The Far Out spread a communal sense of joy with ‘Greetings from The Far Out’
Rising Boston pop-funk collective deliver an exuberant vibe and confident swagger through a debut album out Friday, July 11
Winner of ‘New Act of the Year’ at the 2024 New England Music Awards
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Watch the video for ‘Laurel’ on YouTube
Photo Credit: Jackie Vlahos
BOSTON, Mass. [July 11, 2025] – If joy is an act of resistance, then the act of creating joy is at the heart of building a community. And the resistance needed at any given moment could be whatever we confront during our day, from private personal situations we’re quietly dealing with to coming to terms with the stressful national and global issues that dominate everything from our news feed to our headspaces.
Joy and the sense of creating it for a communal good resides at the core of The Far Out’s boisterous debut album Greetings from The Far Out, set for release on Friday, July 11, with the official release party at The Burren in Somerville the night before.
Led by a quartet of charismatic singles, including February’s “Funkadelic Gas” and May’s “Laurel,” the eight-track record from the rising Boston funk-pop collective welcomes the listener into its blossoming community, where positive vibes and blissful motivation – and an initiation to escape the day’s doom and gloom – are soundtracked by the sextet’s infectious sonic cocktail.
“Hard times make for great music,” says saxophonist and guitarist Colin Senechal. “You gotta put your frustration and pent-up energy somewhere. If it can be upbeat to help people find some hope, even better!”
That comes across as a mission statement for Greetings from The Far Out, where a group of longtime friends – Senechal rounded out by Ellie Dolan on trumpet and vocals; Ryan Fremont-Smith on bass guitar, vocals, and saxophone; Olivia Lowe on guitar, flute, and vocals; Drew Phillips on drums; and Henry Zagarella on keys and vocals – come together to create the type of music they’ve always wanted to make.
“I hope that you can hear our camaraderie through the music,” says Zagarella. “These songs are built on the foundation of strong friendships and while that’s easy to see when we play live, I would love for people to hear it at home too!”
With this debut album, a spectrum of styles and sounds that blends together funk, pop, indie, R&B, soul, Yacht Rock, ‘70s AM gold, Motown, and whatever else filtered through The Far Out’s unique sense of forward-motion retro-cool, the “New Act of the Year” recipient at the 2024 New England Music Awards is ready to take things to the next level.
“It’s surreal, we’ve been talking about an album release for a very, very long time,” says Zagarella. “Some of us have been playing music together for over a decade, so it really feels like a culmination of all of our hard work – and good times.” Dolan agrees, adding: “We’ve been performing and working on these songs together for quite a while! It will feel so rewarding to have them out in the world!”
And what the world can expect is the unexpected. The supercharged “Funkadelic Gas” and confident swagger of “Laurel,” the latter declared one of the songs of the summer by the Boston Herald and “a four-minute burst of musical sunshine” by Real Gone, set a lively tone, as did 2024 singles in the buoyant and moving “Packed To Go” and sleek, lounge-act banger “See Red (You’re Dead).”
All four are included here on Greetings from The Far Out, combined with four new compositions that further push the band’s exuberant brand of funk-pop. Across eight dynamic tracks, showcasing the band’s penchant for establishing a sense of joy and endurance within each song, there are tracks for the pre-party, the party, and the afterparty.
“We are unafraid of taking risks in the formation of our sound, and it shows throughout this whole record,” admits Lowe. “You won’t find a song on the album that has exclusively one writer. Even if one of us does the majority of heavy lifting and comes forward with a nearly-fleshed out tune, a Far Out song is never really done until we’ve all had a chance to play around with it together. We’re constantly throwing out wild ideas, and a lot of the time they make it into the final product. That’s why you’ll find that so many of these songs have very distinct sections -- even different genres -- within them.”
From the batch of new bops, “Lazy Lover” takes on a groovy spin of seductive, bassline bouncing rock and roll; “Putt Strut” cranks up the brass for a jovial romp on the green; and “Long Weekend” casually veers into jazz territory. Perhaps most notably, album opener “Need A Win” sets an early tone, a warm wave of horns and melody that’s catchier than Jarren Duran roaming the outfield of Fenway Park.
“Our arrangement skills throughout the entirety of the album are a highlight for me,” notes Lowe. “We’ve done some crazy, creative things with these songs, and didn’t hold anything back. There’s so much personality in every track.”
