Aversion

Having never heard of the band before I didn't really expect a great deal out of it based on the cover art or anything, but by far one of the most impressive albums I've encountered as of late is "Living in the Fallout", the sophomore full-length from Boston's Far From Finished on Think Fast! Records. I'm a huge fan of being taken by surprise like this by an awesome album that comes out of nowhere and really hits the spot, and that hasn't really been happening very much lately, so I'm glad this disc randomly showed up in the mail a few weeks ago. Stylistically the band sounds quite a fucking lot like The Ducky Boys with a hint more polish 'n' punk amidst all the heartfelt rock 'n' roll, so there's plenty of energy and just enough of an edge in addition to the punchy songwriting and gruff yet catchy vocal melodies and such. As often seems to be the case these days it's nothing I haven't heard before, but I simply can't argue with songwriting this strong. I hate to be keeping these write-ups so damn short, but shit, what else can I say? Just check out the tunes and let the music do the talking…

Ink19.com

More beer-raising, sing-a-long punk rock coming out of Bean-town. It's been done, yes, but like California pop-punk and British pop some formulas are just too good to alter.

Far From Finished, with the help of producer Jim Siegel (Dropkick Murphys, The Unseen), has put together one of the catchiest street punk records of the summer in Living In The Fallout. A follow-up to their 2005 debut release, the album was written after the band members defied death when their tour van took them tumbling down a cliff somewhere in the middle of Pennsylvania. Their brush with the end seems to have instilled, within the band, a certain bittersweet gratefulness for the simple things that can be heard in lyrics like, "And it's like roses and razor blades/ there are scars in this world that are never gonna fade away/ and it's these moments that make us realize/ maybe life ain't so fucking bad/ better be grateful for what you have" (from "Roses and Razorblades").

Between the accessible vocals of Steve Neary and the highly contagious power chord choruses, FFF has similar appeal to melodic street punkers like Bad Religion, Face to Face and the incomparable Social Distortion. Their Boston roots poke through, and this will inevitably bring comparisons to Dropkick Murphys, but they don't seem to be waving the Irish flag. If anyone they'd be closer in sound to The Street Dogs, but with more of an awareness of pop appeal.

Song highlights? Really the whole damn album is single worthy, but if I had to choose a handful: "Rose and Razorblades," "A New Tune," "Disaster" and "Heroes and Ghosts."

It's always a good day when I discover a new punk band to throw into my repertoire.

InSite Magazine / Innocent Words Magazine / AMP Magazine

Talk about a cursed band: Boston’s Far From Finished survived a major van accident last year and managed to record a phenomenal second album, just to watch their label fall apart before they could put out the record. A year later, these guys may have finally stepped out from under the dark cloud that had been following them around.

Living in the Fallout, the follow-up to 2005’s East Side of Nowhere, is a brilliant mix of 20-something angst and punk rock guitars. Sounding a bit like the best parts of scenemates the Ducky Boys and the Explosion, Living in the Fallout is a remarkable snapshot of a band finding their sound and hitting their stride. Their debut showed strong potential, but this record shows a band that has matured greatly, both musically and lyrically, in less than two years. There are too many stand out tracks to list. Though it was technically recorded last year, Living in the Fallout is easily one of the strongest punk rock records released this year. (A-)

PunkNews.org

Responses to various comments from the thread concerning the website's stream of Far from Finished's Living in the Fallout:

Re: Far From Finished: 'Living in the Fallout'
by Someone on 2007-07-21 14:21:50
first
p.s your mother

Wow, good response time being first there. I can imagine far From Finished would have liked to have been as timely in their release of Living in the Fallout, which was set for release last November before the band left Sailor’s Grave Records. However, the time in between has allowed for the record to radiate noticeable buzz and wind up a highly anticipated release.

