Mirror, Mirror

Farewell, My Love is a quintet from Phoenix, Arizona consisting of singer Ryan Howell, lead guitarist Röbby Creasey, rhythm guitarist Logan Thayer, bass player Charlee Conley, and drummer Chad Kowel. Mirror, Mirror is their second EP and the first since former singer Caleb Harbin left and the group was signed to Standby Records. They gained fame on the BryanStars tour. They affectionately refer to their fans as Lovers. Their symbol the “stitched heart”, which looks like # >, show their message of putting the pieces back together. The band has a very theatrical side, but has relatable songs that are not overly melodramatic. The band is defiantly worth checking out.

“Mirror, Mirror”

“Mirror, Mirror” is the fast paced opener. It gets strait to the point, keeping to the style of most post-hardcore songs, fast tempo, harmonized guitars, a breakdown, and a good-sized guitar solo. This song avoids being trivial, though; Ryan Howell’s melodramatic vocals add nice dimension to the song. They are nicely blended into the texture, which many artists avoid, preferring vocals to clearly come out. The lyrics elude to their previous EP, but not so much so that a new listener will not be able to get meaning from this song. The opener will defiantly satisfy Lovers and might create a few new ones.

“My Perfect Thing”

This song is lighter then previous numbers by them. It is a nice ballad that avoids being cliché. The use of mallet percussion adds something different, while staying true to Farewell, My Love’s sound. This song thankfully avoids a breakdown. The guitar solo also avoids constant sweeps that many contemporary songs include, instead working them into the melody. This song is sure not to disappoint.

“Skip the Memories”

You can defiantly hear the Fall Out Boy influence. It brings you back to the style Fall Out Boy’s Take This to Your Grave. This song is not over-polished, but the heavily distorted, high-pitched guitar in the background detracts from the songs overall effect. The bass harmonies during the guitar solo satisfying. Howell’s vocal technique with lots of embellishments (natural, not distortion) add and element not many bands have had, especially recently. Listeners will defiantly have a moment nostalgia remembering the Fall Out Boy of yesteryear, before they began collaborating with 2 Chainz.

“It’s My Life”

Farewell, My Love defiantly made the right, gutsy decision to cover Rock ’n’ Roll legends Bon Jovi. They proved that could hold their own. Ryan Howell cooled the constant quirks, showing he has a great voice. The backing vocals supported him well. It was pleasant to hear bassist Charlee Conley clearly, while he tackled the iconic bass line. Guitarist Röbby Creasey and Logan Thayer continued to show their impeccable technique and precision. This cover will surely help the band reach a further audience.

“Just Another Soul (Acoustic Rendition)”

The acoustic version is almost better then the original, though hard to compare Caleb and Ryan. The strings add some nice touches versus just the guitar. The voices of the band blend well. The backing vocals support rather then taking over. The emotions are clearly present as they speak of tribulations the band members of face. It is rawer then the version found on their previous EP, A Dance You Won’t Forget. It shows a nice soft side to the band. Lovers are will enjoy this rendition of “Just Another Soul”.

You can check out the band on Facebook.