Album Rating: 4.5

Ok, the only song here I'm not massive about is 'Sundowner' and I still feel 'Horseness' (a pretty great song) sounds like it should have been one of the better songs on the Chatten solo album....but the album is now very very close to a 5.







The run from 'In the Modern World' to 'Motorcycle Boy' is impeccable, definitely the best section.



'Death Kink' is such a great Pixies song circa 'Doolittle'.

Album Rating: 4.5

lol, the previous page - the backlash the backlash



more meow than a sack of soggy cats

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

hol up. a "sack of soggy cats" implies the drowning of litters... so there'd be no meowing then

Album Rating: 4.5

in the process of maybe?



I know alt rock is a bit of a dirty word here but the fact this band have released what I'd consider the best 'post rock' and the best 'alt rock' albums of the decade so far is real impressive.

Album Rating: 4.5

AOTY blurb justifying this 5:



'The band where I feel my reviews have charted their evolution more than any other? Perhaps. Here we are at album number four and once again change is afoot, this time (as is perhaps expected for a band whose success has grown steadily over three albums now) we are hearing a more immediate and (there's no escaping it) commercial sound - where once there was downcast post rock there's now a brighter alt rock feel with just a gloomy residue clinging to the edges, serving as a reminder to what came before.

In some ways 'Romance' feels like a trip through the band's influences/heroes and it really is a 'who's who' of stadium and alt rock acts. Depeche Mode on the scene setting opener; The National on the widescreen ballad 'In the Modern World'; Pixies circa 'Doolittle' on the late arriving deep cut 'Death Kink'; Bloc Party on the sprightly set closer 'Favourite'. Elsewhere there are hints of Brit Pop and mild shoegaze flavours - so cock an ear for snippets of Oasis, Blur, Kasabian, The Verve and the Stone Roses...you name it really.



The quality across the album as a whole is perhaps the strongest of any Fontaines work up to now, with the middle pairing of the trademark 'Bug' and this album's designated grower 'Motorcycle Boy' demonstrating that there's life outside of those outstanding pre release singles. Later the delicate 'Horseness of the Whatness' feels a somewhat strange inclusion, perhaps coming across as more a candidate for a Chatten solo track, but over time it reveals itself as another more than worthy inclusion.



So can this one be declared the pinnacle of the band's sound so far? It's a tough call, because 'Skinty Fia' in particular had such an enveloping atmosphere and style it's hard to overlook. What 'Romance' can claim, thanks to the diverse song writing and Chatten's smoother and more conventionally agreeable vocal delivery, is being the most repeat plays enjoyable start to finish listen in the band's canon. They've delivered the sort of 'hit album' the big boys of yore would release at this career stage - look around, none of their current peers seem capable of that, so hats off.'

Album Rating: 4.5

This is the first Fontaines album I've fallen for; some of the songs I thought were a little boring initially have grown and I'm not far off a 4.5 now. It was the singles that initially attracted me - even with the annoyingly dramatic intake of breath after each line of the chorus in Starburster (am I alone there?).

I think I need to reevaluate their earlier stuff.

Album Rating: 3.0

You are not alone, I despise Starburster's refrain

Album Rating: 4.5

Man, this album is incredible. A lot of this serves as a great example of alternative rock done right. Tracks like Modern World, Death Kink and Favourite remind me so much of Pixies. Sort of has a Tromp le Monde vibe to it.

Album Rating: 4.5

Starburster is probably one of my least favourites. Still think it’s solid but the bridge is the best thing about it

Album Rating: 2.0

'Favourite' is the best track here. Lots of contenders for "worst," however.

Album Rating: 4.5

acceptable rating for a user whose 2024 rating average would sit at around a 1.8 :D

Album Rating: 2.0

If grading on a curve this would be like a solid B.

Album Rating: 2.0

Dunno what it is about these guys that makes 'em sound like they're slowly devolving into IDLES territory for me. I actually really liked A HERO'S DEATH overall. And while it was a clear step down in terms of creativity and sound (for me), SKINTY FIA at least had a few highly memorable tracks, some pulse behind it. This, in contrast, feels comparatively lifeless, like the band has gone somewhat on autopilot while still trying to carry this torch of wiry Bri'ish post-punkers and, maybe a bit counterintuitively, it feels remarkably insincere the farther they stray from that established blueprint. Maybe a tad unfair of me to compare their music with this image of them that I've cobbled together in my head but idk man this just does nothing for me despite being fairly quality from a semi-"objective" standpoint.

Album Rating: 4.5

Strangely I found them potentially a little insincere at the start, and I know they weren't embraced from the off as being 'our boys' back in Dublin when the debut started making waves.



Now they're clearly a lot less self serious, I don't think there's much to be insincere about - this is 'Automatic for the People' or 'Achtung Baby', it's the 'mainstream album'. Looking at the way they're promoting it I don't think they're trying to pull the wool over anyone's eyes.

Album Rating: 3.0

“ despite Ugliness always seeping through eventually, morphing Love into something ***ed, like fire does to plastic.” Really good simile there.

Album Rating: 4.5

Pretty much every track rules. Big fan of Desire. Death Kink, Starbuster, In thte Modern World, Favourite...even Motorcycle boy grew on me. Been listening constantly can prob 4.5 it if it sticks around, like I suspect it will.

Album Rating: 4.5

Borderline 5 while sputnikmusic slowly dies

Album Rating: 2.8

mainstream rock music still somehow out-dying us

Album Rating: 4.5

When its good and unaknowledged, surely