Grian Chatten – ‘Chaos For The Fly’ album review: a compelling debut
He might not be the first frontman to veer off and explore a world of his own, but Chaos For The Fly, the debut solo album from Fontaines D.C. figurehead, Grian Chatten, is proof of the sparks that can soar when a band member steps out of the shadow of their day job.
It’s a distinctive body of work that’s in some parts reminiscent of the most supreme 1960s pop and, in others, more cinematic sounds, with trip-hop and electronic elements are also present. It’s representative of the quality of this record that it’s hard to comprehensively quantify, a triumph in itself. There’s much high quality, whether it be musical aspects or excellent lyrical flourishes.
There are moments that whisk you off to the heady days of the turn of the millennium, when electronic and orchestral elements converged to create a variety of albums that are still as compelling as they were then. Other points are so swooning that they make you feel like you’re driving a convertible around the roads of the French Riviera in the 1950s, with both images hopefully outlining the scope on offer here.
Don’t be fooled, though; this is not some hodgepodge of sonics. Across the nine tracks of Chaos For The Fly, Chatten creates a lucid and affecting listening experience that almost instantly immerses you. Ultimately, it presents the question of where the Fontaines frontman goes next, a fascinating prospect, and perhaps the finest indictment of the album.
In truth, unsure where it would stand amid my personal tastes, the prospect of listening to the record is one that I wasn’t initially enthralled by. Yet, what is life if not constantly surprising? Defibrillated into existence by the band’s go-to producer, Dan Carey, the record soon blew away any preconceptions, and I was all ears. There’s ample imagination on display, with Chatten exploring a scope way beyond that of his band.
Kicking off with the atmospheric ‘The Score’, Chatten expertly sets the scene for the journey in store. A moody cut, beginning with his low baritone and the appropriately expressive acoustic guitar, after resting on this sentiment for a while, Chatten takes the song in a completely unexpected direction. The added, off-kilter beat and Colin Greenwood-esque bassline indicate that this is to be an album full of twists and turns.
The second track, ‘Last Time Every Time Forever’, is among the best on Chaos For The Fly. Arriving with another piercing melody from the acoustic guitar, a hypnotic vocal harmony and a beat that’s easy to lose yourself in, the elements swirl around before the enchanting female backing vocals emerge as the cherry on the cake. This track does a fine job of kicking the mind’s eye into gear, with imaginary scenes abounding. It’s not very often you’re treated to music as descriptive, with Chatten’s performance, lyrics and the rest of the music creating lifting you from whatever humdrum setting you likely find yourself.
Third stop is the more immediate ‘Fairlies’. One of the record’s singles, it is a divisive number. Some elements are fantastic, including Chatten’s vocal performances and the strings during the verses. Still, personally, there’s something that doesn’t connect with the overly rocking stab of the guitar riff or the chorus vocals. Regardless, the moment Chatten sings, “Says ‘I’m moving to America / You won’t see me for a while'”, as his melody dovetails with the strings, is one of the most stunning, if brief, exhibits on Chaos For The Fly.
Perhaps ‘Bob’s Casino’ is the finest track on Chatten’s new record. It starts with a glorious orchestral-led section, fronted by stoned, reverb-drenched brass and a loungy bassline. After a moment in the sun’s full glare, this gives way to a mesmeric rhythm evoking a more autumnal feel, where Chatten croons a yarn, producing images of the past once more in a wash of reverie.
Boasting more of the Fontaines frontman’s poetry, it features excellent lines such as: “She was closing things / Oh, what a death he died / He drank away his sins / He never said goodbye”. There are also more female backing vocals that act as a character in the broader story Chatten spins. They add another welcome dimension through more descriptive lyrics and an earworm of a melody. Overall, if Dots and Loops had a child with Moon Safari, it might sound like this.
‘East Coast Bed’ is another moment of note. A song suspended in more of a dreamworld than others, the ring of the piano colours the groove alongside the bubbling electronic arpeggio and twangy guitar riff, which are in the mix, far from the snap of the snare. Then we have the chorus. As Chatten repeats, “An East Coast bed”, this mass of air washes over you before bringing you back around, courtesy of the trumpet’s delicate parps. In moments like these, it is confirmed that Chatten has tapped into something truly wonderful.
Grian Chatten’s Chaos For The Fly is a triumph. There is much wonder to be found across its nine tracks. I hope there’s more to come from him as a solo artist.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out New Music Newsletter
All the latest New Music from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.