Funeral for a Friend

Only one year after the release of Tales Don't Tell Themselves, the Welshmen of Funeral For A Friend are back with Memory and Humanity, continuing to churn out poppy rock that occasionally gets in your face. The band have set up shop in the Ataris-styled camp of alternative rock, offering little in the way of deviation or creativity. Opener "Rules and Games" offers a moment of edgy gruffness, as does "Constant Illuminations," but more so on the latter, before they return to their alt-pop ways. This album offers up a sappy track where vocalist Matthew Evens serenades your ears along with a clean guitar melody then plays the God card, depicting his struggle and longing for discovery from above. Memory and Humanity unfortunately suffers from the problem of each song feeling like the last, with minimal exceptions.