Lim Li Na
Since their debut EP, Between Order and Model, back in 2002 , Kris Coombs-Roberts (guitar), Gareth Davies (bass and vocals), Matt Davies-Kreye (lead vocals and guitar), Ryan Richards( drums and vocals) and Darran Smith (bass) otherwise collectively known as the dynamic quintet, Funeral For A Friend have sure come a long way. 5 years and 6 albums later, FFAF (as fans refer to them), are now under major record label, Atlantic Records, which includes the likes of Kid Rock and The Click Five
Not bad considering that these Welsh lads have seen many of their peers come and go in a market saturated with way too many post-hardcore emo acts. On a slightly different note, the band has even managed to outlast their more commercially viable competitor, 80s-rock-inspired rock band, The Darkness, who they beat for the Kerrang! award for Best Newcomer back in 2003.
Their latest offering, Tales Don’t Tell Themselves, find the boys singing the nautical adventures of a fisherman lost at sea, risking it all just to return to his wife and child.
According to Wikipedia, during a performance at Manchester’s Apollo Theatre, lead vocalist Davies-Kreye decided to share his inspiration behind the songs, saying, “David (the fisherman) spends days adrift going crazy and delirious wondering if he will ever see his family again… He is scared of the waters and the colossal waves and power that killed his crew but he decides… to get back to Eleanor (his wife) and Isabelle (his child)… so he decides to build a small raft and brave the elements once again. This time, he is found by a lifeboat and reunited with his family. Basically, Cast Away meets The Perfect Storm, it has a lot to do with my own personal fears of the ocean and coming to terms with that through the story.”
The conceptual album kicks off with the catchy track, “Into Oblivion (Reunion)”. It’s melodic mix of child-like vocals, and electronic beats eventually meld into an upbeat tale of hope and anticipation. In the song, David has been rescued and is caught between his excitement and uncertainty of the future. It’s indeed a good way to launch the album although one may find that it sounds a little too Disney-esque on the whole.
Throughout the album, David’s tale is well narrated as it is told through an array of evocative tracks from rock-worthy songs such as “Out of Reach” to darker ones such as “On A Wire”.
Oddly enough, after listening to “On A Wire”, one may note that it sounds a little like the Smashing Pumpkins smash hit, “1979”.
Nonetheless, the album ends on a brilliant note with the epic and perhaps best track, “The Sweetest Wave”. Poetic lyrics like, “so far away from home, will those stars return, a wave of oppressive lights, this colourless storm…salvation in dreams, heaven above me…the swell of the sea bludgeoning me…” are deftly woven into powerful guitar solos accompanied by an orchestral arrangement that will surely set your heart ablaze.
Ultimately, the song translates into a wonderfully surreal experience.
Overall, the album features consistent, if not, remarkable vocals and angst-ridden anthems that will keep the kiddies and fans in awe. That said, don’t expect a huge departure from past efforts even though the band is trying its hand at something new thematically. But don’t get me wrong, Tales Don’t Tell Themselves, is a must have for all Funeral For A Friend fans as it may be the band’s most defining work yet.
UrbanWire gives Tales Don’t Tell Themselves 4 out of 5 stars