Fontaines D.C. release ‘Roman Holiday’ – the final single before their album is released on Friday 22nd April.
It’s a story as old as rock ‘n’ roll itself: a move to a big city and the teething issues. Musicians are forced to confront things in ways they haven’t yet had to. Fontaines D.C.’s new album: Skinty Fia, can’t be separated from that theme.
‘Roman Holiday’ explores night-out culture with a distinctly gloomy haze. It opens with a chorused acoustic-guitar washing loosely across the mix. Whilst the electric-guitars soar and scramble with a bluesy rock ‘n’ roll screech. It’s a solid example of well put-together classic songwriting. Keeping a slick swaying beat throughout, Grian Chatten’s typical driving vocal delivery is there with all its usual twisting-turning wordplay. The vocals are percussive and driving – a real centre of the song – the guitar and vocals taking turns to be heard.
The bands string of recent singles have all had a nostalgic quality about them. Thoroughness of theme has always been their strong suit. It’s that ability to capture a moment in their own lives as artists, and articulate it clearly which gives a lot of their music it’s strength. The whole track builds to a gentle climax, the guitar carefully speeding up and mixing with the vocals before it’s stripped back down to its barebones. It’s not quite the catchy ‘Skinty Fia’, it’s a ballad with a degree of gentleness.
Fontaines D.C. have always been a band with strong storytelling, and good pop music. ‘Roman Holiday’ stands as a promising preview of their third album release. It’s clear, concise, and really quite slick.
Photo by Polocho
