Fontaines D.C: Skinty Fia | 4ZZZ Brisbane 102.1FM

- I missed the train with Fontaines D.C the first two times they came around so when I saw this record on the schedule, I made sure I was ready…or at the very least, I thought I was ready. Skinty Fia, or “damnation of the deer” has me stumped. Like, I knew the record would be good but I wasn’t expecting it to be this good. Coming two years on from A Hero’s Death, the Irish band are on a track of dour exploration, like a train ride through a grey morning. Themes and overall energy of this record feel as oppressively heavy as a jacket that was soaked through while you were waiting at your stop. With an odd sense of pleasure though, the weight of the jacket brings with it some comfort. You feel unperturbed by being sopping wet because how it feels on your shoulders is a strangely like being under your covers. With a strong jam band aesthetic, Fontaines D.C wield post-punk with adroit skill.

A single motif acts as a spine for most of these songs and holds steadfast through each run time, allowing for more and more layers to be put on top. When an album starts as Skinty Fia does in putting its best foot forward, it’s an instant selling point. In ár gCroíthe go deo does just that. A phrase often put on Irish headstones, the droning repetition of the bass platforms the choral vocals whose spectral natures gives you the impression a pooka is singing into your ear. The song barely deviates from its path, simply piling more and more elements onto it as it goes along. Two tracks later, How Cold Is Love continues this line. A jangly guitar is this song’s bedrock. A two note melody flicks away atop this granite and not a lot else changes. Fontaines D.C have a simple formula and they follow it to flawless perfection. Jackie Down the Line gives us more of conventional song structure, with clearly defined verses and choruses. Guitars engulf us like a flood in what is the most energetic of songs, an acceptance of the damp, cosy nature of the record.

In a similar vein, Roman Holiday maintains a strong sense of despondency albeit lacquered by another jangly guitar and comparatively upbeat energy. To combine the emotional heaviness of this record, its mopey songs, and charming hooks, it’s a terrific triumvirate and one I’ll never tire of. A stark outlier here is The Couple Across The Way: a true piece of melancholy beauty. It’s as bare as a song can be. Here, only Grian Chatten’s vocals pair with what I’m sure is a piano accordion and some faint bells to give a glimmer of hope in this sad self reflection. My first taste of this record was I Love You and in the context of the release, it comes into its own. A perfectly weighted build up through the sole running motif and Chatten entombing his emotions in this musical mausoleum.

I’m incredibly glad that I hopped onto the Fontaines D.C train when I did. Sure, I missed out on several years of fawning over one of the best bands in post-punk today but truly, its better late than never. The repetition of this record, the power of its hooks offsetting the down trodden and gloomy themes. The way it feels like a comforting weight on your shoulders just like that rain soaked jacket. This is something I will stay aboard as long as I can.

- Matt Lynch.