Far Corner Debut, 20 Years Ago!

[Dan Maske]

Far Corner's self-titled debut album was released twenty years ago on Cuneiform Records. Below is a short video to commemorate the anniversary. If you haven't heard the album, the video gives you a nice sampling. If you have heard the album, what is your favorite track (and why, if you dare)?

[Hobo Chang Ba]

Ah, my daily shot of now I feel even older.


Love this album. Found it near the beginning of my exploration into prog and other advanced musics and I always loved the vibe of the record. It fits perfectly with the album cover. It probably helped that one of the first times I listened to it I was in a room at night which was only illuminated by a small lamp in the back corner, doubling down on that isolated cabin in the mountains in the winter feel. Risk is probably the best far corner album, but given the circumstances for me when discovering it, I would say most days this debut is probably my favorite.

And winter is right around the corner, so it feels like a good time to spin this one again soon.

[Jacob]

I have always loved this album along with personalizing it having spent years as a child nearby the Appalachian Trail and learning how to protect myself from a different aspect of the wilderness that a huge population of people in the 21st century disagree with.

They react with this kind of extremism over the reality of a human bringing a weapon with them into the wilderness as if it is disgraceful to wild life....yet they are so glib about a wild animal that is born a predator and is a real predator that will hunt you.

The pieces "Something Out There" and "With One Swipe Of It's Mighty Paw" create the fear which develops in the wilderness once you figure out that you're being hunted.

[Kcrimso]

"With One Swipe Of Its Mighty Paw" is my favourite track I think. But I need to relisten. It has been too long since the last time. Great album!

[Man In The Mountain]

Love Far Corner! Saw you guys in Milwaukee all those moon's ago. Not sure my favorite track, it's like asking what is your favorite scene in a movie. The albums are great from first track to last.

[Dan Maske]

Love Far Corner! Saw you guys in Milwaukee all those moon's ago. Not sure my favorite track, it's like asking what is your favorite scene in a movie. The albums are great from first track to last.

Thanks! Glad you were able to see us live. Do you remember the venue?

[Man In The Mountain]

Thanks! Glad you were able to see us live. Do you remember the venue?

Not sure if it was Shank Hall, I think it was another venue I was not familiar with. Do you recall a gig where one of the bands wore white masks so you couldn't see their faces? I think that was where I saw Far Corner and was blown away. Picked up your CDs there. It was cool times, and Bill Kopecky was the hottest bass player on the scene. His band Kopecky with his brothers was frickin' sensational, and also saw Bill with Par Lindh at The Elbow Room in Chicago. It was Kopecky, Fluid Time, & Par Lindh Project. Whatever happened to Bill?

[Zappathustra]

An excellent debut, loaded with great musical ideas, superb writing and masterful playing. The most important thing is that it establishes immediately the band in its own, unmistakably recognizable sound. I am not a learned musician, but to my ears this is basically dense chamber music (I would be shocked if this hasn't been written on paper), in the way different themes move from one instrument to the other, in combinations of duos, trios etc and in a very meticulously designed structure. But along with the seriousness of Far Corner's musical intentions, there comes the ferocity of rock music, even in the form of completely primitive rock riffs (like the not-so-silly riff of Silly Whim). So despite Far Corner's emergence somewhat late in the history of rock music, this is not a band following its avant-rock predecessors footsteps, but more of a band that tries to answer the same question that the Univers Zeros or the Art Zoyds of this world posed, by diving into the same musical sources and territory (the classical music of middle war- Bartok is an obvious one.) The question is mainly "how can one write serious music in the modern rock music and culture context?". Of course one can trace many elements from what has happened in music between the 70's and the end of the century, but the way they answer the question is decisively their own.

I cannot single out a specific track, there's so much to love in this album. Compared to Risk, the diversity is greater, you get the improvised-like material in Something Out There, or the jazzy lightness of the Turning. Ultimately I prefer the more straightforward approach and tighter writing of Risk, but it's a very close contest. A big reason to win me over to Risk is the quality of the sound production. There's nothing wrong of course with the sound in the debut, but the whole thing comes out in a somewhat blunt way to my ears, a way that doesn't point out enough the rock/metal background of the band.

I also hear a lot of Shostakovich in Friction's last 5 minutes, and please: isn't the piano part at 6min in in Friction a super direct and intended reference to Univers Zero?

Anyway, a great, essential record and a great band that we soon hope to have more of its music in our hands.

[boilk]

Not sure if it was Shank Hall, I think it was another venue I was not familiar with. Do you recall a gig where one of the bands wore white masks so you couldn't see their faces? I think that was where I saw Far Corner and was blown away. Picked up your CDs there.

I was at that show! The band in the white masks was Von Frickle and Might Could were the openers. A phenomenal triple bill. My first time both hearing and seeing Far Corner (via a recommendation from Mike Lendobeja from Milwaukee) and I was blown away from the first note.

