Review: Grian Chatten – Chaos for the Fly

The solo debut by Fontaines D.C.’s lead singer satisfies, showing off his unexpected musical sides.

 

Whenever the lead singer of a band releases a solo album, it generally follows one of two paths. The first involves the singer doing their best to replicate their band’s output, or at least not moving far from its sound. Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes and Matt Berninger of the National come to mind here. The second involves the singer using the solo effort to try their hand at a different style, one their band has never done. Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys and Karen O of Yeah Yeah Yeahs both went simple and acoustic on their short solo albums, while Kele Okereke of Bloc Party and Thom Yorke of Radiohead both used their solo careers to get more into electronica.

Grian Chatten of Fontaines D.C. is definitely in the second category with his solo debut Chaos for the Fly. True to its name, the album explores a bevy of styles, and defies simple categorization as an “acoustic” or “electronic” effort.

Now, if you only listened to the first three tracks of Chaos for the Fly, you could be excused for assuming it’s a folk album. This opening salvo of songs revolves heavily around the acoustic guitar, with each upping the ante on its predecessor’s intensity. First track “The Score” only features gentle fingerpicking and drum machine beats, while Chatten sings softly in an ominous tone. After this understated start, the second track “Last Time Every Time Together” adds fairytale-like strings, a few synth notes, and backup vocals from Chatten’s fiancée, Georgie Jesson, to the mix. It’s got a pleasantly dreamy feel, which contrasts against lines like “Yesterday, I met you, and the feeling’s gone, you can baby me, but you won’t baby long.” If you liked this track’s delicate violins, the third track “Fairlies” brings them back as country fiddles, which ratchet up the intensity alongside heavy guitar strumming and handclaps. The dynamic shifts between Chatten’s vocals on the verses and choruses make it a really compelling track, the same way that “Too Real” on Fontaine’s D.C. debut Dogrel won me over into their fandom. Making “Fairlies” the album’s lead single was a brilliant decision, since it’s a real highlight.

Just as soon as you settle into this folky groove, the boozy lounge track “Bob’s Casino” comes out of left field and upends all expectations about Chaos for the Fly.  It’s got enough horns, strings, and piano to rival a Frank Sinatra track, and the way Chatten trades off vocals with Jesson gives it the feel of a staged production. Whether you like it or not, it sounds nothing like anything Fontaines D.C. have ever attempted. Similarly, “East Coast Bed” is a trip-hop track in the vein of Massive Attack, replete with heavy drum beats and synth effects. It’s also got some scattered horns that recall Broken Social Scene, and the reverb effects on Chatten’s voice are a nice touch, making the track another standout.

There are a few traces of Fontaines D.C. to be found in the sprawling scale of Chaos for the Fly.  “All of the People,” the most pared-back track on the album, stands out for spiteful lyrics like “Did you know I’m into your brother? Did you know that I hated your show?” delivered in an uncharacteristically soft tone. Its minimalism is similar to “Oh Such a Spring” from Fontaines D.C.’s 2020 album A Hero’s Death, and I actually think “All of the People” bests it with its earnestness. “Salt Throwers off a Truck” is a quaint folk track, where Chatten’s vocals are as prominent and pitched-up as they were on Dogrel. Otherwise, even though Fontaines D.C.’s three releases and this solo album share Dan Carey as producer, and the band’s drummer Tom Coll occasionally provides beats, there’s no mistaking Chaos for the Fly as the effort of a full rock band. To that point, only the final two tracks “I Am So Far” and “Season For Pain” contain any electric guitar at all, and do so sparingly. This is a significant shift from Fontaines D.C., where two electric guitarists regularly steal the show with their post-punk riffs.

Chatten is under no illusions that Chaos for the Fly is going to be a smash hit, simply stating “I made this record because I feel like I have more of myself to say and to give.” Realistically, almost everyone who listens to this album is going to be a preexisting Fontaines D.C. fan, and its main draw is how much it shows off sides of Chatten that fans wouldn’t have predicted. After last year’s dark and gothic Skinty Fia, I expected at least some brooding baritone vocal delivery, yet there’s none to be found on Chaos for the Fly. It’s anyone’s guess if this solo album is a one-off or just the beginning, but any Fontaines D.C. fan will be pleased to learn that there’s much more to this singer than meets the eye.

Rating: 7/10