Fontaines D.C. have just released the first single off Skinty Fia, their upcoming studio album. "Jackie Down The Line" fuses TOBL-era Interpol with 90s' Britpop.
After the release of Dogrel (2019) and A Hero's Death (2020), Fontaines D.C. have already announced their third studio album. "Skinty Fia" roughly translates as "the damnation of the deer" and it's an expression that refers to the extinct Irish giant deer. "Skinty Fia will be a meditation on the Irish identity, an external commentary on the country of Island and its folks. Once again, the record unites the Dublin band with producer Dan Carey and will be released via Partisan Records on April 22th.
Although not particularly innovative, "Jackie Down The Line" is a very interesting fusion of TOBL-era Interpol - the angular guitars and Motorik-inspired drum pattern - with 90s' Britpop vocal interpretation. You can even hear a bit of Grunge in the mix. That being said, it's still the maturation of Fontaine's D.C. own style and sound.
The vocalist Grian Chatten sings about a character that goes by the name of "Sally". "Sally" is a form of hedonism, well represented in the chorus, when Chatten gets into the role of his own creation: "I will hurt you/ I'll desert you/ I am Jackie down the line". This "Sally" finds purpose in a life of pure entertainment, emotionally destroying everyone that ends up getting closer, when the initial passion starts wearing off: "Said did Sally ‘bout a future/ Before you bored of her as well/ If all you want is entertainment/ If you can’t have it you make hell".
The videoclip was directed by Hugo Mulhern, who had already worked with the band on the video for "A Hero's Death".
Skinty Fia Tracklist:
01. In ár gCroíthe go deo
02. Big Shot
03. How Cold Love Is
04. Jackie Down The Line
05. Bloomsday
06. Roman Holiday
07. The Couple Across The Way
08. Skinty Fia
09. I Love You
10. Nabokov
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