Fontaines D.C. - Dogrel
Apr 16, 2019
83
Jesus Christ i'm late for this album. Why did everything decide to come out the day I take a week long break?

Right from the get go, I knew this thing was right up my ally. A Irish punk band being compared to Idles, one of my favorite recent post punk acts being praised for its honesty and wild instrumentation? Sounds like a grand time! And so you know I was excited to dive into this album, like a toddler at the shallow pool. But, much like the toddler at the swimming pool, I learnt that this album goes a lot deeper then I was expecting. Because in the grande scheme of music, this album isn't really like Idles, at lest not sonically. While it's energetic and expertly performed, it's not necessarily as heavy, dominant or punch-you-in-the-face. The best comparison between the two is that this sounds like if Idles were subs instead of doms.

The bands sound is somewhere being weirdly monotone in a really interesting and creative way and almost beautiful in it's approach to vocals and dynamics. It's got the blunt force creative lyrical bombs like the best punk bands, yet it has a much more frail and human look towards its subjects of choice, often taking a much more emotionally honest view then your average punk group. It's not so saying "I smash mirrors and fuck TV" as describing the bands personal accounts with the issue of the exploitation seen in the media. And obviously that's not throwing Idles under the bus, but more so saying that they really have different ways at looking at the same topic.

And the instrumental aspect of the album? Oh my god this sounds musically beautiful. If we are still doing comparisons, i'd say that this borrows much from the books of Joy Division, The Clash, The Cure and Blur. Both garage and wild while still keeping a vintage sounding manner to the tracks that really makes the loud moments shine through, and the quieter moments feel deserved and really emotionally dense. When this album hits, it hits you square in the jaw, and refuses to let you walk it off. It's dense, meticulous and thick sounding, without loosing it's rawness.

It's a damn tight collection of catchy, unique and interesting politically and emotional charged punk-poetry that will have you coming back again and again. And for a debut for a relatively young group, that's a big feat that they just jumped with ease. Keep your eyes peeled on this one boys.

Favorite Jams: Boys in the Better Land, Too Real, Liberty Belle

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More Reviews by PipePanic
Fontaines D.C. - A Hero's Death
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