Skinty Fia is the third studio album by Irish rock band Fontaines D.C. It was released on 22 April 2022 via Partisan Records. Like the band's two previous albums – 2019's "Dogrel" and 2020's "A Hero's Death" – "Skinty Fia" was produced by Dan Carey. Its title refers to an old Irish saying that drummer Tom Coll's great-aunt used to say; the phrase "Skinty Fia" translates to "the damnation of the deer". Both the title and the cover art allude to the extinct Irish elk, also known as the "giant deer".
"Skinty Fia" became the band's first number-one album in both Ireland and the UK. It reached number two in the Netherlands, and also placed in the top 10 of Belgium, France, Germany and Switzerland.
The album garnered the band a win for the Brit Award for International Group at the 2023 Brit Awards and a nomination for Album of the Year at the Choice Music Prize for the year 2022.
Background and recording.
The band released their second album "A Hero's Death" in July 2020 and embarked on a tour, which had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to support it. Plans for the third album began in the band's hometown of Dublin during the COVID-19 lockdowns, where they began sharing and recording demos. Chatten was inspired by an accordion gifted to him by his mother for Christmas, realising "that that was an interesting place for me to go on the next record" despite his lack of experience with the instrument. They were also inspired by the Primal Scream album "XTRMNTR" (2000) and the drum and bass artist Roni Size, wanting to "[recreate] electronic sounds with guitars", according to guitarist Carlos O'Connell.
Recording for "Skinty Fia" took place in 2021 in London with regular producer Dan Carey. The songs were written during the day, which Chatten deemed a healthy and structured process, and recorded at night to create a level of uncertainty.
Composition.
The opening track "In ár gCroíthe go deo" features a refrain sung in Irish which translates to "in our hearts forever". The band had read of a recently deceased Irish woman living in England whose family had wished to engrave the phrase on her gravestone. However, the Church of England ruled that the use of the Gaelic phrase could be deemed "political" or "provocative". After much criticism from the Irish community, the decision was eventually overturned and, on that day, the band recorded vocals for the song.
"Big Shot" is the only song on the album written by O'Connell. Lyrically, it depicts "fame, stardom, and the guilt which surrounds them" and his battles with his own ego due to the band's success.
Promotion.
The album was announced on 12 January 2022, to coincide with the release of its lead single "Jackie Down the Line". A second single, "I Love You", was released just over a month later on 17 February 2022, a song which the band described as “the first overtly political song we've written”
Critical reception.
The album was met with critical acclaim upon release. The Line of Best Fit awarded the album a perfect score of 10/10 calling "Skinty Fia" "a cascading third album that reveals as much as it continues to hide." NME called Fontaine's D.C. a "generational band [that] grapples with heritage." They gave the record five stars calling it a "a breathtaking collection that’s like nothing they’ve ever done before."
Writing in The Guardian, Alexis Petridis praised the band for constantly inverting expectations of them, saying: "there’s something cheering about Fontaines DC’s bold refusal to join in, to deal instead in shades of grey and equivocation. There’s also something bold about their disinclination to rely on the most immediate aspect of their sound." He called "Skinty Fia" "more measured and reflective" than previous records, with it boasting "few examples of their punky full-pelt approach." Ultimately, he thought the album was another leap forward for the band and gave it four stars out of five. Pitchfork awarded the album an 8.0. They praised the band's ability to tap into alienation and isolation, saying: "By burrowing into Fontaines D.C.’s particular experiences as strangers in a strange land, Skinty Fia ultimately homes in on the eternal fears—of growing old, bored, bitter, and unloved—that unite us all."
"Skinty Fia" featured in many end of year lists. As well as awarding the band their 'Best Band in the World' award in 2022, NME also ranked "Skinty Fia" at #4 in their '50 Best Albums of 2022.' The Guardian ranked it at #9 in their 50 best albums of the year. "Skinty Fia" was also nominated for an Ivor Novello award in the 'Best Album' category.
Track listing.
All music by Grian Chatten, Tom Coll, Conor Curley, Conor Deegan III and Carlos O'Connell - All lyrics by Grian Chatten, except "Big Shot" lyrics by Carlos O'Connell.
Personnel.
Adapted from Discogs.
Fontaines D.C.
Additional personnel
Charts.
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References.
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