While the sound is varied and genre-hops from one beat to the next, a rare throughline across Greetings from The Far Out extends both in plain sight and lurking just below the aural surface. The record’s title and postcard artwork – as well as the stamp-themed art for the four singles, all designed by Lowe with design assistance from her brother Ezra Lowe – are a throwback to Bruce Springsteen’s 1973 debut Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. And Lowe admits there are some overarching lyrical elements at play across the eight tracks, though it takes a dedicated listen to delve deep beyond the upbeat music.
“I don’t think I realized it until just now, but most of these songs are about being fed up and taking a stand against one thing or another,” she says. “Fed up with work, fed up with a partner who’s not putting in the effort, fed up with making bad decisions. We’re done with it all – leaving it behind and dancing it out.”
Ask the band to highlight some of their personal favorite moments on the record, and the response is as varied as their contributions in the writing room and the studio, from Fremont-Smith’s FS Studios to Sean McLaughlin’s 37ft Productions. While crafting the record, the six multi-instrumentalists often experimented with new instruments and approaches that would ultimately impact the song once performed live. It’s all part of The Far Out’s musical alchemy that helps create a sound that feels impulsive, but is ultimately very well thought-out and by-design.
“‘Need a Win’ might be my favorite on the album,” says Senechal. “I love the way all the parts fit together, especially some of the little guitar highlights throughout.” Adds Zagarella: “The last section of ‘Long Weekend’ felt like lightning in a bottle when we came up with it at rehearsal. I think we translated that wild energy into the record.”
Phillips echoes the “Long Weekend” love, saying “the last section of the song is absolutely the hardest thing we perform live in my opinion, so to be able to get it onto a recording and have it sound so electric is absolutely a highlight.”
Lowe says “Putt Strut” took the longest to come together, but “it pays off so beautifully. We ended up with this super silly song that has a lovely outro.”
And everyone pretty much loves “Lazy Lover.” “The ending of ‘Lazy Lover’ makes me so amped!” exclaims Dolan “The song has a different feel than other songs on our album and features lead guitar rather than a horn section. I’m really excited for listeners to hear our range with this rock-inspired track!” Phillips does not disagree: “The last four bars of ‘Lazy Lover’ have some intense kick patterns that I’m very proud of.”
A sense of pride has been flowing through The Far Out since the band first formed a few years back during the pandemic, hitting the stage for the first time under this name around 2021 and quickly reaching cruising altitude. It doesn’t hurt that all six members are as close friends off stage as on it. And as our lives get more stressful by the day, the band and its warm embrace of a sound is a tonic amongst its members to help stay sane. Their resistance is camaraderie.
“Simply being able to play music with my best friends is the best part of being in The Far Out,” says Dolan. “Getting to riff off each other, learn music together, and spend time with one another while doing what we love most.”
If this is the summer of pop-funk, then The Far Out are leading the charge, next in an exciting line of Boston bands that dared to branch out stylistically and create something that feels both like a throw back to a better time and a declaration of intent for the modern day.
“I hope we catch listeners by surprise,” Lowe concludes. “Whether it’s a lyric that makes them say ‘woah’ or a musical moment that gives them a stank face is all I could ask for. I hope they’re impressed by the risks we take.”
And within those risks, we find a whole lot of joy.
Media Contact: Direct press inquiries to Michael O’Connor Marotta at michael@knyvet.com and reach Olivia Lowe of The Far Out at thefaroutmail@gmail.com.
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The Far Out is:
Ellie Dolan: Trumpet, vocals
Ryan Fremont-Smith: Bass guitar, vocals, saxophone
Olivia Lowe: Guitar, flute, vocals
Drew Phillips: Drums
Colin Senechal: Saxophone, guitar
Henry Zagarella: Keys, vocals
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‘Greetings from The Far Out’ album artwork:
Artwork by Olivia and Ezra Lowe
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‘Greetings from The Far Out’ production credits:
Ryan Fremont-Smith, FS Studios
Production for Greetings from The Far Out
Mixing for “Funkadelic Gas”, “Putt Strut”, “Long Weekend”, “See Red (You’re Dead)”
Sean McLaughlin, 37ft Productions
Production for “Need a Win”
Mixing for “Need a Win”, “Lazy Lover”, “Laurel”, “Packed to Go”
Drum engineer for “Need a Win”, “Funkadelic Gas”, “Lazy Lover”, “Laurel”, “Putt Strut”, “Long Weekend”, “Packed to Go”
Jeff Lipton, Peerless Mastering
Mastering for “Need a Win”, “Funkadelic Gas”, “Lazy Lover”, “Laurel”, “Putt Strut”, “Long Weekend”, “Packed to Go”
Artwork by Olivia and Ezra Lowe
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The Far Out upcoming live dates + late summer tour:
July 10: Somerville, MA @ The Burren (album release party!)
