CLUNK Recommends | Fontaines D.C. - It's Amazing To Be Young

Julian Laws

A Popular Music (Falmouth University) graduate currently based just outside of Bristol. A voracious reader, meticulous Letterboxd reviewer and lover of all things music. Consistently championing often ignored upcoming artists from Cornwall and the South West music scene to show what amazing talent can be found outside of the big cities!

Fontaines D.C.’s latest single ‘It’s Amazing To Be Young’ is the band’s distinct ‘bookend’ to their latest album ‘Romance’

Dublin’s double grammy nominees Fontaines D.C. have done it again. ‘It’s Amazing To Be Young’, written in the presence of a new born child (of guitarist Carlos), exudes with hope, nostalgia and how amazing it is (was) to be young.

Their Fourth studio album ‘Romance’, released in 2024, saw Fontaines D.C. soar on the charts and establish a global following. Effortlessly embodying what music is about, Fontaines D.C. challenge listeners to explore out of their genre, to question systems, to grieve in love, to rejoice in happiness and in this case, remind yourself how incredible it is to be young.

The single opens with a xylophone part, reminiscent of a lullaby, whilst a guitar part questions its presence – establishing a nostalgic mood. Quickly, the listener is brought into a chorus that is a blanket of warm acoustic guitars, sitting perfectly above a rhythmic bass line. The drum part is full of open, washy cymbals and accentuated snares that succeed in propelling the song ever onward and providing the track with a sense of hope.

‘It’s Amazing To Be Young’ explores the bands thoughts on adulthood and childhood – as bassist Connor Deegan put it: “The feeling of hope a child can give is profound and moving, especially for young men like us”

The single is positive but also speaks of the realities of adulthood. Listeners are presented with this dichotomy, feeling hopeful – being carried by the fuzzy blanket of instrumentation – yet also nostalgic – through the introspective lyrics. The band’s message attempts to combat this “cynicism that can so often overtake us in this modern world” to feel hopeful and to remember how amazing it is to be young.

Coming at the start of what promises to be a huge year for Fontaines D.C., performing to over 100,000 people at four sold-out UK headline shows, ‘It’s Amazing To Be Young’ questions, reassures and imbues listeners with a feeling of hope.

Watch/Listen to ‘It’s Amazing To Be Young’ here: