LOS ANGELES — Listening to the latest album from Irish post-punk band Fontaines DC is a lot like watching a movie about a complicated, sometimes painful love story – albeit with an edgy flair à la ‘Sid and Nancy’.
That feeling has as much to do with the record’s sonic journey as it does with the lyrics of “Romance,” the Grammy-nominated group’s fourth album.
They brought in a new collaborator: producer James Ford, known for his work with pop-inspired rock groups like the Gorillaz, Arctic Monkeys and, more recently, the critically acclaimed rising rock band The Last Dinner Party.
Ford’s influence is clearly visible in what is perhaps the band’s most pop-sounding record to date.
“Romance” begins with the titular and perhaps most compelling track, a sonic journey that offers glimmers of hope clouded by unnerving dread. A hauntingly atmospheric melody is interrupted by a heavily distorted, almost menacing guitar that captures the frightening feeling of being in love.
“Starburster,” the album’s first single, takes a hip-hop-infused turn with singer Grian Chatten longing for “temporary bliss” in the chorus as he gasps for breath. The song was inspired by Chatten having a panic attack in London, where the group is now based.
There’s a change in tone with the third track, “Here’s The Thing.” It’s almost as if the torments plaguing the album’s protagonist are finally beginning to melt away – or at least be shared and understood – as this newfound lover brings hope and order to the chaos. “I feel your pain / It’s mine too,” Chatten sings longingly.
From then on, the album would make a great soundtrack for a moody romantic film, thanks in part to its poignant lyrics and sound, reminiscent of the alternative Britpop of the mid-1990s. (Ford also coincidentally produced Blur’s most recent album). Maybe London is closing in on them.
That sound makes ‘Romance’ relatively accessible, especially when compared to the band’s defiantly complex previous album, ‘Skinty Fia’. It serves as a reflection of the band’s growing popularity.
The other songs fluctuate between joy and longing or sadness – comparable to the feeling of being in a fleeting relationship with an uncertain future.
The lovers introduced on “Romance” are given an upbeat, if still melancholic, ending with the album’s final track, “Favourite.” Think of it as a slow zoom out as a montage plays back a couple’s embrace as Chatten sings, accompanied by a bright, jangly guitar, “You’ve been my favorite for a long time.”
And the credits roll.
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