PFR
Minneapolis, Minnesota11 reviews across 6 releases
PFR is a Christian rock trio from Minnesota that formed in the late 1980s as the Joel Hanson Band. The group later used the name Inside Out, then Pray For Rain, before adopting PFR after another band threatened legal action. Joel Hanson, Patrick Andrew, and Mark Nash built their sound around close vocal harmonies, concise melodies, and a Beatles-influenced pop-rock style. The 1993 album Goldie's Last Day added more guitar weight, including a King's X-like opening on "Walk Away From Love," while retaining lighter touches such as the comic title song about a family dog. Great Lengths refined the approach into a smoother hybrid of pop and rock. By Them in 1996, distorted guitars and feedback were more prominent, though the songs still relied on compact choruses and melodic economy.
In 1996, PFR announced that Them would be their final album, and the trio broke up after a Minneapolis farewell show. Patrick Andrew formed Eager, while Mark Nash worked with Sixpence None the Richer and Joel Hanson continued as a songwriter. The 1997 compilation The Late Great PFR added three new songs, including "Fare Thee Well," before the members reunited to record "Kingdom Come" for the Roaring Lambs project in 2000. The session led to a return to Squint Entertainment and the more guitar-heavy Disappear in 2001. PFR separated again after the album, with later one-off reunions including a 2004 recording week and a 2012 tour. The trio reunited again in 2022 and remained active afterward.
6 releases reviewed
Goldie's Last Day
Great Lengths
Unleashed (Video)
Them
The Late Great PFR
