| Funeral For A Friend Memory and Humanity |
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Full Review | User Ratings (62) |
| Summary: A great return to form after the lacklustre Tales Don't Tell Themselves. |
As much as I try to give bands second chances after poor records, I couldn't help but feel sceptical towards Funeral For a Friend's latest album, Memory and Humanity. After all, it's been years since the band has released an album that has come out and impressed me right away – though recently I haven come to enjoy Hours. 2007's Tales Don't Tell Themselves was one of the most disappointing albums of the year, and given that it's hardly been a year since that hit stores, you'll have to forgive me for worrying that Memory and Humanity would sound nothing more than a rushed variant of the same record.
So I was pleasantly surprised after actually hearing the album. Memory and Humanity almost totally disregards its predecessor's drivel, and instead establishes itself as the true successor to Hours. For the most part, it's a far cry from Funeral For a Friend's post-hardcore roots, though "Ghosts" and "You Can't See the Forest For the Wolves" are the closest the band gets to Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation. After a deceptively soft acoustic segment opens the latter, guitarists Kris Coombs-Roberts and Darran Smith launch into the most aggressive riff heard in a Funeral For a Friend song in nearly five years. The song isn't as technical as a "10:45 Amsterdam Conversations" or "Escape Artists Never Die", and is centred around a tight rhythm section rather than intricate guitar harmonies. Matt Davies contributes to the downcast, conflicted atmosphere with his melodic singing style and high pitched shouts of "Television tells me one thing / brain tells me something else" and "Give me something to believe!" The only real constant in Funeral For a Friend's sound, Davies can certainly carry a tune, and while charges of whininess have been levied against him in the past, he manages to avoid the trite clichés that hinder many of his contemporaries.
Oddly enough, especially for a band named Funeral For a Friend, the majority of the remainder of Memory and Humanity is an uplifting endeavour. Single "Kicking and Screaming" is a retrospective appraisal of growing up, as well as life in general. Davies croons "We all go out like we came in / kicking and screaming", serving as the backdrop to the sentimental melodies that intertwine themselves throughout the song, particularly its soaring chorus. It isn't a highlight, but it’s a catchy, driving piece and an all around fun listen all the same. Similarly introspective is "Maybe I Am?". Davies' soul-searching makes for a darker, more serious listen; however, it retains a sense of hope and optimism through its melodious song structure. The song utilizes its (mostly) soft/hard dynamics to the fullest; the verses' self questioning lyrics are accentuated by jangling guitars and brief blasts of distortion, while the confidence exuded during the chorus is complimented by upbeat, bombastic riff schemes. To put it simply, "Maybe I Am?" is not only one of the most memorable songs on Memory and Humanity, but one of the best songs the band has recorded in some time.
In "You Can't See the Forest For the Wolves", Funeral For a Friend asks for "something that is real" and after the lacklustre Tales Don't Tell Themselves, it essentially sums up Memory and Humanity in a nutshell. The band has previously commented on how being free from major label constraints helped ease the writing process along, and the results speak for themselves. Memory and Humanity is the most organic, free flowing record they've released since Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversations. It isn't without its weaker moments; "Building" is a neat little ballad, but could have been fleshed out a little more, and "Beneath the Burning Tree" is extremely cringe worthy, save for the chorus, which isn't good enough to warrant listening to the rest of the song. Fortunately, anthemic cuts like "Someday the Fire" and the heavier "Waterfront Dance Club" get things back on track almost immediately, with little momentum lost. Overall, Memory and Humanity is a great return to form for the Welsh rock band, and though it doesn't top Casually Dressed, fans of the band should definitely be pleased.
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I was thinking about reviewing this but no need...this is pretty much what I think...(you missed an italic thingy though)
Digging: Malamute - Breathe Deeply, Horse
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Great to hear that they have delivered another solid album. Although, I actually liked 'Tales Don't Tell Themselves' personally. Still, 'Hours' was their best combination of work & this sounds similar in style to that album than anything else they have made.
Good review Mike & great to see you back after a 4 week absence.
| | | Album Rating: 4
Good review. It might be a little on the short side though. It feels like most of this is describing what the record sounds like (which you did a great job of) and very little of it explaining why it deserves a 3.5. The last few sentences starting with the one describing "Building" seem to lack some support behind your opinions of the songs.
This Message Edited On 10.13.08
Digging: The Classic Crime - The Silver Cord | | |
People have given this a 5 already?
Digging: Erin McCarley - Love, Save the Empty
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I thought you were going to?
Digging: King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King
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haha
Digging: Dead Congregation - Graves of the Archangels
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I'll be pleased if this is a return to form as i thoought the last album was slightly pants!
Nice review, will definitely check this out
Digging: Burial - Untrue
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*skeptical
Digging: The National - Boxer
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Need to give this a full listen still but I like what I've heard. Do you hail from Canada Mike?
Digging: Underoath - Lost In The Sound Of Separation
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
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you missed an italic thingy though)
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got it
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Good review Mike & great to see you back after a 4 week absence.
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Thanks...school sucks right now. I've had all these reports and presentations due all at the same time over the past few weeks. D:
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Good review. It might be a little on the short side though. It feels like most of this is describing what the record sounds like (which you did a great job of) and very little of it explaining why it deserves a 3.5. The last few sentences starting with the one describing "Building" seem to lack some support behind your opinions of the songs.
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I'm pretty sure this was my longest review in awhile lol...but I'll try to edit something in when I have time.
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I'll be pleased if this is a return to form as i thoought the last album was slightly pants!
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you will be pleased then!
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see i had this written down too wtf
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Do you hail from Canada Mike?
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yes, why?
Digging: Billy the Kid - The Lost Cause | | |
Good review, i really haven't liked any of this bands stuff in the past so probably won't be checking this out.
This Message Edited On 10.14.08
Digging: The Drones - Havilah
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It might be a little on the short side though.
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Nice one. You are now officially on my "to kill list".
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loved Hours and Casually Dressed... hated Tales Dont Tell Themselves... left a horrible taste in my mouth (of sellout)... its gonna take me awhile to get into them again, but with this review ill definately get on it =]]
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sweet album art
| | | Album Rating: 4
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Nice one. You are now officially on my "to kill list".
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Considering the entire first paragraph as well as some of the final paragraph are spent talking about their previous records, then yeah, I'd say the actual review portion of this is a bit short.
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this cover looks so very lame.
similar to coheed and about as annoyingly simple
Digging: Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - I See a Darkness
| | | Album Rating: 3
I'm between a 3 or 3.5, leaning towards a 3. I don't know what I was thinking when I gave their last album a 4, its so bad.
Digging: Upstanding Youth - Still | | | Album Rating: 2
not quite as bad as TDTT. Still very poor.
Digging: Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel | | |
what a lame album cover
Digging: Killing The Dream - Fractures
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I think I remember seeing your profile picture as some Canadian hockey team and your spelling of centre and lacklustre just hinted at it. I'm actually going to Montreal to see a hockey game at The Forum in January which I'm really excited about. The Capitals playing on HNIC will be intense. What part are you from?
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