Something big is happening on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, something really big. The post-punk scene in the UK has been on a creative upswing in recent years, giving rise to bands such as IDLES, Squid, Shame, Black Country, New Road, and Fontaines D(ublin).C(ity). Led by Grian Chatten, the Irish band released their fourth album this autumn, demonstrating a real break from the tangible influences of their first three projects. Bye-bye post-punk, hello rock-alternative-grunge-very-80s-and-90s! Romance’s aesthetic is reminiscent of bands like The Smashing Pumpkins, The Smiths, Nirvana (listen to the introduction to Death Kink to understand), and Pixies.
This drastic change of tone can be explained in part by a new captain on board the ship, James Ford, producer of Arctic Monkeys and Gorillaz, having replaced the faithful Dan Carey of the early days. “Starbuster,” a brilliant blend of rock and hip-hop, is a bomb to be listened to without moderation, as is Bug, also excellent in its own way, with Chatten’s almost fatalistic lyrics. Fontaines D.C. are in an interesting position today, with no discographical errors to speak of: the Irish quintet have the opportunity to rally nostalgic fans of “real” rock (I use the adjective “real” to mark the difference between Fontaines D.C. and the horrible Måneskin, Greta Van Fleet, etc.) once and for all, and to lead a movement the likes of which have not been seen for 30 years. Theatres are filling up particularly fast all over the world, and critical recognition is there (two nominations for the 2025 Grammys). There is a place to be found between authenticity and commercial potential. It certainly is.
