After hearing Far's 1996 _Tin Cans With Strings To You_ for the first time, I immediately panned it as another pop alternative band trying to capitalize on current trends. The problem with being a music critic is that you often have to judge an album by its first impression. And after a critic's review of an album is printed, they usually don't get the chance to change their opinion. I was wrong about _Tin Cans With Strings To You_. The record grew on me and became one of my favorite releases that year. And the band's latest effort, _Water & Solutions_ is shaping up to be one of the best albums of 1998.
"I wished more people would have given _Tin Cans_ a real chance," says frontman Jonah Matranga, "I'm not making any excuses, because I still think it's a great record, but looking back on it, I think we were scared. We were self-conscious that it was our first major label record. We didn't want to create anything that would be perceived as cheesy, so we recorded this really raw, one color record. Although that album still had some dynamic, with _Water & Solutions we really wanted to do all of the things we think we are."
The band began work on the new record in the fall of 1996 when their tour with Brazilian metal kings Sepultura was abruptly canceled.
"We didn't have any material saved from our last recording sessions, nor did we write any new songs on the road," recalls Matranga. "I had come up with a few ideas, but we're not the type of band who tries out new material at soundcheck.
"I did have a few songs that were turned down by the band in the past. I thought the songs were good and deserved another shot. That got the ball rolling for the new album. We really opened things up this time. Everyone threw in ideas."
The second major label effort, following a storied independent career that began in 1991, _Water & Solutions_ is, according to Matranga, "way more 'Far' than anything we've done before."
"And we have to tip our hats to Dave Sardy," says the vocalist. :He really whipped our asses into shape. He took what were our good ideas and turned them into songs."
Producer Sardy (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Slayer, Helmet and Orange 9mm) perfectly captured the band's live sound.
Originally scheduled for release last fall, _Water & Solutions_ was delayed until this winter when the band's label, Sony/Epic feared the album would be neglected once label-mates Oasis' last album came out.
"There was part of us that really wanted the album to come out last October," admits Matranga. "But we realized that our choice was either to force the album in the fall and if it didn't quickly catch fire, be done by the middle of winter, or wait and give it a real shot in early 1998."