Re: Far From Finished: 'Living in the Fallout'
by Someone on 2007-07-21 14:24:23
amazing album

It is a great album, and definitely one of the best straight-ahead punk records of the year. There must be something in the water over in Beantown, because the city has become a hotbed for catchy street-influenced punk. There’s Darkbuster, Street Dogs, Dropkick Murphys, the Unseen, and the Ducky Boys just to name a few and Far from Finished is a worthy addition, with punked up rock and roll tempos, unique but comfortable riffs, and enough hooks to open up a bait shop down on the dock.

Re: Far From Finished: 'Living in the Fallout'
by 1234go on 2007-07-21 19:25:59
These guys need to take it easy in the studio. I got a copy of their record for review and it's one of the most over polished records I've heard in forever. Entirely ruins it for me.

The production on Living in the Fallout is of very high quality, but I personally don’t think it detracts at all from the record’s sound. Far from Finished is talented enough to pull off slick accompaniments to diversify their sound with organs, saxophones, and pianos, like the loungey rockabilly bridge of “Just Us Kids,” the ska interlude of “Roses and Razorblades” or the unexpected ivory balladry planted in the middle of “The Imposter.” If a band as capable as Far from Finished has the budget, at least it ensures that they won’t be left with a final product whose production resembles the Lucky Stiffs’ unfortunate Gold in Peace, Iron in War.

Re: Far From Finished: 'Living in the Fallout'
by Someone on 2007-07-21 22:11:1
This band is great, i'll wager a fourth of my right testicle that they will blow up soon enough.

I don’t generally trust the tastes of the mainstream, but Far from Finished has a catchy enough sound to appeal to almost anyone. And who knows, with Dropkick Murphys signing a major label distribution deal, the time may soon come for more of Boston’s punk darlings to grab the limelight. Be careful with wagers like that though, it's not easy to pick up chicks when you have one and 3/4 testicles.

Re: Far From Finished: 'Living in the Fallout'
by Someone on 2007-07-22 08:20:53
a lot of their songs sound good but are ruined by being too long or the high school quality lyrics

Valid criticism on both accounts, but the song lengths are not so unbearable when each track is as fantastic as those on Living in the Fallout. Lyrically, the album shows progress, after the band’s debut suffered a bit from clichés like “A Destination Nowhere” and “9 Lives.” Too many Social Distortion influences gnaw frustratingly throughout, and songs spattered with unnecessary expletives like in “Disaster” come off as a tad immature, but for the most part, the lyricism has improved. “Twenty-One Guns” sounds like the Street Dogs, which of course is a compliment: "Jimmy’s going off to war tomorrow / Trading his shovel for a big old gun / Time to stand up and time to be a man / Putting the trigger in his right hand / […] / Another family that‘s torn by war / Another soldier that‘s face down in the dirt." “Just Us Kids” boasts the album’s best lyrics despite being a total downer: "Bringing flowers to the graveyard ain't no fun / When you're there to see the ones you love / Another friend is dead and gone / And all the friends we tried to save / We watch the grass grow 'round their graves / Whatever happened to all our better days?"

Re: Far From Finished: 'Living in the Fallout'
by die_die_die on 2007-07-21 19:01:40
I like this record.

As do I. So far it’s a top contender for this year’s quintessential summer album. Last year’s was without a doubt the Bouncing Souls' The Gold Record, and Living in the Fallout has all the energy, hooks, and good vibes to match it.

Re: Far From Finished: 'Living in the Fallout'
by MadCow on 2007-07-21 14:21:57
Word

Word. 4/5

EctoMag

Living in the Fallout is the latest effort from Far from Finished. I can say with all honesty I was almost shocked to see how fucking good this disc really is. The sound has definitely matured and feels more rounded than before. Living in the Fallout takes Far From Finished's punk rockabilly style to the next level in both content and form. From start to finish everything on Living in the Fallout is tight. From the vox to the drums, bass and guitars the whole album is pretty killer. Especially Just Us Kids, where it switches into a very 50's almost doo wop sound ( complete with Sax!) that when the vox hit will give you fuckin shivers. While the title track, well that's just a killer song. So Kudos to Far from Finished for a job very well done! 5/5

