Far

Get close to Far from far away

Thursday, June 25th, 2009 | musiX | No Comments

We’re just a little more than halfway through 2009, and things are already surpassing 2008 … no, albums still aren’t selling (unless you’re Green Day), but I am excited about some of this year’s current/upcoming releases.

The short list: The Strange Boys, Beastie Boys, All Smiles, Viva Voce, Screaming Females, Jay Reatard, Dirty Projectors, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Slayer, Wilco, Reigning Sound …. And there’s one that myself and a handful of other weirdos are eagerly anticipating—the new album from proto-emo band Far. Wait a second … maybe you’re the weirdo, weirdo! Are you the weirdo? OK, so I’m the weirdo.

Of course, much of this stems from good ol’ nostalgia. Upon its release in 1998 Far’s Water & Solutions didn’t leave my side for an entire year. I recently dusted it off, and it still holds up—the songs, and the production/guidance of D. Sardy that pushed the members to try different things while giving the record its big, booming sound.

After a decade apart, the members of Far made amends in late 2008, which led to some dates (I saw them here in Portland it was great) and ultimately to the band recording a new record, due out sometime this summer on Vagrant Records. The band is currently in the studio putting on the finishing touches, including vocals—by you, the kindly weirdo.

Vocalist Jonah Matranga recently posted a video on the band’s Web site where he screams the vocals to one of the new songs, “This Is What We Do.” The band is looking for people from all over to scream along to Matranga’s vocals, record themselves, and send the members a link to the audio/video via YouTube etc. The idea is to get hundreds or thousands of people on one track. As the ever-charming Matranga put’s it: “When the album comes out, the most far-reaching, diverse, punk-rock DIY choir EVER will be on it.” Cool idea.

The band is hoping to complete the track in the next couple of weeks. Get more details at Far’s Web site. And view the video for the scream-a-long here.

The band even encourages people to get friends and family in on the fun—so, you can tell grandma and grandpa that before church on Sunday they’re going to be screaming the lines “We! Will! Fight! Through!” into a digital recording device. On a side note, Sunny Day Real Estate is reforming for some dates. Suddenly I’m overcome with emotion.

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Getting closer to Far

Wednesday, January 28th, 2009 | musiX | No Comments

Back in October I wrote that Sacramento’s Far was planning to play a handful of UK dates after 10 years apart. I was excited. The band came back under the moniker Hot Little Pony, knocked out a cover of Ginuwine’s “Pony” and played a homecoming show in Sacto Jan. 15.

Sounds like things are going well. The boys in Far have grown up. They’re getting along. Rocking out. Bassist John Gutenberger looks like a bearded Jim Carrey. And they’re steadily adding more dates, including one in San Francisco at Slim’s on Feb. 22. The members of Far have chosen to keep things relaxed. That said, there are no current plans to go into the studio, except to possibly record another cover or two.

Vocalist/guitarist Jonah Matranga had this to say: “I don’t want to do an original song just to have a new song, and have it not be as good as the old shit. Because all of our favorite old bands do that and it blows.”

Good point. Get the full story in my interview with Matranga and guitarist Shaun Lopez here.

The members of Far surely would have their work cut out for them following up 1998’s excellent Water & Solutions—the production, the songs, lyrics. But I guess if you’re going to ease back into things, a Ginuwine cover is a good way to go.

“Man Overboard” - Far (Water & Solutions)

“Pony” - Far (Ginuwine cover)

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I like it

Tuesday, October 7th, 2008 | musiX | No Comments

I was a full-on groupie of the band Far about 10 years ago. The Sacto four-piece is often cited, along with bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, as an influence on more than a decade’s worth of horrible music, summed up in three little letters: E-M-O. I know … kinda makes you want to get some pals together, knock down a few sixers of PBR and grab the torches and pitchforks from the closet (right next to the umbrellas and scarves) and search for their house. Ya with me?!

But the members of Far should not be held accountable, for they really are much more than a thin, and I mean thin, group of kids with funny hair who sing about their girlfriends. I first saw Far perform when they opened for Helmet at Sacramento’s El Dorado Saloon in 1996. It was right around the release of the band’s first major-label release Tin Cans With Strings to You. It blew me away. I loved the idea of being able to get aggression out, without the fear of some yolked-out speed freak breaking your collar bone just for poops and chortles. Two years later the band released Water & Solutions, which is one of those records that includes not a single dud. I saw them three or four more times that year.

Far has been inactive since 1999, while the members have gone on to various projects. Vocalist Jonah Matranga continued on in his project onelinedrawing, while guitarist Shaun Lopez fronted The Revolution Smile and bassist John Gutenberger started pop bands like Milwaukee and Two Sheds. Why in Gawd’s name, you ask, am I prattling on about a band that is long gone … and responsible for starting emo? Well, after years of teasing, the members of Far are setting off to play some UK dates starting in November, and it looks like the band will also play a couple of shows right here in the good ol’ U.S. of A. in La La Land under the moniker Hot Little Pony (listen to the band’s cover of Ginuwine’s “Pony” … yes, that Ginuwine). Look for more soon as the band will relaunch its Web site Oct. 14.

Needless to say I am as excited as one of those kids with the funny hair who sings about their girlfriends. And I don’t think I’m alone. Listen and love this. “I Like It” from Water & Solutions.

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