Photo by Filmawi
Fontaines D.C. have been a band that has always felt very authentic and in touch with their roots and where they came. They were introduced to the world with aspirations of wanting to be the next big thing, to compete with the “boys in the better land”. They were ambitious and honest.
And while that ambition and honesty hasn’t gone to the wayside, they have certainly lived very different lives from their debut to what will now be their third full length record, Skinty Fia, out April 22nd via Partisan Records. Having left their hometown, they are now reflecting on their experiences with being Irish from outside-looking in perspective.
Their first single off the record, “Jackie Down the Line” has a definite darkness to it not seen in their previous work. There’s a haunting, siren quality to it as well. With imagery alluding to American Beauty as well as women portrayed as both sensuous and dangerous, we can get an idea of how things have shifted for the band since they catapulted into the worldwide spotlight. It’s also the first time we’ve seen a significant feminine power and influence associated with their music. The video is littered with red roses — delicate, vulnerable, but powerful enough to draw blood. There’s also a theme of the hunter and the hunted. This is seen in both the video and the album artwork where we seen a deer bathed in a red glow. This combination of an ominous environment juxtaposed with an element that could seem delicate or weak is a very interesting direction for the band and it will be fascinating to see how the rest of the album unfolds.
Skinty Fia is out April 22nd via Partisan Records