I never really understood those artificial fruit bowl things. The need to fake something that's so natural and easy to get hold of, just for appearance's sake always seemed so stupid to me. They're the first thing that came into my head after listening to The Funeral's * 'Pathetic Me'* which is apparently _ "Americana straight from the heart of Iceland". Yeah, it really is _ that stupid.

The record has a nice enough story, a bunch of friends go out to the Icelandic countryside and record an album full of drunken melancholy straight onto an 8-track in one weekend. But it's not what they did that's the problem, it's the way they did it. This record is so drenched in aspiration that it loses focus and produces some of the most cringe-worthy moments you're likely to hear all year. Lyrics that try too hard and the worst feigned Johnny Cash voice…ever. Only when the band try not to be something else do they succeed, 'Theme for a Woman' is a lush lo-fi instrumental with gentle brush strokes simple guitar strumming. 'Rain and Snow' has the one of the most gorgeous female vocals ever taking lead until the stupid Cash impersonator comes and destroys yet _ another_ song which is typical of the whole album really.

Actually, this album is pretty frustrating really. It displays the potential for a great record but just goes down the wrong road. If you don't think, perhaps you may enjoy it a wee bit. It's like the musical equivalent of Sunny Delight, it may appear real, but it isn't.