Skinty Fia by Fontaines D.C. - Review

 Skinty Fia is Fontaines D.C.’s 3rd album and their most sonically ambitious. Combining the powerfully blunt yet still poet lyricism of their debut Dogrel with the psychedelic and, at times, shoegaze-influenced guitars of A Hero’s Death; a significant departure from post-punk itself.

The band set out not to reinvent but to progress. Throughout all their albums, there is a strong sense of identity that is challenged in varying ways. It is apparent in their name - the D.C. standing for Dublin City. As such, the theme of identity is vital in understanding the band with Dogrel being a love letter to their home and A Hero’s Death being in this transitional space which is represented in the audible change. This record, their first release after the Covid-19 pandemic, is pushing the idea of identity further than before. Having moved to London, there is a crisis addressed of where home is and how their identity has changed in such tumultuous times and how they are now outsiders in a new city. 

The opening track, like the title of the LP, is Irish and when translated means “In our hearts forever” and was in reference to the death of an Irish woman who lived in England and wanted the phrase on her tombstone but the Church of England refused on the basis of the language possibly being inflammatory. This story, with the accompaniment of the song, is poignant with understanding the theme of identity and the battle the band found themselves in with now living in London. They explore the xenophobia they now face and how it’s affecting them. This is referenced again later in ‘Roman Holiday’ where singer Grian Chatten sings “I don’t wanna see the Queen / I already sing her song”. The track also features a choir arrangement, something the band has not used before and is an example of the evolution of their sound. 

Other tracks like the eponymous single show the band’s interest in more electronic music, a very clear evolution from the sounds of ‘Too Real’ and ‘Boys In The Better Land’ which are closer to the origin of punk. Shoegaze elements come into play on ‘Nabakov’ which relies on the guitar and the pedals to create this thick and atmospheric wall of sound. 

Grian Chatten also delivers a solo piece with ‘The Couple Across The Way’. The use of the accordion, another unique instrument for the band, sets this song out amongst the others. An emotional break, this song is one of Grian’s finest lyricism and the slim down nature allows for the story to shine.

Skinty Fia is a commentary on what home/Ireland is to the band and how they feel and the experiences they face having moved out of Dublin and into London. It’s a social commentary (‘Roman Holiday, ‘In ár gCroíthe go deo’) and a love letter. ‘I Love You’, the penultimate track, is a flawed yet loving look back on Ireland and the state it is in now. While filled with adoration for the place they call home, they express their grievances with the faults it currently has and hope for improvement. A progression in sound and lyricism, Skinty Fia is Fontaines at their best - both relatable and observant, familiar and unique; it is everything one could wish for in a Fontaines D.C. album.