Pivotal Rage

Opening track "Disaster," with its radio- unfriendly refrain about being a "fucked up boy in a fucked up world," sets the tone for this decidedly upbeat-sounding spree of anthemic punk rock from Boston's Far From Finished. Rest assured, if you don't like this initial track, you won't like any of the others either. From a musical standpoint, Living In The Fallout finds these guys rarely straying from a familiar style of pop punk similar to that played by Green Day, Good Charlotte, or Blink 182, albeit with the added blessing of some hellaciously rippin' solos from lead guitarist Paul Christian. But then again...what the hell's wrong with you if you don't like this stuff!!! After all, this album is all about good times and fun, played by a band with style, charisma, and heaps of talent. Well actually, no it isn't. While the style and talent are certainly there, it's not all about good times and fun as much as it merely sounds like it is. Lyrically, this stuff's chock-full of obscenities and even kinda morose ("bringing flowers to the graveyard ain't no fun when you're there to see the one's you love," et al.). True enough, while these tunes are catchy as hell and sometimes barely distinguishable from the music produced by several of the top-selling bands, it can also keep you on your toes. Just when you think you've heard it all, Far From Finished change things up with a metal barnburner that sounds like a Chrome Division song ("Watch Your Back"); "Wanna Be A Catastrophe" would seem right at home on a Sex Pistols tribute (complete with the obligatory "you fucking cunt!" to close the song); a surprisingly inspired foray into the blues (the second half of "Just Us Kids"); and the whole album is rounded-out with a brief flurry from an organ. I know you saw this coming from a mile away, but I'll say it anyway. I liked this CD, and I for one hope that this band truly is "far from finished." 5/5

ThePlaylist.net

I was in love with this album from the first note, and the enjoyment only grows with each new listen. Its so fresh to hear an actual new punk band taking the scene (or at least my ears) by storm. I am completely blown away by the gruff punk rock that Far From Finished play, and I'm already eager to pick up their older album (East Side of Nowhere, which was released in 2005) to add to my collection.

Far From Finished have a very sincere sound to them, a band reeking with integrity and honesty. Forget the fact that these songs are instantly memorable and catchy enough to sing along to by the second chorus, they sound like they are playing music for all the right reasons. Picture a mixture between Swingin' Utters and The Ducky Boys, and you'll have a pretty good idea of what this band sounds like, only with more sing along parts.

Far From Finished easily surpassed any expectations that I had of them. Living in the Fallout has become one of, if not THE, Album of the Year, in my opinion, and Far From Finished are climbing their way up my favorite band list. I'll be listening to this album for a long time to come.

RiseandRevolt.com

Looking at the cover of this record tells you pretty much everything you need to know about what you’re going to hear, a few dudes sitting down, obviously punk rock kids, in front of a busted old TV in a trailer. Right away you know you’re going to get pure punk rock from some honest, hard working dudes who really are pushing to release a great album. That’s what you get with this. It took me back a few years, stirring up thoughts of Bouncing Souls, Bad Religion, as well as The Loved Ones, Strike Anywhere, and others. Living In The Fallout is a great display of melodic punk rock, as well as a testament to the shit they went through to release this album.

Going into the studio with Jim Siegel was an excellent pairing for Far From Finished, as he’s worked with Dropkick Murphey’s, Give Up The Ghost (American Nightmare), among countless other punk rock and hardcore heavyweights. When they stepped out, they had a record that is on par (if not above) most of what punk rock bands are doing these days. My biggest complaint about punk rock today has been that it’s split in two directions, either bands want to attempt to get famous and change their sound or they refuse to alter what they’re doing to create something new. Far From Finished is a new breed, blending the sounds of classic punk rock with melody and an infusion of hardcore to create something like a more melodic Strike Anywhere or a heavier Bad Religion. It’s really just somewhere in between. If you are any kind of punk rock fan, you’ll love this record.

