Albums

Album Review: Funeral For A Friend

[Album: Memory And Humanity]
[Label: Join Us Records]

Any fan that fondly recalls Funeral For A Friend‘s awesome debut album, ‘Casually Dressed And Deep In Conversation’, will be interested to learn that this, their fourth effort, will be released exactly five years ago… to the day. No coincidence it seems with drummer Ryan Richards claiming that the material is much closer to that of those halcyon days. So, does this really hail a return to form for the Valley boys?

Well, in those intervening five years there’s no doubting that the band had lost something along the way. The rough and ready, angst-fuelled music became more and more blunted and lacking in bite. The songwriting hadn’t suffered any with their single material from albums two and three proving powerful anthems all with multiple hooks but, sadly, the filler material was suddenly hugely in evidence with the band supplying more than their fair share of cringeworthy moments. This album also sees them move onto their own label so there is early indication that record company interference may have been a cause of this ineffectual output.

Early signs certainly looked good for improvement, with last month’s scorching single ‘Beneath The Burning Tree’ receiving high praise from not only this reviewer but many others too. Their latest single ‘Kicking And Screaming’ impressed too with a classy melodic flow and an emotion-streaked vocal. The proof of genuine improvement would undoubtedly be in the rest of the album.

Well, prepare yourselves for a disappointment. ‘Memory And Humanity’ just doesn’t come up to scratch. The general perception is that, yes, the songs have recaptured a little of the vivacity and up-front brazenness of ‘Casually…’ but there is still way too much in the foreground that isn’t clean enough. The bass is wetter than the Pacific, the heavily-processed guitar effects combine to create a filthy, flat wash and everything else is semmingly muddied by mere association.

Things start going downhill with the undulating overdriven guitar and flaccid snare on ‘To Die Like Mouchette’. Then, there’s the passionless effort ’Maybe I Am?’ which relies solely on one half-baked riff and has a nasty cut when the overdrive kicks in; almost like it was recorded at two different times. The ballad ‘Building’ is instantly forgettable; ‘Charlie Don’t Surf’ and ‘Constant Resurrections’ are surely missing tracks from the last Snow Patrol album… I could go on.

Apart from the singles, and with the exceptions of ‘Rules And Games‘ and ‘Constant Illuminations’, it’s yet another album where the bad outweighs the good; the pattern of poor output remains, sadly, unchanged. Perhaps, judging every album on the basis of what they once produced may seem slightly unfair, but that’s the upsetting thing though. Funeral For A Friend were the first band to combine emo with metal in such a way, a unique way, that those of us who didn’t carry eyeliner and razorblades could still identify with, nay, glory in. Now the band seem to be pouring their talents into a well-worn template; they might as well be pouring them down the plughole.

For Fans Of: Alexisonfire, Lostprophets, Aiden

Band Link:
Funeral For A Friend

Shop:
Amazon UK | Amazon US

HMV

Thursday 9
CHELTENHAM: Propaganda at Blush
www.thepropaganda.co.uk

Friday 10
BRISTOL: Ramshackle at The Academy
www.ramshackle.org.uk/bristol

BIRMINGHAM: Propaganda at Gatecrasher
www.thepropaganda.co.uk

MANCHESTER: Propagada at Moho Live
www.thepropaganda.co.uk

EDINBURGH: Evol at Liquid Rooms
www.evolnation.com

EXETER: Collision at Timepiece
www.timepiecenightclub.co.uk

PRESTON: Wired at Roper Hall
www.myspace.com/karlyates

LIVERPOOL: Ambush at Krazyhouse 3
www.thekrazyhouse.co.uk

Saturday 11
LONDON: Decadence at Sin
www.sinlondon.com

PORTSMOUTH: Chaos at South Parade Pier
www.chaosuk.net

NORWICH: Meltdown at The Waterfront
www.ueaticketbookings.co.uk

SHEFFIELD: Sonic Boom at The Leadmill
www.leadmill.co.uk

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