have been looking forward to the release of this record and doing a deeper dive into their discography.

Jada: Last year when I saw Arctic Monkeys, Fontaines D.C. happened to be their openers. I thoroughly enjoyed their set, and the passion they have as performers. Ever since I have been watching them from afar and tuning in here and there. I just love their vibe – they make me feel like I’m back in the 2013/14 indie rock era, in the best way! Also I admit I have always been partial to the British indie music sound, so it comes full circle that I’m now back listening to an artist breaking into that scene.

Frankie: I had never listened to Fontaines D.C. before this album but I had heard of the name. The week that Romance was released, multiple people around me were mentioning it. As a result, I became very intrigued and decided to listen to the album with a critical mindset!

Christine: I got into Fontaines D.C. because I kept seeing them on social media and I was intrigued by the album title “Skinty Fia.” I liked the song “I Love You” and how grungy and despairing it sounded, yet with a perfectly happy(-seeming) title.

Claire: I am also a new fan to the band. I was introduced to Fontaines D.C. in late February/early March when I interviewed Royel Otis. Otis mentioned being a big fan of the group, and the producer they worked with for their debut album, Dan Carey, also produced Fontaines D.C.’s first 3 records. So I gave some of their music a listen, and was instantly hooked by “Starburster” when it was released in April. And I have been eagerly awaiting the release of this record with each consecutive single that was released.

Adam: The first time I ever heard them was a live performance. I was in the bar queue at Primavera Barcelona a couple of years ago, and got talking to a few people. They asked if I was excited about Fontaines D.C. coming up and I admitted I’d never heard them before. They urged me to watch them and I’m glad I did – I found their performance instantly enthralling, a well-rehearsed group of musicians putting out some interesting grooves with a magnetically aloof frontman. I listened to Skinty Fia later that day and have had them on my radar ever since.

Dimitra: I have known them for a couple of years thanks to a friend who had made me listen to “Boys In The Better Land,” just a short time before the release of Skinty Fia, which later turned out to be my favorite record of that year. I find them to be amazing, innovative, fresh air for the current music scene. Especially after seeing them live two months ago, in Lido di Camaiore (in Tuscany, to be clear). Professionals in the round.

What are your initial impressions and reactions to Romance?

Olivia: Romance sounds very cinematic to me. The first listen felt like I was glimpsing into an incredibly expansive world, still waiting to be explored in its entirety. I enjoy their ability to combine elements of punk and hip-hop without allowing themselves to be constrained by the expectations of either genre. Their lyrics sound almost literary, begging to be read on a piece of paper and annotated with a ballpoint pen. My attention did wane somewhat for a few moments throughout the album, but that is usually how my mind reacts until I am able to fully fall in love with a record.

Frankie: As I wasn’t familiar with their previous albums, I had nothing to compare Romance too. The song “Romance” is perfect as an opener! It’s full of drama with a dreaminess that sweeps you in. I was hoping the whole album would continue with a similar energy but “Starbuster”, followed by “Here’s The Thing” disappointed me. That being said, I love “In The Modern World” and “Horseness Is The Whatness” that carry that similar dreaminess.

Christine: It’s a wide, strong swath of oppositional forces. Just listen to that opening track – an eerier, freakier horror song I’ve rarely heard. Yet it’s called “Romance.” Then the further tracks keep subverting emotions usually related to relationships, like “Desire.” It’s one of their hallmarks, that sort of agitational thing.

Jada: Personally I really enjoyed the experience of listening to Romance from start to finish. Like its name, the album does lean more into the highs and lows that not only comes from love, but also life in general. I love the openness and insight we gained into the band’s own personal journeys as well as their feelings on their new found fame. Plus each song is equally as great and unique in their own right.

Claire: Romance sounds cinematic and dreamy to me too. I think “Romance” was a great way to start things off, it really set the tone for what was coming. I really like how Christine put it, the juxtaposition throughout the album, and even within the songs leaves me guessing what will come next. As someone who loves when an album ends on a slower note, I thought “Favourite” was the perfect closer. It provides some breathing room to reflect on the record.