Far From Finished hasn’t had the easiest road to the success they’ve seen thus far, they have earned everything they’ve gotten, working their asses off and bleeding on their guitar strings. If you can’t respect that, then we’ve got a problem. This Boston punk rock band is really going in the right direction, and this is a great album to help boost them further into the spotlight. 88/100

Treats From The Underground

This was a great change from the majority of the stuff I get. These guys play Punk Rock music & play it very well. They have a very cool Skate Punk sound that i got into big time back in the 80's when i first started skating. The music is very upbeat fast paced & driven all the way. They have a California Punk style with a little bit of gritty D.C. Punk tossed inside. The music kept me pumped the whole time! The vocals are done in a cross of old school & new school Punk styles! These guys are going to blaze a path to the top of the Punk Rock heap if they keep going this way!!! Oi! Oi! Oi!

Smother.net

Punk rock that is not afraid to have a good time and be wary of the trends that so many of their mall brethren fall into. Far From Finished delves into the ska-punk territory that other groups tackle though they have more in common with a Dropkick Murphy than a Less than Jake. Produced by none other than Jim Siegel (Dropkick Murphys, Give Up the Ghost, the Unseen), “Living In the Fallout” is a fun-filled entertaining punk lifter-upper.

GeekBurger.com

Far From Finished plays melodic punk rock that's got everything from classic pop-punk catchiness to modern-day songwriting polish to gritty, real-life sincerity. What else does a punk rock listener really need? Living in the Fallout , the band's latest full length, echoes with enthusiasm and authenticity, and all along maintains an accessible, melodic edge. It's feel-good, summer-y punk rock -- even when the tone takes a decidedly serious or pissed-off angle -- that's had my head bobbing and embarrassingly bad voice singing along for weeks.

I don't think I need to say more, so take a listen: Far From Finished - Heroes and Ghosts.

The whole album's rock solid, catchy and fun. Do yourself a favor and pick up what could be my pick for this year's summer record from Think Fast! Records. Sweet.

Rockezine.com

It was very uncertain if the second album from these Boston punk rockers would ever see the light of day. Their last label Sailor Grave Records became bankrupt and they had to shop for a new label. Luckily there were two labels (Think Fast Records for the States and People Like You for Europe) who released Far From Finished second album.

Living In The Fallout is a big step forward for Far From Finished. The band released a good debut two years ago, but with their newest effort they show us that they`re another big band from Boston (the band has got some roots from New York, but now they are located in Boston).
Their second album is full of happy punk rock songs in the line of another Boston band Dropkick Murphy’s.

From the first song on this album rocks as Boston punk rock should, sing a longs with a few folk influences. The highlights are Disaster, Rozes And Razorblades, Broken and the last song on the album Living In The Fall Out.

When this band isn’t far from finished allready, than we can expect a superior their third album, hopefully that’s possible.

When you’re into the Boston punk rock music you definitely need to check out this album and their live performance at their upcoming US and European tours. 8.5/10

SaveYourScene.com

Far From Finished are not that new to the game. They've already released “Eastside of Nowhere” and did US and European tours, in one of which they survived a dangerous van accident! But what about the music?

Well the music is well sounding street punk, more pop than most aggressive bands out there but not in the bad sense. They have the street vibe but catchy enough for no tuff people while they prove that can also succeed in the swing side of bands like Royal Crown Revue and Cherry Poppin' Daddies.

Lyrics are interesting, expressing the “anger of alienated youth and the sorrow of a troubled soul”. Artwork is pretty straight and cool while the production is done by Jim Siegel that has also produced bands like Dropkick Murphy's, The Unseen and Give Up The Ghost.

If you want something as a soundtrack for your summer vacation that still will shout out the scene you come from then you should check this album.

