By Grant Kelly, Contributor

[XL; 2024]

Rating: 6/10

Key Tracks: “Starburster,” “In the Modern World,” “Favourite”

Romance is the fourth studio album by Irish indie rock band Fontaines D.C., a band which has had a productive past few years, between extensive touring, album and single releases, and now having their most recent album released under the XL label. Romance takes a noticeable stylistic shift from their previous albums, toning down the darker post-punk sound of their breakout record in favor of more contemplative, dreamy alternative rock. While bands stepping out of their musical comfort zone always run the risk of missing the mark quality-wise, Romance proves itself to be a worthwhile endeavor.

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The title track is a sprawling, somewhat Radiohead-esque tone setter that works well as an intro track. Although, it can feel underdeveloped when appraising it as anything more. The following “Starburster” and “Here’s the Thing” are much stronger in comparison, featuring chugging, punchy grooves and unrelenting vocal energy that produce some of the album’s most memorable moments. In contrast, “In the Modern World” is one of the better mellow tracks the album has to offer. The instrumental swells and rhythmic pulses give a sense of life to the track, further showcasing the band’s versatility. 

Conversely, a lot of the songs from this point and beyond feel structurally stunted, especially in their endings. Oftentimes, songs will just end without a satisfying finale, as though they’ve just stopped out of obligation after wearing out their ideas or hooks. Because of this, the track sequencing feels a bit lopsided. Multiple tracks throughout the middle of the record feel almost like one long, continuous buildup rather than having their own identity. 

Songs like “Motorcycle Boy” and “Sundowner” also suffer from a slight indistinctness in sound, as they have a tendency to blur between the tracks surrounding them sonically. Though, they do each introduce unique sounds into their mix that keep them interesting enough. Even though this portion of the album starts to feel samey, it’s generally a good sound, and the band performs it well regardless. 

While I definitely think this album has its shortcomings, one thing I can’t say is that it doesn’t stick the landing with its final track. “Favourite” is quite possibly the best song to be released this year, in my humble opinion. The lyrics strike a remarkable balance between thoughtfully-crafted poetic imagery and a spontaneous, aching sense of nostalgia that’s impossible to fake. Not to mention the instantly memorable riff and searingly blissful guitar tone that drive the song, which only solidify its cathartic nature. 

Between its standout tracks and overall pursuit to expand the band’s artistic horizons, Romance is a solid effort from Fontaines D.C., and hopefully a sign of even better things to come.

Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/album/287QQ922OsJYh8aFNGdJG5?si=EiwZq_h_SYm0ep7-naqxpA