Adam: I think this album is a leap forward for the band, musically speaking. And in a more subtle way than if they decided on a complete departure – This isn’t a rock group saying “Hey, we’ve put out a jazz album just for the heck of it!” – It’s a gradual evolution. These new songs will stand with their earlier output comfortably in live sets. They’ve evenly balanced the need for progression while keeping a foot in the genres we know them for, and that is a delicate and difficult thing to achieve.

Dimitra: Cinematic is just the perfect word to describe this record. On the first listen I was somewhat bewildered, but the more I listen to it the more it captivates me. “Romance” and its somber atmosphere is a wonderful way to start, it’s kind of like when you realize you like someone and then you feel the butterflies in your stomach won’t stop moving. “Favourite,” then, concludes in a light, dreamy, almost carefree though melancholy way. A nostalgic heart in bright colors, just like the one on the album cover.

How does this album compare to the band’s previous records like Skinty Fia and A Hero’s Death – what are the most striking similarities or differences?

Frankie: I dug into their repertoire afterwards and I think my favorite songs off of Romance are the ones that are the least Fontaines D.C. in sound, due to the softness and more whispery vocals. This is perhaps the most striking difference but it shows they’ve expanded their sound, which is cool!

Christine: Grian Chatten has said he likes to keep people guessing, for each lead single and lead album track to be a bit of a shock. They definitely did that with their lead single “Starbuster” – one of the songs of the year methinks – and the lead album track “Romance.” To me this is a more diverse album than the first two.

Jada: In my opinion, I feel Romance and A Hero’s Death feel more similar in content than Skinty Fia. Both albums properly had a balance of moody and deep versus the more upbeat and “mosh worthy” songs. As compared to Skinty Fia, which had a much more toned down, and angsty feel. I think the clear difference for all three albums is the overall message. Romance’s release comes at a pivotal moment for the group, as they are beginning to gain more and more recognition. This is something that they could only touch on in Romance as compared to their earlier releases.

Claire: Romance really marks a new era in Fontaines D.C.’s soundscape. I feel like this record will appeal to more listeners than their previous records have. I can’t quite pinpoint what exactly it is, but Dogrel, A Hero’s Death, and Skinty Fia all feel very Irish to me, and I don’t get that same feeling about Romance. It’s not that Romance is erasing their Irish identity, but more that they have expanded the scope of their identity, and chosen not to feature it as heavily in this album. Listening to each album chronologically, I could really track their growth over that time.

Adam: Along with the nuanced changes in sound and the expanded genre palate, lyrically Romance is a step forward too. Grian Chatten has always been somewhat poetic with his words, but that element of his writing has blossomed on this album. He is also known to be influenced by film – As some of my fellow writers have pointed out, Romance is undeniably cinematic – and this comes out in the more expansive and epic compositions such as In The Modern World and Sundowner. Romance, as a whole, does have a more widescreen feel. It seems as though the band are reaching for something higher. It’s a mature and spiritual album.

Olivia: When listening to Skinty Fia and A Hero’s Death, I picture an actual live band playing the songs, each instrument acting as its own character that runs throughout the individual tracks. Romance feels like a slight departure from that more traditional format. The production feels more experimental than their past work, though it still holds true to their core sound. Listening to their music in chronological order feels, in a sense, like listening to punk evolve into a more modern version of itself. In a sea of punk bands trying to sound “punk” (a.k.a. doing their best to replicate other punk artists), Fontaines D.C. seems to understand that the meaning of punk is more fluid than that. Their fearless attempts to expand and bolden their sound prove their ability to drive the forefront of the genre in a somewhat post-modern industry.

Dimitra: I agree with Claire: The earlier works very much respect the band’s Irish identity, whereas I notice this much less with Romance. Not that it is more or less related to Fontaines’ identity itself, mind you. I think this new record simply represents another side of their soul, little seen so far. They are less punk in the more classic, mainstream sense of the word, but I love to see how they manage to never be repetitive.

