The fresh-eyed alternative band, The Favors, debuted their first album, “The Dream” on Sept. 19. Consisting of four members, the band includes lead vocalists Finneas Baird O’Connell and Ashlyn Rae “Ashe” Willson, David Marinelli on drums, and Ricky Gourmet on guitar, coming together to produce powerful 1970s soft-rock inspired ballads.
The album opens with a jazzy interlude, “Restless Little Heart,” hinting at the album’s central themes of romance, vulnerability, and bittersweet heartache. As the final note fades, the track transitions faultlessly into the album’s namesake “The Dream.” Told through a third person narration, Ashe and Finneas illustrate the efforts of an individual chasing stardom in Hollywood with the lines “You lied to your mother / She thinks that you’re famous.” Despite the individual’s determination they face constant setbacks — living in their car, maxing out their credit card, and falling in love with strangers. Through this vision, the vocalists reveal the commonality of these obstacles to upcoming musicians, “You get so lonely / Don’t be so boring / You’re not the only one.” This track deeply resonates with listeners, “My favorite song is ‘The Dream’ because I just love the build up and lyrics in it,” University of Massachusetts Amherst freshman Ella B-D said.
The catchy fourth track on the album, “The Little Mess You Made,” originally released as a single on June 6. The production of the song reflects the tension of a love gone wrong, where neither party completely accepts blame for the relationship ending. Both vocalists sing the direct question,“Who gets all the blame? I guess it’s up to you.” The bridge ingeniously consists of Finneas and Ashe singing back and forth as if in a heated exchange, with a musical extension of their intense emotions. A performance of this song has the potential to mirror Fleetwood Mac’s iconic 1997 live version of “Silver Springs,” where Stevie Nicks sings to Lindsey Buckingham about a similar “love gone wrong.”
A fan favorite off the album is track 9, “David’s Brother.” The production echoes that of Steely Dan’s 1973 hit “Reelin’ in the Years” with more of a folk-inspired turn. However, what truly makes the song stand out is the storytelling, showing the band’s immense talent. The title of the track comes from a real figure in the band’s life, Marinelli’s brother and the lyrics explore the devastation of heartbreak.
The song details someone trying to move on with daily life with grief intruding on every thought- “Under house arrest, dishes dirty / Couldn’t stay home, stay home.” Eventually, the individual seeks out distraction, going to a bar where they see their ex with David’s brother. This moment of clarity for them is followed by immense regret and self-awareness of their withered emotional state conveyed through the lyrics, “With an eighth in my purse / Well you never looked better / But I never felt worse.”
Some of the most prominent song-writing comes in the chorus to “David’s Brother,” “I’m coming around again / It’s keeping me down like the bends.” In a Genius lyric interview, Ashe explains the simile refers to a decompression illness that scuba divers may experience called “the bends.” The only way to cure it is to go under water again, stay there, and then slowly resurface. She compares this to heartbreak. You can’t hide that pain — you must face it head on, sit in your feelings, and slowly move on.
The album closes out with “Home Sweet Home,” a disco-inspired track where the subject of the song starts up a relationship with their ex once again.
While many listeners loved the entire album, some thought it fell flat at moments. “I loved the album for the most part but I did think a few of the songs were boring because honestly some of the songs sounded the same,” UMass freshman Risa Kramer said.
Everything considered, “The Dream” consists of catchy melodies that set The Favors on the road to notoriety like alternative bands before them. Currently, their dedicated fanbase supports them on tour in select cities in North America and anticipate their future projects.
