Dublin’s Fontaines D.C. have honed their craft with a handful of singles, a ton of live dates and examining and pulling apart their poetry in a succession of pubs, by “going round bars, drinking and writing poetry and romanticizing it to bits,” an approach that has ultimately given us Dogrel. Read what Fighting Boredom think about it below.
This sounds like ground zero. There are comparisons to be made and influences to be discovered. But right now, these people are breaking new ground for me. It doesn’t happen often that I put a record on to review and from the very first song it gets me and I get it. I’m as surprised as anyone. But Fontaines DC is my album of the moment. They just get it right.
The music is visceral and driving without succumbing to the lure of punk, the vocals are strangely enticing which considering that for at least half of the album they are given in a strange monotone almost spoken voice. I suppose that is why when he sings, and I mean sings, the voice is more emotional than you expect. That may well be down to the brogue. The Dublin accent gives the music a focus and the city is rarely far from the front of the lyrics.
There’s poetry here, love and a way of focusing right into the tiny moments that make this life bearable and sweet. The will to find something better, the humour in the ridiculous and the mundane. It’s in the deadpan delivery and the pounding, relentless movement of the songs.
Then, just when you’ve danced, marveled at and absorbed the record, they create an ending to rival Shane MacGowan in his early whiskey soaked poet years. The accent helps the comparison obviously but this isn’t widdly widdly, it’s heartfelt, sodden and lovely. I want more. Now please.