Fontaines D.C. teased Romance with “Starburster,” “Favourite,” “Here’s the Thing,” and “In the Modern World.” Are these singles faithful representations of the album? How do they compare to the rest of the record?

Frankie: I think it’s a faithful representation because they are all varied in sound so it encompasses well the styles of the album. It’s interesting though that they released both the opening and closing track as singles. I feel like that diminishes the overall surprise/ charm a bit.

Christine: Yes, there’s a good amount of diversity in those singles. “The Modern World” with its hints of The Smiths melancholy, while “Starbuster’”s hip-hop and “Here’s the Thing’s” surf rock elements span a bit of ground, like the album itself.

Claire: I think each single represents a different sound on the album. As a whole, they do an excellent job in displaying what to expect. “Starburster” is such a perfect single to lead the way, it has a wow factor that left me excited and wanting more. So I was surprised that “Favourite” was the next single released, but in a way it prepared me to understand the scope of genres that were going to blend together on Romance.

Adam: The single choices are well-curated, and represent the breadth of styles on Romance. There are a few “safer” songs which might have been released as a commercial choice, so I think Fontaines D.C. are making a statement here. This is their new era, there’s plenty of different moods and styles for everyone, and they want us all to come along for the ride.

Jada: I think these singles do a great job of representing the overall essence of the album. As well as giving a glimpse of the different feelings each song evokes. Making “Starburster” a single seems deliberate, in a way appeasing those who are looking for the sound the group is known for. Though as you listen to the other singles, you’re getting the hint that Fontaines D.C. are not going to be sticking to just this one sound this time around. Instead they are going to play it diverse. Simply put, the singles were preparing listeners for the overall experience of Romance itself.

Olivia: I think these singles were very faithful representations of what was to come on the album. It was a brave and (in my opinion) very smart move on the band’s part to release “Starburster” as a lead single. This song’s singularity in sound and lyrics highlights the band’s ability to blend genres into seamlessly original works of art. I admittedly thought “In The Modern World” was a little bit repetitive, which might rub some the wrong way as a standalone single, but it makes more sense in the context of the album as a complete statement.

Dimitra: Absolutely! Honestly, I thought I would’ve heard more songs like “Starbuster” throughout the record, but I didn’t feel disappointed at all when the other singles (and the album itself) got released. The singles raised my expectations so much, and I have to say that it is truly interesting to see how well each of them manages to represent one side of the record, which I’d say is very diversified but also coherent and true to the band’s identity.

Which song(s) stand out for you on the album, and why?

Olivia: “Bug” is an instant classic for me! Honestly, I don’t want to attempt to dissect or analyze it too much, as the initial reaction I had to the vibe of the track felt so special. I just find the melody addictive and the lyrics hypnotic. I cannot pretend to know what they mean, except that it sounds like a somewhat stream of consciousness rambling, going back and forth between the narrator’s present reality and their introspective self-reflections about life and an ambiguous relationship? Regardless, listening to the song reminds me of reading an old gothic novel on a rainy day, which is a feeling I will continually revisit by putting it on repeat this fall.

Frankie: The ones already mentioned, “Romance,” “In The Modern World” and “Horseness is the Whatness,” stand out the most on a personal level. Olivia’s comment regarding “Bug” being like reading a gothic novel is interesting though. I listened to the song again and it’s true that there’s something a little dark and dramatic in the sound. I feel like “Romance” is more like this for me though! Listening to it, it’s like I’m racing in Bowser’s Castle on Mario Kart or something.

Christine: “Starbuster” is just such a banger – it’s the star of the album, with enough radio savviness to satisfy rock-interested pop fans and enough perverse lyrics to reel back in Fontaines’ longtime fans. “Sundowner” gives good ’90s vibes and reminds me a bit of “I Alone” by Live. “Horseness is the Whatness” is one I’ll keep listening to, thinking about what they’re trying to say.

