Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation (2004) Already a hit in the U.K., these Brits' full-length debut bridges the gap between introspective alt-rock and vicious hardcore. Funeral's songs aren't as profound as… Funeral for a Friend

Details Release Date: Jul 13, 2004; Lead Performance: Funeral for a Friend

Already a hit in the U.K., these Brits' full-length debut bridges the gap between introspective alt-rock and vicious hardcore. Funeral's songs aren't as profound as those by their role models Thursday, but they have the right idea: brittle melodies, tight breakdowns, and vocals that shatter and soar. They also earn points for artiness on the antiwar screed ''Your Revolution Is a Joke,'' both the angriest and quietest track on the disc.

Originally posted Jul 16, 2004 Published in issue #774 Jul 16, 2004 Order article reprints