Narc. Magazine Online
Reliably informed
Michael O’Neill discovers a bold and typically shape-shifting release from the Dublin band on their new album
XL Recordings
Released: 23.08.24
After reeling off Dogrel, A Hero’s Death and Skinty Fia in rapid succession, you could forgive Fontaines D.C. for taking a brief breather. After evolving from glorious garage rock into a more ethereal, spectral beast, Romance feels like the final manifestation of the quintet’s shape-shifting sound.
It’s also their greatest album (no small feat!), introducing a new broader palette of sound, with riffage and woodshedding taking a backseat to deeper introspection and electronic elements and songwriting that is more raw, honest, and at points unrecognisable. It’s a bold and fantastic reinvention from one of the finest bands in modern rock.