Neil

[Man In The Mountain]

I was at that show! The band in the white masks was Von Frickle and Might Could were the openers. A phenomenal triple bill.

Ah yes. Von Frickle. Might Could, Far Corner & Von Frickle. What planet were we on that night, where a bar had that lineup? Do you remember the venue?

[Dan Maske]

Ah yes. Von Frickle. Might Could, Far Corner & Von Frickle. What planet were we on that night, where a bar had that lineup? Do you remember the venue?

It was called “Vnuk’s” at the time. It would later change names to the Blue Pig, then the Metal Grill. They had lots of different styles of music, but the one requirement was that bands be original and interesting. This came from the owner at the time, who just liked to hear original bands, especially those that were a bit different. Pretty much all Milwaukee-area progressive rock bands played at this venue at that time.

[veteranof1000psychicwars]

Ah yes. Von Frickle. Might Could, Far Corner & Von Frickle. What planet were we on that night, where a bar had that lineup? Do you remember the venue?

Those Von Frickle guys were a trip. At Progday they told me it was a serious error to play in their getup (boiler suits, hoods, and masks). They all almost passed out in the heat.

[Dan Maske]

An excellent debut, loaded with great musical ideas, superb writing and masterful playing. The most important thing is that it establishes immediately the band in its own, unmistakably recognizable sound. I am not a learned musician, but to my ears this is basically dense chamber music (I would be shocked if this hasn't been written on paper), in the way different themes move from one instrument to the other, in combinations of duos, trios etc and in a very meticulously designed structure. But along with the seriousness of Far Corner's musical intentions, there comes the ferocity of rock music, even in the form of completely primitive rock riffs (like the not-so-silly riff of Silly Whim). So despite Far Corner's emergence somewhat late in the history of rock music, this is not a band following its avant-rock predecessors footsteps, but more of a band that tries to answer the same question that the Univers Zeros or the Art Zoyds of this world posed, by diving into the same musical sources and territory (the classical music of middle war- Bartok is an obvious one.) The question is mainly "how can one write serious music in the modern rock music and culture context?". Of course one can trace many elements from what has happened in music between the 70's and the end of the century, but the way they answer the question is decisively their own.

I cannot single out a specific track, there's so much to love in this album. Compared to Risk, the diversity is greater, you get the improvised-like material in Something Out There, or the jazzy lightness of the Turning. Ultimately I prefer the more straightforward approach and tighter writing of Risk, but it's a very close contest. A big reason to win me over to Risk is the quality of the sound production. There's nothing wrong of course with the sound in the debut, but the whole thing comes out in a somewhat blunt way to my ears, a way that doesn't point out enough the rock/metal background of the band.

I also hear a lot of Shostakovich in Friction's last 5 minutes, and please: isn't the piano part at 6min in in Friction a super direct and intended reference to Univers Zero?

Anyway, a great, essential record and a great band that we soon hope to have more of its music in our hands.

Your perceptions/observation are right in line w/ my own. Well done and thanks!
Yes, the music is all notated, except for the three-part improvisation.
Shostakovich is one of Angie's (cello) favorite composers. She introduced me to Shotsti way back in the early ‘90s.
This album was a "bare bones" production, and it's pretty much a live album performed in the studio. The full group played everything together live, w/ all parts going to tape. There was no fancy production.

[Zappathustra]

I am glad I am confirmed by the maestro!

This album was a "bare bones" production, and it's pretty much a live album performed in the studio. The full group played everything together live, w/ all parts going to tape. There was no fancy production.

This I would never guess, and it's sick (in a good way). I wonder how many takes it would take. Now obviously I need to re-listen.

[Dan Maske]

I am glad I am confirmed by the maestro!



This I would never guess, and it's sick (in a good way). I wonder how many takes it would take. Now obviously I need to re-listen.

We rehearsed everything so that we could play it live very tightly. In the studio, we did four or five takes for each piece, and just picked the best one.

The reason there’s a bit of organ on the album (and not just piano, as I originally intended), is that the studio where we recorded had a Hammond with a Leslie.

eDream Studios was large enough to fit an entire symphony Orchestra. We were able to get just the exact environment and positioning we wanted. For the improv[s], we turned the lights down very low so we could hardly see.

I don’t have any of the scores for music from the first album online, but here’s a fully notated tune from our most recent album for anyone curious to see our music notated:

https://youtu.be/OFAKqdS_5Mo?si=P6eTRaxK049pQbhM

[vandergraf]

I have wished intensely for them to appear at ProgDay. So far no fulfillment....sigh

David

[Dan Maske]

I have wished intensely for them to appear at ProgDay. So far no fulfillment....sigh

David

Thanks! We played ProgDay 2005. Maybe we will again someday.

[roylayer]

Thanks! We played ProgDay 2005. Maybe we will again someday.

I was there! I've been to all but 1 ProgDay, and Far Corner is one of my all-time favorites from there. I wasn't familiar with the band prior to your performance, but I have bought and love all of your albums since then.