Far-Less was a five-piece post-hardcore/alternative rock band from Marion, … Read Full Bio ↴Far-Less was a five-piece post-hardcore/alternative rock band from Marion, Virginia, United States, with members from Marion and other surrounding areas, including Pulaski and Blacksburg. They were signed to Tooth & Nail Records and Silent Uproar Records.

Far-Less began in the summer of 2001 in Marion, Virginia. The original lineup included vocalist Jordan Powers, bassist Joseph Powers, drummer Ray Felts and guitarist Jacob Murray. The quartet quickly wrote and recorded the Emerge EP, playing a handful of local shows before the exit of Murray near the end of the year, a change which prompted Jordan’s shift to guitar and the inclusion of Brandon Welch as lead vocalist. The band's name originated in a friend's last name, with an added hyphen. This lineup was stable for the following year, in which the band released the Apossibility EP and recorded their full-length debut Broken Hearts Unite for the Raleigh, North Carolina-based indie label Silent Uproar Records. Regional tours continued as the band started to garner more attention with Broken Hearts Unite, and eventually Mark Karsten was added as second guitarist.

In 2003 Far-Less started to earn the attention of larger record companies, and in 2004 was invited to perform in a showcase for Seattle’s Tooth and Nail Records. This performance ultimately led the band to sign on to the label’s roster, and the Turn to the Bright EP followed later that year. Following a long period of touring the band returned to the studio to record a second full-length album, Everyone Is Out to Get Us. The record received many positive reviews, as well as a notable 4/5 rating in Alternative Press. More touring ensued, and in 2006 the band parted ways with drummer Ray Felts.
North Carolina native Todd Turner immediately took over the reins as the Far-Less drummer, and with the shifting dynamic of the band came a renewed creative energy, which ultimately culminated in the group’s third album A Toast to Bad Taste. In the middle of the recording process the group decided a full-time keyboardist would be beneficial, and added Elizabeth “Bitsy” Pina to its ranks. Touring in the United States and Canada followed, with the record being released in 2007—again to critical acclaim, but with low record sales. Bassist Joseph Powers left the band to return to school, leaving a huge gap which was opened even more when Karsten and Turner followed in his footsteps.
2008 proved to be a strenuous year for Far-Less, yet the band pushed on with the aid of long-time friends (now current members) Brandon Hackler on guitar and Tyler Hill on drums. A national tour in the spring of 2008 resulted in the loss of Pina, but the band managed to finish the tour dates with help from Mike Schey (of The Format and The Honorary Title), Josh King (of House of Fools) and Robert Smith (of MAE and Tokyo). After a brief hiatus the band filled the empty bass slot with Brian Freeman, moved to Radford, Virginia and continued the writing process. The forthcoming Headache EP is the result, and was due to be released digitally by Tooth & Nail Records in the summer of 2009, but for unknown reasons the EP has yet to come out.

Far-Less played their final show on August 14, 2009 at the Greene Street Club in Greensboro, NC. The band ended its career with a twenty song set including songs from all past albums and EPs. The band had many special guests at the show, including Josh King of House of Fools, and they were able to reassemble many of the past members to create a Far-Less "super group" with performances by Ray Felts, Joseph Powers, Todd Turner, and Mark Karsten, along with the final line-up of the band (Brandon Welch, Jordan Powers, Brandon Hackler, Tyler Joel Hill, and Brian Freeman).

Final line-up:
Brandon Welch - Lead vocals
Jordan Powers - Guitar, vocals
Brandon Hackler - Guitar
Brian Freeman - Bass
Tyler Hill - Drums

Former members:
Mark Karsten - Guitar, vocals (2003-2008)
Todd Turner - drums (2006–2008)
Elizabeth "Bitsy" Pina - keyboard (2007–2008)
Joseph "Joep" Powers - Bass (2001-2007)
Ray Felts - Drums, vocals (2001-2006)
Jacob R. Murray - guitar (2001–2002)

Discography:
Recorded 2008 - Headache (EP) (Never officially released) - soundcloud.com/saintdopeium/sets/far-less-headache-ep-unreleased
2007 - A Toast To Bad Taste (Tooth & Nail Records)
2006 - Everyone Is Out To Get Us (Tooth & Nail Records)
2004 - Turn To The Bright (EP) (Tooth & Nail Records)
2003 - Broken Hearts Unite (Silent Uproar Records)
2002 - Apossibility (EP) (Self-released)
2001 - Emerge (EP) (Self-released)

Out Of Balance
Far-Less Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The faces will never change
We're programmed with lost souls
The visions that are erased
Will come back to haunt us all
Your faces will never change
Can't slow down a fast world
The decisions that we have made
Have come back to haunt us all

All I could say is 'we're in for nasty weather'
All I can say is 'We're in for shaky ground'

You got everything you want
And everything you need
And my sanity, you bleed
It's like you're wearing a mask
Cause you're hiding the fact
You can't live in your own skin

It's shaking.. me down..

This lesson's a hard one
I hope you will survive
It just takes a little time
And all your pain will fade

Right, they haunt us all

That's right,
What's mine is mine.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Far-Less's song Out Of Balance speak to the struggles of modern society and how we are programmed to be lost and disconnected, despite having everything we need and want. The repetition of "the faces will never change" and "your faces will never change" emphasize the idea that we are all caught up in a system that we can't escape from. The consequences of our actions, or our lack of action, will come back to haunt us all. The line, "can't live in your own skin" points to how we are forced to conform to societal expectations, rather than being true to ourselves. The chorus, "all I could say is 'we're in for nasty weather' and 'we're in for shaky ground'" suggests a sense of foreboding or warning, perhaps about the potential consequences of our actions or the state of the world.

The lyricist seems to be pointing to the idea that we are all trapped in a system that we can't escape from, and that our decisions and choices have consequences that we can't avoid. There is a sense of resignation and acceptance of the status quo but also a warning that things could get worse if we don't pay attention to the warning signs. The bridge suggests that there is hope and that "all your pain will fade" if we can ride out the storm.

Line by Line Meaning

The faces will never change
People never change

We're programmed with lost souls
We are inherently flawed

The visions that are erased
The things we forget come back to haunt us

Will come back to haunt us all
Our past actions have consequences

Your faces will never change
Individuals never change

Can't slow down a fast world
Life moves too quickly

The decisions that we have made
Our choices have repercussions

Have come back to haunt us all
Our past actions have consequences

All I could say is 'we're in for nasty weather'
Trouble is coming

All I can say is 'We're in for shaky ground'
We are in for uncertain times

You got everything you want
You have all the material possessions you desire