Fontaines D.C. share the Whipping Boy-esque album opening track ‘I Don’t Belong’

After news of A Hero’s Death, album number two from the Fontaines D.C. to come on July 31st, along with the title track, the band have shared the second track from the record.

‘I Don’t Belong’ is a slow sludgy track that is actually quite reminiscent of Whipping Boy. It’s the album opener. “I don’t belong to anyone / I don’t want to belong to anyone,” Grian Chatten sings.

Watch the video directed by Conor Deegan III and produced by Hugh Mulhern. It was shot in Skerries.

* The Spotify link cuts off after 1 minute 45 seconds.

“This song is a dismissal of the expectations of other people who consider themselves loyal to you. We wanted it to be a statement, almost like the anti-“Big” [opening song on ‘Dogrel’], which is why we put it as the first song on the new album. This sentiment of not belonging can be liberating in a way, but it’s also lonely and sad. We wanted to show both sides of that type of loneliness.

One verse is about a soldier who has his bravery commended by his country, but throws his medal down and refuses to accept the commendation. He sees it as a hijacking and commodification of his principles. The other verse is about someone causing a ruckus in a bar, refusing to be enticed by any sort of friendliness and kindness, wanting to remain in the wrong corner. I had a few cans before I recorded the vocals, I wanted it to sound like I was playing the role of embittered barfly and feel like the soundtrack of someone swaying themselves home after a cold night out – full of principles but surrounded by nobody.”

Grian Chatten

A Hero’s Death is out July 31st on Partisan Records.

A Hero’s Death tracklist:

1. I Don’t Belong
2. Love Is The Main Thing
3. Televised Mind
4. A Lucid Dream
5. You Said
6. Oh Such A Spring
7. A Hero’s Death
8. Living In America
9. I Was Not Born
10. Sunny
11. No

Niall Byrne

Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.

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