Album Review: Fontaines D.C. drops ambitious new record A Hero’s Death

August 3, 2020 Brian Hillsman 491 Views album review, Fontaines DC, Idles, new music, post-punk, punk rock, The Beach Boys

In 2019, Dublin-based punk band, Fontaines D.C. exploded onto the music scene with their rookie album, Dogrel. Along with much critical acclaim and commercial success, the band toured with fellow punk rockers IDLES to many sold out venues. In Austin, the upstart post-punks created a big buzz at South By Southwest (SXSW)last year. The band returned to the Live Music Capital later in the year, selling out Barracuda well in advance of that mid-May date.

To the excitement of many fans, Fontaines D.C. announced early this year that they had completed recording their sophomore effort, A Hero’s Death which was heavily inspired by the music of the Beach Boys. It was an ambitious undertaking to both set out to avoid the sophomore slump and put out a record that rose to lofty level of Brian Wilson and company.

Fast forward six months and the album was released, on the last day of July. With the appearance of the new LP, it is clear that the boys from Dublin have widened their musical range, while remaining passionately true to their signature sound.

Although conveying different themes,and formulating a much darker atmosphere, A Hero’s Death seems to musically pick up right where the first album ended. Fontaines D.C. has somehow captured the magic of their rookie effort, then push that high mark further, delivering poignant messages of disillusion and encouragement. It’s a perfect continuation.

Lead track “I Don’t Belong” proudly echoes themes of individuality. While “Televised Mind” rampages a flurry of frustration, building on many of the band’s solid Dogrel foundations.

“A Hero’s Death,” the first single released from the new LP, is a track upon which the Beach Boys influence is the most prominent. It’s an efficient, energetic number that pays tribute while advising and urging listeners to live life to the fullest.

“Living In America” is a dystopian tribute, a song about disappointment and love lost. Its tone establishes a feeling of impending doom. “I Was Not Born” touches on concepts of alienation.

“Sunny” is an ironically somber tune, while “No,” the closing track, conveys depression in classic folk fashion.

Much of the new record feels like spoken word, an evolving poetic commentary on life in modern society. The five-piece from Dublin has etched a touch of humor into what plays like a tension-filled soundtrack to a dystopian world. The album is a vibrant reflection of reality, displaying the band’s adept ability to reflect themes they’re experiencing.

Fontaines D.C. has mastered the art of diversified sound. Although considered a punk band, it is difficult to categorize their music into a single bucket. They are able to mesh various styles into their own cohesive sound. With a far-broader arrangement of instrumentation, it is apparent that they are maintaining their steep, upward tracjectory.