Claire: “Starbuster” is obviously a standout, it feels so cool and modern. “In the Modern World” and “Sundowner” were a few others that stood out to me. “Sundowner” had a lovely shoegaze vibe to it that I really enjoyed, and “In the Modern World” has this pensive build to it that contrasts really nicely to the more fast-paced songs. Both “Sundowner” and “In the Modern World” have a hazy, dreamy sound that make me feel suspended in the moment, which I really like.

Adam: I cannot overstate how excited I am by “Here’s The Thing.” It’s one of the most creative and unique guitar songs I’ve heard in a while. It’s got that familiar driving dance/indie/rock pulse which painted the walls of rock clubs in the ’90s and ’00s. The dirty bass production, the discordant guitar work in the choruses, it’s a faithful love note to the paranoid anxiety of bands like Placebo and My Bloody Valentine. It’s a song about the ambivalence of love and desire when you’re unable to switch off from how cruel the world is, and it will sound utterly monstrous live.

Aside from that, “Starburster” is a clear highlight, a bit more like their older output with that mid-tempo pace and carefully-reverbed guitar lines. It’s a certified head-nodder, with a heavenly bridge section utilising subtle strings, which makes the ultimate return to the chorus even more pleasing. “Favourite” is a sweet and sunny piece, nothing else is like it on “Romance” and it’s a well-crafted final chapter for what could have been a difficult record to close out. It’s still tinged with sadness of course, but that melodic indie sound relieves the tension. Like stepping outside after a storm to watch the sun come out.

Jada: I can’t not name “Starburster” because clearly it gives off the very essence of what Fontaines D.C. made us all a fan of. Personally, my absolutely favorite songs off the album are “Sundowner,” “Desire,” and “In The Modern World.” The drop at 1:18 alone is reason enough for me to love “Desire”! “Desire” deserves praise for its evocative and vulnerable lyrics that pertain to desire and its consequences. Each song makes me reminisce and feel in a daze like a lead character of a coming-of-age film.

Dimitra: “Romance,” without a shadow of a doubt. is such a dramatic, at times solemn, but also extremely romantic beginning for an album like this. Just think then that I had the chance to hear it for the first time right in Tuscany, at the concert I mentioned earlier, with my heart breaking just a couple of hours before. I love this whole record, “Starbuster” I would listen to on a loop, but “Romance” literally had me hooked since that fateful evening.

Do you have any favorite lyrics so far? Which lines stand out?

Frankie: I like that “Horseness is the Whatness” is inspired by reading Ulysses. The lyrics ‘But some say/ That it has to be ‘choice’/ I read it in some book/ Or an old packet of smokes’ are fun with the contrast between the book and the cigarettes. It’s like even if a message is poignant and stays with us, its origins can become blurred. At the end of the day it perhaps doesn’t matter if these origins are intellectual or from marketing.

Christine: Frankie and I agree here: “I read it in some book / Or an old packet of smokes / And basics / I guess I get the gist / There’s not that much to miss / You choose or you exist.” On the one hand you’ve got the existentialism, and on the other, what I think is a reference to old-school Basic cigarettes.

Adam: For all the dense emotional imagery and slick poetic minimalism, I find the chorus to In The Modern World hauntingly beautiful. “I don’t feel anything in the modern world” mournfully sung over cold synths is perhaps the most simply beautiful moment on the record. It’s amazing how sometimes, even on such a lyrical album as Romance, the straightforward lines can still hit the hardest.

