Fontaines DC have without a doubt been one of the most important bands of recent times. A band who continue to hold a special place in the hearts of so many and to push the boundaries of creativity and music. That said it is unusual for a frontman of a band at the peak of their powers to go and record a solo album at this stage of the band's journey. That is exactly what Grian Chatten has done by having a bunch of songs that he felt did not belong to Fontaines DC, songs that he did not want to hold on to, songs that he felt needed to find a place in the public’s consciousness. Those nine songs form Chaos For The Fly, an album that, if you didn’t realise it already, cements Grian Chatten’s place as being a once in a generation songwriter.
Throughout the nine songs Chaos For The Fly gives the listener an immersive experience, this is an album to get lost in. The Score starts us of on our journey with Grian, a journey that is going to be full of lush sounds, cinematic experiences and deeply personal emotions about life and the human experience that we all share. The spell-binding acoustic melody and deep soothing vocals that open The Score will be sure to take a firm grip on the attention of everyone with earshot. When the hypnotic beats enter the song there can be no denying we have something very special on our hands with this album. Last Time Every Time Forever is truly incredible, this is songwriting and creativity and its utmost best. The swirling melodies are unforgettable, the way the vocals and instrumentation combine is something that everyone has to hear. The vocal harmonies are majestic, the female voice on this song is that of Georgie Jesson, Grian’s partner. This is the first time Georgie has featured on an album, her voice gives the song an extra depth of emotion and meaning.
Fairlies has been all over the radio so hopefully you are already familiar with what can best be described as one of the great pop songs of the year. The melodies and the chorus instantly make this song stand out and it will be sure to be firmly implanted inside your head for a very long time to come. The lyrics are very thought provoking and no more so than “How can life go so slowly / And death come so fast”. Bob’s Casino is next with its whimsical opening sounds that will instantly lift your mood. This song has a very classic and timeless feel to it. Whilst Bob’s Casino is playing I imagine myself in an old rundown seaside town, standing on the edge of the pier looking out to sea and watching the world drift by.
All Of The People will pull on those heartstrings with a delicate piano led melody, gentle vocals that deliver every word with an unbelievable amount of sincerity. “Don’t let anyone tell you that they wanna be your friend / They Just wanna get close enough to take the final shot”. When the strings enter the song please don’t try and hold back the tears, let yourself feel those emotions and you won’t be the only person who is moved to tears whilst listening to this song. East Coast Bed is another dreamlike song, full of reflections on life and humanity.
If you are still doubting whether Grian Chatten is one of the greatest lyricists we have right now then take a listen to Salt Throwers Off a Truck. This song is full of once in a lifetime lyrics including “When February came, it came straight for New York / Any colder, they said we’ll be skating to work / Salt throwers were taming the sidewalks with haste / Til the whole of the city was seasoned to haste”. As with so much of this album these are lyrics that standout, grabs the attention of the listener and makes us think of the genius of a person to be able to write such great lyrics.
I Am So Far starts the final journey of this album with a beautiful love story. Georgie Jesson again joins Grian on this song to give it an extra depth and warmth. There are so many sweet moments on this song including the line “Loan me all your troubles / Lend me all your shame.” Season For Pain closes the album with some gentle guitar playing, haunting melodies, vocals that come across in a very peaceful way that will command the listeners attention right to the very end.
Despite writing over eight hundred words on why I feel this album is so good, why I feel everyone of you needs to get a copy of this album, why Grian Chatten is a once in a generation songwriter, there really are not enough words that can do this album justice and truly capture how great Chaos For The Fly is. Get yourself a copy now, make your own minds up but the one thing you can’t afford to do is to ignore this album.