August 9: Falmouth, MA @ Lin Whitehead Bandshell / Harbor Light Illumination Concert Series
August 23: Salisbury, MA @ Riverfest Salisbury Beach
August 30: Providence, RI @ Fete Music Hall
August 31: Burlington, VT @ Radio Bean
September 6: Tinton Falls, NJ @ Twin Lights Brewery
September 12: Easthampton, MA @ Marigold Theatre
September 13: Bridgeport, CT @ Park City Music Hall
September 26: Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Upstairs
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The Far Out short bio:
The Far Out is a high-energy funk and soul-pop group from Boston, MA. The six powerhouse musicians engage their audiences with lush vocals and groovy horn lines, supported by the undeniable chemistry of a group of lifelong friends. Their goal is to include audiences in their infectious joy and spread the love of funk and soul music to younger generations. Taking after the likes of Eagles, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Fleetwood Mac, The Far Out is stacked with multiple lead singers and songwriters. Their genre is a cohesion of their individual tastes and influences, brought together by a shared aim to entertain and inspire. You’ll often catch the group of multi-instrumentalists switching roles during their shows, passing guitars around or joining the horn section between vocal harmonies.
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The Far Out alt press photos:
Photo Credit: Jackie Vlahos
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Media praise for The Far Out:
“The band’s Yacht Rock inspired sound makes the tune a perfect fit for your early summer playlist.” _New England Sounds
“The Lake Street Dive vibes are heavy on this one. That’s meant as high praise. A brand new single from a brand new act — the Far Out’s debut album arrives in July — ‘Laurel’ has some ace Song of the Summer characteristics. It’s bright, buoyant pop with a flash of a dark side. It’s got some yacht rock chord changes, powerhouse vocals, and soul horns. It’s sweet but substantial.” _Boston Herald
“The Far Out are one of those bands that make us want to scream ‘We Love Music!’ ‘Laurel’ is a funky, soulful track that we fall deeper and deeper in love with every time we hear it.” _The Whole Kameese
“[‘Laurel’] is based in retro soul, but a much more modern sounding retro soul than you normally hear from neo-soul artists. This is a fun song propelled by killer horns throughout. It’s the pairing of Olivia Lowe’s fantastic vocals and the horn section that makes ‘Laurel’ completely irresistible. To me it sounds like if vintage Lake Street Dive decided to get funky. This one is sure to even get the indie rock snobs dancing when nobody is around.” _If It’s Too Loud
“Here’s something that’s guaranteed to become a part of your summer soundtrack. The Far Out’s ‘Laurel’ is a four minute burst of musical sunshine. The opening rhythm sets a busy groove in place, and from there, a tight drum part continues to impress with a world of hi-hat work and percussive fills, whilst a dancing bassline injects a little funk. Over the top of that, the rest of the band – dominated by superb brass – serve up an old school soul jam that’s heavy on the 70s vibes. With a powerhouse vocal and simple hook balancing out some of the track’s more complex moments, it’s a perfectly arranged number…” _Real Gone
“‘Laurel’ brings to mind old Motown grooves (Think The Temptations) but in a modern setting crafted by a collective who one could easily picture breaking out into song during a scene in one of our all time’s, The Blues Brothers. …in an age of short attention spans, it’s great to hear a full on BAND bringing not only one of the catchiest tracks of the summer but, quite possibly, the year.” _Rock And Roll Fables
“The North Shore based six-piece opener was absolutely shot out of a cannon. They had an energy that is rare when it comes to an opening act. Their infectious rhythms and dynamic stage presence quickly won over the audience, setting the perfect tone for the night.” _AMP Music
“These guys totally delivered the goods and clearly have a long and bright future ahead!” _Pitch Perfect
“The self-titled EP is a bright and radiant representative of contemporary jazz music that fully embodies the finest traditions of this genre. When listening to the album, it’s like immersing yourself in a stream of sunshine, penetrating through the musical notes. It simply sparkles with joy and positivity…” _Indie Boulevard
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Press Contact: Michael O’Connor Marotta at michael@knyvet.com
Band Contact: Olivia Lowe at thefaroutmail@gmail.com
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