Claire: I really love the line from “Desire” that Jada and Dimitra mentioned, owning up to the addictive qualities of consumerism and fame while still loathing it. I also read that “Motorcycle Boy” was written by Grian about his relationship with his younger brother. Knowing that brings a whole new meaning and interpretation to the song that is really sweet, especially the lines “All the life I’ve shown ya Will own ye in time.” This seems like every older sibling’s burden, knowing that no matter what we do to prepare our younger siblings for life, they will still have to learn on their own terms. And finally, in “Favourite,” the lines “Did you know Cities on return are often strange? Yeah, and now Every time you blink, you feel it change” are really touching to me, reminding us that our surroundings are evolving as we do. I mentioned earlier that Romance isn’t as obviously Irish as their previous albums, and I think this line brings a different interpretation to “Favourite,” where instead of someone being favourite, Ireland or Dublin is the “you” the song is being sung to. The band is now based in London, so when they return home to Ireland, all the changes that time has brought become more apparent.

Jada: I’m going to jump off of Adam here and agree in regard to “In the Modern World.” The lyrics are hauntingly unapologetic about not feeling a single thing in the so-called “modern world.”

“Desire”: “It’s high to be wanted, but haunted is higher and the change requires.”

Perhaps this lyric alone is hinting at the group’s own feelings regarding their rise. Regardless, the lyrics alone are definitely all too relatable, as everyone has the urge to succeed and be on top, but unfortunately to get there you may have to alter yourself.

Olivia: I really like the lyrics of “Motorcycle Boy.” I read in an interview that this song was based on the movie adaptation of Rumble Fish. I was a big S.E. Hinton fan growing up, so I found this reference very exciting. Recently I have been thinking about S.E. Hinton’s ability to take masculine subject matters and inject them with feelings of vulnerability. Additionally, I have been wondering whether her stories could be enjoyed by the actual characters inside of them, or just overly sensitive literature nerds, like me. I think it speaks volumes that a band with such a dark, punk sound was able to find meaning in her work, and that Grian was even able to relate her characters’ relationships to that of him and his brother. In particular, I like the lyric in this song that says “You rain, I snow.” It is simple but beautiful and original. I initially thought it was about a love interest, but learning that it is about two brothers makes it feel even more heartfelt, somehow.

Dimitra: I agree with Jada on “Desire,” in general I appreciate how it can be read as a critique of consumerism, a reflection on self-destruction and how hard it can be to change (or even want it for real). Another lyric I like is from “Death Kink”: “When you came into my life, I was lost / And you took that shine to me, at what cost? / You recognized the smell, human pain / Said I’d learn to love the chain.” The romanticization of suffering in a relationship has never been better described in so few verses.

What are Romance’s biggest surprises?

Christine: “Favourite” is a surprising but fabulous way to end the album. It’s the end of an arc taking them from darkness back to the light. It’s got these poetic lyrics and adorable music video where the guys are all acting like kids, so it feels like an ode to friendship, a nice thing to see among the blackness of many of the other songs.

Claire: Honestly, “Romance” was a pretty big surprise to me. It almost feels like more of a tone setter than a song, so I was shocked that it shared a title with the album; I feel like usually the title song is single-worthy, so I was surprised at how short of a track it is. Tom Coll described it as a palate cleanser of sorts, but to me, it’s more of an amuse-bouche, a little taste of everything that’s to come, setting the stage and letting us know what we’re preparing for at the same time.

Jada: I think what surprises me most about the album is the blatant and unapologetic vulnerability expressed throughout it. I had not listened to any of the pre-released singles so I had expected the album would be more punk, heavier rock forward. What I got was kind of the opposite, but I’m not mad at it!

Adam: Quite simply, the evolution in sound from this group. They are a keystone band of the post-rock revival, and I expected Romance to follow the trend from Skinty Fia and remain firmly in that genre – Which wouldn’t be a bad thing at all, as they’re so good at it! – But for them to offer such a creatively different set of songs is a nice surprise. I’m already looking forward to what they come out with next.

Olivia: I agree with Claire that “Romance” felt like a big surprise. I suppose she is right in saying that it acts as a tone setter. Earlier I mentioned that this album felt cinematic to me. In retrospect, I think “Romance” is fully responsible for setting a cinematic tone that permeates throughout the entirety of the record. Since I am a newer fan, their whole discography still feels like a happy surprise to me!

Overall, what are your takeaways from this album – and does it live up to the hype?

