Chosen by: Ben
Comments -
Paul: Funny one Fontaines D.C. I love Dogrel (Big is one of my favourite songs of the last ten years - and Too Real can't be too far behind) but nothing I heard of the second and third albums made me want to get involved. The singles seemed less immediate, more repetitive.
But Romance took less than six minutes to dispel those feelings. The Jim Morrison-like gloom of the title track followed by the early-Kasabian feel to Starburster got my attention. Not listening to the second and third albums means I don't know if they've been trending this way but the different style of tracks and musicality of the band seem to bring out more nuance and versatility with Grian's vocal.
There are a couple of tracks that don't grab me but that's a minor quibble. It finishes as well as it starts with the marvellous grungy Death Kink and then off the back of that pulls out a surprise in the jangle-pop of Favourite. ⭐ album - no question.
Dean: Well you are right Ben. It has some beautiful musical passages. It is well made. It's also inventive and sensitive. Not what I expected and I can't begrudge FDC that. It's to be admired. It's like circumnavigating a cemetery at twilight under an alcoholic haze - what's not to love?
I really loved Dogrel. Played it so many times and wore furrows in my memory. Too deep engrained for Romance to make an impression on. Those furrows were full of thoughtful fury and these latest songs are more like skid marks. I was going to say in pants but that would be disingenuous. These skid marks are full of sophistication; of development; of blah blah blah, blah...
Getting little excitement from this album and I don't doubt that that is the view from where I'm standing right now. 'I'm living too long, I'm living too late' (MES)
Ben: So, I can appreciate the songsmithery, the musicality and the melodies. Looking at the album that way is a nice way to spend some time, but it does leave me a bit cold. Even though Ive listened to it a few times now I dont have much of a fondness for it and cant imagine that I’ll play it much more. Is it too mainstream, too smooth, too normal to be interesting in its own right?
Death Kink grabs me a bit more than the rest.
Stu: Picking up on these guys around the same time as IDLES, good energy, spiky lyrics, good guitar rock band!! The debut DOGREL was a killer, straight on vinyl in my collection as this one is!!!
STARBURSTER is my banger! Great melody, great drive, cracking lyrics, well delivered! I really appreciated the lyrics as I’m writing my own rhyming books
Over harder than a turned-up challenger
I wanna keep all of your charm in a canister
Do you inspire like the same did Salinger?
I'm the pig on the Chinese calendar
I got a shadow like a .58 Caliber
I wanna move like a new Salamander
I love the carrion who's a real Scavenger
I’ve always liked an Irish 🇮🇪 vocal
The tracks continue to roll out and deliver in all aspects! I’ve played this 6 times now and it’s been a daily listen all week!! I also love the cover art which would have drawn me to it if I didn’t already know the band
A nice combination of pace and volume with so strummed tracks that glide on nice melodies with more grit on some tracks! A solid LP from start to finish! 🌟
No comments:
Post a Comment