Disagreement.net

New York City? Boston? East Coast? I still can’t believe it after listening this entire afternoon to the new album from Far From Finished. Living In The Fallout feels so West Coast and still has its own signature sound that makes it now already the punk album of the year. Maybe that’s because the five-piece looks like a bunch of normal guys. You don’t get any punk outfit here, no fashionable design or any other gimmick that so many newcomers think they cannot live without. Far From Finished are just regular people full of anguish which they vent through their melodic punk rock songs, that at times can slow the pace and feel like superior power pop, or they can add some steam and come across like a purely bred rock’n’roll band.

It’s been more than ten years since a punk rock album has convinced me that much, and that was Rancid’s ...And Out Come the Wolves which eventually went platinum. Far From Finished may not yet have reached that level, but from the opener Disaster, you hear that this is a band that combines strong language with fast moving punk and background choirs that could have come from Bad Religion. The following Plague even pushes this concept further. The slightly longer Broken shows the band from a more leisurely side, but they still have more steam than the majority of newcomer punk bands. And to show that they have enough talent to fill the entire album with hits, some of their best material has been placed towards the end of the CD: Heroes And Ghosts, Twenty-One Guns and Living In The Fall Out.

Normally I reserve the maximum rating only for bands that innovate a genre or who are truly progressive or interestingly avant-garde. Far From Finished are the exception. There is nothing new about their music, but the way the combine the mentality of singer/songwriter with crunchy punk rock, driving rock’n’roll and catchy power pop makes Living In The Fallout a rare delight that deserves to be checked out by every punk and rock fan.

Alternative Press

Who? Boston punks who weathered label troubles en route to releasing this, their sophomore album.

Sounds Like? Working-class punk like The Explosion with a hint of ska and some classic oozin’ aahs a la Bad Religion.

How Is It? It’s a remarkably polished recording for a gritty punk band, but FFF make it work. Check out “Plague” immediately.

Rocks Like? The Explosion, Bad Religion, Hudson Falcons.

BurningAngel.com

I just have to start out with this note: this is an absolutely brilliant album from start to finish! "Living In The Fallout" is filled with anger, aggression and alienation. There are not many bands around today with albums wrapped in so much passion that it makes it difficult to shut them off. Although this is only their sophomore release on a record
label, the guys from Far From Finished have been around for a long time in bands like The Street Dogs and The Ducky Boys. This is pure, honest punk rock: a hot commodity with so many crappy bands out there.

"Living In The Fallout" is the kind of music that gets my heart pounding. The songs are packed with catchy, heavy guitar riffs backed by an incredible rhythm section and tremendous vocals. My favorite tracks on this album include "Disaster" ("I'm a fucking saint; you think I'm a bum"), "Roses and Razorblades" ("What kind of fuck would I be if I took shit for being me"), and "Heroes and Ghosts" ("One more time, screaming
from the rafters, get out of my life, get out of my head"). The whole album is stuffed with awe-inspiring songs and lyrics that show the world in a dark yet
truthful manner.

A group like this is so hard to find amongst the amount of shit that is released today that you should go out and buy this album immediately! You won't be disappointed. They are one of the best groups around today.

ExoDuster

From word go on opener “Disaster” it is clear that Far From Finished are out to kick ass, throw f-bombs, and rock your little punk baby. With their latest full-length, this Boston punk outfit channels the prowess of citymates Dropkick Murphys splicing it up with more pop and catchiness. At heart, Far From Finished has a classic northeast punk sound that reminds you of dozens that have come before, but they still manage to maintain their own distinctive sound. Though the band did a split with Left Alone (Hellcat Records), the obvious question is why aren’t these guys a million times bigger? Though my ear varies on the music grindstone, I’m fairly shocked that FFF hadn’t come through my province over the past couple of years. With that in mind check out ass kicking songs like the aforementioned, “Roses & Razors Blades,” “Living in the Fallout,” “Watch Your Back,” the hard hitting “Broken,” “A New Tune,” and “Twenty-One Guns.” You are now armed with a new album full of punk anthems – so get set to launch! A-/B+

AMP Magazine

Goddamn. This is so good. These chaps are from Boston, but sound like they grew up (at least the punk years) in Southern California. They combine the driving layered (guitars and vocals) harmonies and melodies of a BAD RELIGION, PENNYWISE or FACE TO FACE, with the pop (in that punk sense of the word) sensibilities of FALL OUT BOY. This reminds me alot of NO USE FOR A NAME's epic "Leche Con Carne." It's that good, probably better. Their second full length.

