Singles / Fontaines DC Label: Partisan Records
Reviewed: 2/9/2019
DJ Stace
!!!ATTENTION PROLETARIAT OF THE GIG ECONOMY! YOUR ANTHEMS HAVE ARRIVED AND THEY ARE PURE, PREMIUM F&%$ING ROCK&ROLL!!!
Good lord, there's something about Glasgow. There's not much else to say. These kids will either burn out or be the next Clash.
FCCs: None, nada
RIYL: The Strokes, Wire, Killing Joke, Little Richard, The Clash, perfectly executed rock songs,... hearing the next big thing, first.
Play: all of them. Can't stop listening to #3
- Too Real ***** [4:08] - Uptempo, urgent, repetetive and brilliant. Almost R.E.M.-like at first, but then it's all in. Chaotic, panning Sonic Youth guitars over driving beat. "I'm about to make alot o' money... Is it too real 4 ya?"
- The Cuckoo Is A-Callin' ****** [2:11] - My current song on obsessive repeat. Loopy slide guitar, bouncy uptempp rhythms and something Jam-like in the deceptive simplicity of the tune. Just greatness. "You'll surely take those jabs they throw and drink them like red wine..." Entirely too brief.
- Chequeless Reckless (Darklands Version) [2:18] Droning and authoritative uptempo venting. Wire comes to mind. "Money,... is the sandpit of the soul." Greatness.
- Boys in the Better Land (Darklands Version) ***** [4:26] - Uptempo, tamborine-laden galloping, swaggering deep-throated wall-of sound, anthemic, everything but the kitchen sink perfection
- Hurricane Laughter (Darklands Version) ***** [4:50] - Uptempo, driving, trancey, repetetive, baddass droning rock&roll. Fantastic Jim Morrison-narrative growling lyrical styling.
- Winter in the Sun (Darkland Version) ***** [3:05] - Anthemic, blue-collar and perfect. Driving uptempo. Top-down, driving down the 1, blasting on 11 good.
- Liberty Belle (Darkland Version) [2:39] - The car commercial song and I mean that in th ebest way possible, but I swear to god you'll hear it in a VW ad, eventually. This song was built in a lab to be played while driving 80 MPH down 280 on a Sunday with noone else on the road. Young, fast, sleek, crashing, all f*&^ing in rock&roll.
- Rocket to Russia (Darklands Version) ***** [2:47] - The good stuff. Little Richard, Beatles, Ramones, Sonics it's all there. Uptempo, pure r&r.
- Big ***** [1:45] - Uptempo, jangling, angry, rilling, kicking angry defiant and declarative, "But, I'm Gonna Be Big!" Yes, young man, you are.