The best Fontaines D.C. tunes, according to Cillian Murphy
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(Credits: Far Out / Craig Gibson)
If Cillian Murphy’s first love is acting, then his second is music. Long before he won over audiences with his portrayal of head Peaky Blinder Tommy Shelby and long before he took home Academy Awards for his depiction of the titular Oppenheimer, the Irish actor dreamed of a career in music, a dream that he came very close to fulfilling.
Murphy spent his youth playing in bands with his brother, one of which would even garner label attention. But the young rocker decided against a life spent on the road and in the studio and eventually turned his ambitions to acting. A couple of decades later, this decision seems to have worked out for Murphy. He’s now one of the most well-known and well-respected names in Hollywood, with directors jumping at the chance to work with him.
But Murphy has never let go of his love for music, particularly for music coming out of his home country. Particularly on his show for BBC 6 Music, Murphy has shared his admiration for a number of Irish artists, ranging from Mercury Prize nominees Lankum to the late Sinéad O’Connor. One artist he has shared his love for several times is Fontaines D.C.
Murphy has littered his shows with tracks by the Dublin rockers, deeming Dogrel “fantastic” and suggesting that on “every single tune, they’re relentlessly themselves.” He named debut single ‘Liberty Belle’ as one of his favourite tracks from the record, a track that demonstrates the influence of their homeland on Fontaines D.C.’s songwriting. The song was inspired by lead singer Grian Chatten’s experience of the Liberties, a part of Dublin.
‘Liberty Belle’ isn’t the only track Murphy has taken the time to shout out on his radio show. He also featured the iconic album opener ‘Big’, a track that felt like a statement of intent from a young Fontaines. “Dublin in the rain is mine,” Chatten declares boldly over the gritty post-punk soundscapes, setting into motion the band’s preoccupation with their homeland.
The song also seemed to foretell Fontaines’ ensuing success. “My childhood was small,” Chatten repeats throughout the piece, “but I’m gonna be big,” a declaration he has proven over the last five years. Since the release of their debut, Fontaines have, rightfully, become one of the biggest bands in the guitar realm, attracting the attention of even the biggest Hollywood stars.
The final song Murphy has included in his radio curations is ‘Roy’s Tune’, a slightly slower offering from the Dublin rockers. Fontaines set their punk stylings to the side in a softer but no less ambitious track. Pretty twangs and gentle percussion underscore Chatten’s voice, which switches from spoken delivery to signing, though it never loses its accent.
All three songs are stellar choices for Murphy’s playlisting, each evident of Fontaines’ early talent and their Irish roots. Their sound has only progressed since then, though it has moved slightly further away from the influence of Ireland. Though they’re still “relentlessly themselves” in their music, their lyrical commentary on their homeland has become more wistful as they’ve fulfilled their dreams of becoming “big”.
It would be interesting to hear which of Fontaines’ more recent material has endeared itself to Murphy. Hopefully he returns to Radio 6 with some more picks at some point in the future.