HardTimes.ca

Significant Findings:
It's rare to find a surging, accessible punk rock band in this modern era that retains maverick values. Boston's Far From Finished, whose latest release is the epic "Living In The Fallout" on Think Fast! Records, is that band. It is said that a band's honesty is only as good as its intentions, a rule that makes it easier than ever for a true underground music fan to notice the fakes posing as real street rockers. When a band looks pretty and has dreams of coke parties, energy drink endorsements, sex parties, and pretty much every other self-indulgent form of skirting reality that one can think of, there are no shortage of labels eager to invest in a big-budget studio to make any group in question sound half-competent and look half-credible. But we know better. It doesn't take ten grand to make an album memorable, nor does it take a marketing department to make rich California kids into true punk rockers for a year...oh wait, yes it does. Luckily for the ever-versatile Think Fast! Records, who like any actual indie label likely has real budgetary limitations, Far From Finished are the opposite of fake. So they don't need to be dolled up to appear real. They are real. And instead of being fueled by money like so many of the punk rock bands of today, both littering the mainstream and swimming in the underground alike, these Boston boys seem to be driven by one thing: Writing music from the heart, inspired by the influences they love, for others to have something to hold onto, to identify with. And they succeed in this goal. With influences you can actually distinguish like Social Distortion, The Replacements, The Pogues, Bad Religion, Rose Tattoo and more leather-skinned survivors of punk rock's halcyon days, the songs on "Living In The Fallout" are built to last and accompany kids growing up in tough times for longer than just the usual lifespan of a top-10 hit. Songs like "Heroes and Ghosts," "Just Us Kids (November)," "Disaster," and "The Imposter" will still be remembered five, ten years from now as kids try to recall something from their youth that was actually built from hard work and not some sad corporate youth target-marketing agenda.

Possible Diagnosis:
Bands these days tend to oddly appear with full sleeves of tattoos, which often begs the question of where they came from; a question that proves itself a quite difficult, if impossible one to answer. With a name like Far From Finished one would think they are a bunch of 40 year-old punk rockers still hanging on for that last bit of stage time before they become to old to perform, but instead these are a few youngsters who know exactly who pushed the envelope of punk before them, and that is inspiring. They aren't without current credibility either, as electric bass on "Living In The Fallout" was performed by Mark Lind, one-half of Boston's favorite sons The Ducky Boys, whose other half, Rob Lind, is someone many may better know as White Trash Rob, frontman for Blood For Blood, Ramallah, and Saints & Sinners. To make matters even more Bostonian, "Living In The Fallout" was produced at The Outpost by Jim Siegel, a legendary producer and studio which has produced punchy, timeless records by bands like American Nightmare (Give Up The Ghost), Blood For Blood, Death Threat, Dropkick Murphy's, Death Threat, Ramallah, The Unseen, and more. And, of course, the album comes out sounding better than any major label-funded big budget studio job would have. Far From Finished are clearly not only plugged into the true roots of punk, but are also already interwoven into the fabric of Boston's rich punk rock legacy. You can't go wrong with these guys.

Recomendation:
Why do people keep going back to artists like The Replacements, Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles, and Billy Bragg when they need to feel something real? Because they just don't make 'em like they used to. With all the focus on superficiality, the emphasis on hard day-to-day life has been forgotten, or worse, trivialized by kids who never lived it and don't truly feel the tension. Far From Finished couldn't hide their honest roots if they tried. "Living In The Fallout" is one of the few albums of timeless punk rock that will last for years to come.