Fontaines D.C. - Skinty Fia

Album Review

May 2

Fontaines D.C.

Skinty Fia

Skinty Fia is a nose-dive leap into defining their sound and separating themselves from the so-called field of post-punk challengers.

As you wade through the damp waters of Skinty Fia, the third album from Irish rockers Fontaines D.C., you’ll find yourself engulfed in a deeply immersive and honest listening experience.

Skinty Fia skyrocketed to #1 on the U.K. charts, adding yet another accomplishment to an already weighty resume. Rightfully so. Fontaines D.C. is a very intentional and talented band with something to say and the finesse to express it.

In just three years and change - the band has appearances on late-night talk shows, a sophomore record that went to #2 in A Hero’s Death, and generally nothing but critical acclaim as post-punk saviors.

With such a sharp incline of success, no one would fault the five-piece for settling into their sound. However, instead of putting the car in neutral, Fontaines D.C. has broadened and enriched its sound on Skinty Fia.

Skinty Fia is an old Irish swear meaning "the damnation of the deer," beckoning to an extinct species of deer roaming between Ireland and Siberia. Fontaines D.C. used this concept to build the engine that powers the album's message. Like the species morphed and mutated, the band moved from Ireland to London and continued evolving.

However, unlike previous items on the Fontaines D.C. menu, Skinty Fia is sonically a bit of a drag. There are no upbeat anthems or cheering at the local pub singalong moments.

It purrs along in a steady current of slowly changing and momentum-building moments. It is damp, unique, and sits on your vinyl shelf, waiting for you to be in that specific mood.

There's an exceptional amount of repetition on this record. Each track features several verses and main lyrics being repeated indefinitely. Anchored by the foundational power of vocalist Grian Chatten - the band fits together like a steak dinner, both heavy and sophisticated.

The album has a dense, thick feeling. The title track, "Skinty Fia," is a late-night driving groove with Chatten's low vocals brooding and sinking their teeth into the rhythm. The rest of the record builds around it, despite sitting 8th in the track listings. "Skinty Fia" is the splash point of a rock thrown into the ocean; the record ripples and compliments its centerpiece.

Skinty Fia creaks and changes, no more highlighted than on the final tune, "Nabokov," which shatters and bends convention for over 5 minutes.

While Fontaines D.C. intentionally or not led the wave of the post-punk revival over the last 5-10 years, Skinty Fia is a nose-dive leap into further defining their sound and separating themselves from the so-called field of challengers.

Skinty Fia is a very intense listen despite its slower and gloomy sound. Don't bother throwing it on when you're tidying the apartment. This is an album that demands your attention (rightfully so) and marks the absolute pinnacle of a band that is still shockingly closer to the beginning than the end of their career.

Does the album showcase the entire spectrum of musical talent compiled in Fontaines D.C.? No.

Skinty Fia chooses a specific lane and floors it for it 44 minutes. And while it may feel repetitive and one-note - the album is certainly never dull.