Christine: It’s a good hype that’s come with this one, an album that keeps on giving since I’ll be listening to it many more times to figure out what these intense but very poetic lyrics mean to me. Fontaines D.C. seem to keep pretty grounded in their Irish roots and their frank discussions of real life, and Romance stays true to that ethos.

Frankie: My takeaway from the album is that I am now familiar with Fontaines D.C., having not listened to them before! I don’t think this album lives up to the hype at all; I was really underwhelmed, even when listening with an open mind. HOWEVER, this is just my opinion. For people that have followed the band for a while / from the start, I can completely understand the excitement.

Jada: As a casual listener of Fontaines D.C., I came in with an open mind and had no knowledge of any preconceived “hype.” Without any prior outside opinions swaying me, I’m definitely walking away from this album with a new admiration for Fontaines D.C. I will always commend a group for being unapologetic and comfortable in their niche, and I think as a listener you get that feel as the album comes to an end.

Claire: As a new fan and fairly casual listener of Fontaines D.C., I did not have much to compare before listening to this record, but I was still very pleasantly surprised with what I heard. This is the kind of album that you find a new appreciation for with each listen (or at least I have). It feels like every time I listen to a song again, I find some new lyric or instrumental riff that catches my ear that I hadn’t noticed the first time.

Adam: It’s only been a week, but I am very excited about this album. I think it will be seen as one of the most vital rock records of 2024. The band seem to be in a great place creatively, coming out with pieces you’d not think they were capable of, and pushing the envelope of what is to be expected from them. It’s a necessary and worthy step in their discography. Romance may well be seen as a pivotal record for Fontaines D.C. in years to come.

Olivia: Romance lives up to the hype and then some. More than anything, I am just really impressed and happy to see a punk band being so vocal about their passion for poetry! I think this is an aspect of punk that has always been there, but is often forgotten. In a genre so connected to social and political issues, poetry is a beautiful way to connect anger and yearning with meaning. I think that, in general, caring about something is far more punk than being too cool to care. And it feels like Fontaines D.C. really cares about the music that they create. The result of this is a layered piece of art that allows for further discovery upon every single listen.

Where do you feel Romance sits in the pantheon of Fontaines D.C.’s discography?

Christine: This one feels more emotionally complex and sounds broader in scope. It’s trite to say Romance is a natural evolution of the Fontaines D.C. sound, but that’s what it feels like to me. It’s up there with Skinty Fia as my “Favourite” of their albums.

Frankie: For me personally, Romance is their best album! To echo Christine, it’s broader and feels like an evolution. As a result, I am intrigued to hear what will come next.

Jada: I love the softer, more vulnerable side they showed this time around compared to their earlier projects. Perhaps it’s representative of their own growth and a glimpse into what we might see from them in the future as they continue to cement their legacy. With that being said, I feel Romance is their best album.

Claire: I think the band has managed to improve on themselves with each album that they release, and this time was no different. I agree with what everyone else has said about how the softer side of Romance shows growth and emotional complexity from the band. They took quite a few risks in order to change things up with this album and they really paid off.

Adam: I don’t want to fall foul of recency bias, but I do think this is the best they’ve put out. To say that after Skinty Fia, which at the time of release was given similar accolades, shows that Fontaines D.C. are a band who are still on the ascendancy. As I said above, Romance may turn out to be a landmark release from the band, the album that saw them break a lot of new ground and mould their sound into something different.

Olivia: For many people, Romance is providing a gateway through which to discover Fontaines D.C. It is really exciting to see a band of their caliber experience such a widespread growth in popularity. It is hard to predict where the band will go from here. It all depends on their ability to continue evolving. I, for one, hope their evolution continues, as I have enjoyed being surprised by their musical choices thus far!

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:: stream/purchase Romance here ::

:: connect with Fontaines D.C. here ::

Watch: “In the Modern World” – Fontaines D.C.

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 © Theo Cottle

Romance

an album by Fontaines D.C.