Review
Poppy here, ready to spill the tea on "The Dream", the rather fetching debut from The Favors, which is the splendid collaborative venture of Ashe and FINNEAS. This particular long-player, helmed by FINNEAS himself, positively shimmers with the warm glow of '70s pop, yet it's all rather bang up-to-date in its delivery. It’s like discovering a secret garden where lush orchestral flourishes waltz with a bit of folk, a dash of disco, and some slow-burning ballads that feel like a comforting hug on a grey day. Their chemistry, forged over nearly a decade of chumminess and sundry collaborations, truly elevates the whole affair, giving a nod to those classic male-female duos of yore while spinning a yarn all their own. The production, favouring live instruments like drums, guitars, bass, and keyboards, lends an organic, old-school flair wrapped in cinematic ambition.
What's truly rather special about "The Dream" is its utterly cohesive spirit, conceived alongside Ashe's very own play about a make-believe band. It's not just a medley of standalone ditties, you see, but a proper narrative unfolding like a good old-fashioned storybook, delving deep into matters of the heart, the scrapes of conflict, and a good old bit of soul-searching. You'll find yourself whisked away from the ELO-inspired zappiness of the title track, "The Dream", perhaps to a smoky lounge with "Ordinary People", then caught in the raw emotion of "The Little Mess You Made", recorded live and brimming with feeling. It's a proper immersive experience, where each tune is a chapter, making one truly feel part of the tale rather than merely observing from afar. - Poppy
