They're Gonna be Big! Fontaines D.C, DOGREL, Album Review
- Ella Peebles
- Jul 26, 2019
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 7, 2020
Fontaines D.C, a five-piece band from Ireland, have made their debut this year with new album, DOGREL, and have recently been shortlisted for this year's Mercury Prize award. The band have been recognised for their large social awareness, and ability to give themselves an interesting presentation, hinting there is more to them than just intense riffs and driving basslines. Steve Lamacq, at 6 Music, described the band as "edgy with quite mesmerising, looping riffs." With a stage presence that isn't dissimilar to the legendary Ian Curtis, Grian Chatten, the lead singer, carries the band through with his evident Irish roots and "sense of humanity."
Chatten recently discussed the band's desire to portray their own sense of reality through the music, rather than uphold the stereotypical genre route. Not only does this make Fontaines D.C a real breath of fresh air in the industry, but shows how much potential the band have to make themselves stand out in the future. This proposition furthermore rings true through the perfect blend of music in DOGREL, from the instantly hooking "Big" to the contrasting simplicity and ballad-like tones found in "Roy's Tune." The term 'Dogrel' refers to poetry that is irregular in rhyme, or rhythm, to create a comical effect, therefore summing-up all the different layers of the record, and emphasising the raw talent that we get many glimpses of throughout. Unlike most modern categorised post-punk bands such as Shame and IDLES, Fontaines D.C have a more controlled voice, that still allows them to make a mark on listeners.
It becomes apparent that they have a somewhat love/hate relationship with their hometown of Dublin, which supports their whole concept of realism, and I suppose, what prompts people to brand them under the "post-punk" genre, is the fact that they certainly aren't afraid to challenge things, and perhaps give a voice to the people that aren't given any. The album is essentially constructed poetry, that mirrors what is going on around them. "Liberty Belle" gives a revitalised view on monotonous routine and "Sha Sha Sha" seems to present imagery of a night out in Dublin, and attempts to steer away from romanticism, to stay real and true to exactly what happens on a particularly rowdy Friday night out in the town.
As I mentioned previously, the aspect that makes this album so refreshing, is the combination of songs that really pull together to work as an album. To describe the prominent riffs and Chatten's persistent vocal line as refreshing is almost ironic, but I rarely listen to albums nowadays where I can truly say that it's made me see something differently, or given me a new feeling, and Fontaines D.C have done just that! 'Television Screens' has a subtle dark edge to it, but is the song that really brings out his vocals, and is the first where we hear this profound maturity from the young band. At the same time, 'Roy's Tune' seems to have a more intimate feel, but works perfectly alongside the other songs, as it's almost a reminder that the band are not defined by youthful disillusionment. Instead, they seem to have already figured out that "there is no warning" about what the future may hold.
In the present though, Fontaines D.C have revolutionised traditional Irish music, and have created something that is more modern and relevant to them in DOGREL, with 'Girl Band' being one of their biggest Irish influences. Chatten has talked about their "eccentric spirit" in interviews, and the fact that they've managed to break through and create a voice without any links to mainstream music, which is something he, quite rightly, admires. The Pogues, albeit a brilliant band, can easily be considered traditionally Irish, but in a very similar sense to Fontaines D.C, were able to create something unique from what they had at the time, and now we get to see the regenerated version of this in Dublin, 2019. The raw messages and voice that comes with "Too Real" hardly go unnoticed, but Chatten still sticks by the idea that the use of distortion, or reverb, are used to accompany their views on the world. They're not delivering anger- they're delivering the truth, and as a plus side, it's done in a musically diverse and seemingly natural way.
For a band who are relatively young in age, they have a wonderful connection to their surroundings, in the sense that they can look beyond themselves, rather than just relying on what they know. Typically, a modern band such as 'Catfish and the Bottlemen' will stay safe and delve lyrically into their own personal experiences, and whilst this can sometimes be effective, the pathway lacks a broader range to then be able to go down different routes in their future career. DOGREL shows that Fontaines D.C already have many pathways to follow, and due to their natural flair and talent as a unit, I have no doubt that they will be successful in whichever path they choose, and it will be interesting to see where they do decide to go next. As far as a debut album goes, they've provided the same level of anticipation that Interpol received with 'Turn on the Bright Lights' back in 2002, and from a personal perspective, I've not been as heavily invested with a band's progress for a long time. It seems quite right to predict that they really are gonna be big!
Listen to: Too Real, Television Screens, Boys in the Better Land, Roy's Tune
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