Grian Chatten
Chaos For The Fly


4.0
excellent

Review

by Sunnyvale STAFF
July 3rd, 2023 | 33 replies


Release Date: 06/30/2023 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Seeking only answers, hearing only lies

As someone who has admired but never quite loved all three of Fontaines D.C.’s critically-acclaimed records, I greeted the news of the Irish group’s frontman Grian Chatten’s first solo album with both excitement and a touch of apprehension. Excitement, because Chatten’s talent as as a songwriter with interesting things to say has never been in question; apprehension, because solo efforts in the rock world tend to lean more heavily on singer-songwriter tropes of “man with a guitar singing”, and while Chatten’s vocals are charismatic, commanding, and instantly-recognizable behind Fontaines D.C.’s post-punk grooves, removed from that context, I wouldn’t say his singing voice is particularly “good” in a conventional sense.

In hindsight, my misgivings were misplaced - not only because it turns out that Chatten has the chops (very gruff voice and all) to carry a solo album, but because my premise was probably foolish to begin with (some guy named Bob Dylan has had a pretty good singer-songwriter career, after all). The most important things for this kind of effort are arrangements, songwriting, and captivating delivery, rather than any technically perfect singing form, and the first three factors are on point here.

Chaos for the Fly is not a happy album. This probably won’t shock basically anyone, as Fontaines D.C. has always been a “down in the dumps” sort of act. The balancing act this album manages to execute is that most of the songs have a hint of the jaunty about them, usually either a classic-sounding lounge feel or a beautiful male/female vocal duet, while the lyrics are melancholy contemplations of grim subjects like gambling addiction, depression, and death. While the “bright-sounding sad song” idea is far from new, it’s pulled off exceptionally here.

All nine tunes on Chaos for the Fly are solid, and the tracklist is satisfyingly varied, ranging from the bouncy (but bleak) “Fairlies” to the folky “Salt Thrower Off A Truck” - the latter being a masterwork of lyrics to dissect. As a whole, it’s a rather downbeat affair, but there’s enough twists and turns to keep this more lively than you might expect. A song like the gently sad “East Coast Bed”, apparently about the death of a “second mother” figure from Chatten’s youth, is among the best he’s ever penned, while “Season For Pain” proves perfect as a last act, seemingly musing about the closing a particular door in life, a sad occasion but perhaps a necessary one.

As mentioned in my first paragraph, I wasn’t necessarily enthusiastic about Chaos for the Fly when I first learned of its existence - given I’d never quite succumbed fully to Fontaines D.C. the way others whose views on music I respect have. It’s a bit ironic, then, that I can say with confidence that this album has wriggled its way into my heart to a degree that none of Chatten’s full band releases have. Chaos for the Fly might be morose, but it’s also very touching, and full of delicate little moments which make the record more than just the sum of its parts. Frankly, my biggest gripe is that its thirty-six minute runtime is a little too trim, and an epic five-plus minute storytelling track would’ve definitely enhanced the experience. In the outro to “Fairlies”, Chatten sings “across the River Styx, I’ll row along, but I’ve got one more song”. Here’s hoping that he’s got far more than one cracking tune left to share with us all.



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user ratings (38)
3.7
great


Comments:Add a Comment 
Sunnyvale
Staff Reviewer
July 3rd 2023


6175 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Album rules, etc.

anat
Contributing Reviewer
July 3rd 2023


5830 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

looking forward to getting stuck into this one

DoofDoof
July 4th 2023


15875 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Album is great, anyone going chamber pop is always going to be welcomed by me, but:



three or four of the songs sound underdeveloped, still nice on the ears sure, but underdeveloped all the same



the gentle backing and more restrained delivery makes it more obvious there's a couple of patterns his vocals fall back on



there's clearly a 'purple patch' from 'Fairlies' (song of the year contender) to 'East Coast Bed'



Getting a little tough for me to justify the 4.5 with each listen...for now I'm sticking with it.

fogza
Contributing Reviewer
July 4th 2023


10077 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Nice write up but right now this seems really boring and basic compared to fontaines

DoofDoof
July 4th 2023


15875 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Fogza - fundamentally you have to really really dig his voice to get a huge amount out of this.



I do, but as above, with reservations.



It's an album of material that wouldn't greatly suit Fontaines - that's the deal as with a lot of solo frontman records.

fogza
Contributing Reviewer
July 4th 2023


10077 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

yep, also i think i recently listened to the new baxter dury and it just seems so much better than this, but plays in a sort of similar space (even if it doesn't necessarily sound like this)

DoofDoof
July 4th 2023


15875 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

The Baxter I enjoyed but in terms of pure melodic goodness matched with those vocal tones it hasn't a song on it that gets close to 'Fairlies' (for me)

fogza
Contributing Reviewer
July 4th 2023


10077 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

settled on the classic fogza 3, which could mean basically anything, but this case it means there's some good here but about half or more is a bit of a chore

anat
Contributing Reviewer
July 5th 2023


5830 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

east coast bed is gawwwwjus

MarsKid
Emeritus
July 5th 2023


21035 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

This starts off strong, worried it fades a bit in that second half stretch though.

Sunnyvale
Staff Reviewer
July 5th 2023


6175 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

East Coast Bed is probably my favorite, yeah.



@Mars, kinda disagree with that assessment - three of the last four songs are among my favorites here (East Coast Bed, Salt Throwers Off A Truck, and Season For Pain).

anat
Contributing Reviewer
July 5th 2023


5830 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

album is a bit of a bell curve for me:



4.5

east coast bed

all of the people



4.0

bobs casino

fairlies

i am so far



3.5

the score

salt throwers



3.0

last time every time

season for pain

Prancer
July 5th 2023


1634 Comments


T-pose for the fly

DoofDoof
July 5th 2023


15875 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Ranked/Rated:



1. Fairlies [5/5]

2. East Coast Bed [5/5]

3. Bob’s Casino [4.5/5]

4. All of the People [4.5/5]

5. Last Time Every Time [4/5]

6. Season of Pain [4/5]

7. The Score [4/5]

8. Salt Throwers [3.5/5]

9. I Am So Far [3.5/5]

MarsKid
Emeritus
July 6th 2023


21035 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

"Fairlies" is definitely sticking, catchy damn tune.

MunsuLight
July 7th 2023


726 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Am I crazy to think I prefer this to all Fontaines D.C albums . I much prefer this musically too. Maybe Im just a sucker for this kind of arrangements



Also for me, atm the only really weak track by far is I Am So Far

MarsKid
Emeritus
July 7th 2023


21035 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

I might be with you there, this is a lot more memorable and draws me in whereas Fontaines is kinda too aloof at times for my taste, if that makes sense.

MunsuLight
July 7th 2023


726 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

That makes hella sense. I still enjoy Fontaines D.C. , they are a 3.5 (sometimes 4 depending of my mood) band, but it just feels more personal here



It is on repeat since yesterday night for me and it didnt slow down at all. Like Im at my job and im at my 3rd listen just there



There isnt a lot of album this year that left me that much of an impression at first except maybe the Kostnateni album and the Tenhi album and still kept going strong. Even the Billy Woods and Segal album slowed down a little bit

fogza
Contributing Reviewer
July 8th 2023


10077 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

"Am I crazy to think I prefer this to all Fontaines D.C albums"



A little, Fontaines blows this out of the water

DoofDoof
July 8th 2023


15875 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

This is weaker but not by so much I’d say



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