Having given up his rock star dreams as a teenager in Cincinnati, Ohio in the mid-90s,
Andy McFarlane spent much of his adult life as an educator, a profession he was drawn to after spending time in Mexico in his early 20s. It was a serendipitous reunion with an old high school musician friend,
Matt Drenik (
Lions,
Battleme) in Portland a few years ago that inspired McFarlane to start sharing poems, lyrics and music he had been writing over the last couple of decades. Under the name
Far Lands, McFarlane quietly released
Oh What An Honor, Oh What A Drag in 2017 on a label he runs with Drenik called Get Loud. For his sophomore release,
Interview editor Aimee Dickinson chats to Durham alumnus David Sproxton about his sponsorship of the new Sproxton Stagecraft Scholarship and the importance of acknowledging behind the scenes roles in the theatre industry.
Far Lands Deliver Understated Gem “There Be Monsters” (premiere) There Be Monsters from Portland s Far Lands is understated but impactful and a testament to the group s attention to richly detailed songwriting.
There Be Monsters is the sophomore release from Portland, Oregon’s Far Lands. Dropping on 30 April, the album finds Andy McFarlane, Ivan Howard, and Matt Drenik creating a quiet, contemplative series of songs that rewards deeper, meditative listening. Though the word “meditative” has been abused in ways that most often violate international treaties and frequently suggests music that slides from memory the way a speeding car slides off an ice-covered highway, the music created by Far Lands is deeply memorable, wholly resonant, and thoroughly impactful.