Some weeks before the release of their debut EP Petals, the Indie Folk band Phavors contacted me whether I’d like to review their first major publishing. After having a quick listening into the promo kit, I knew that I definitely would love to present their music to you. The EP will be released on 28th May 2020.
Phavors – About The Artists
Phavors are a independent folk duo from New Jersey, USA. Philip Marflak is writing the songs and typically also playing guitar. He ran into his musical partner, Kayla DeRosa, when he taught her to play the guitar. The bio in the press kit states that Phavors likes to push the boundaries of music through atmospheric textures while still incorporating the warmth of acoustic instruments. The single Petals, which is obviously also the title track of the EP, has been released in February 2020 and received very well receptions. The band is also doing all the artwork on their own.
Phavors – Petals – Track by Track
The EP includes four tracks and lasts 17 minutes.
1. Petals
Listening to the title track just brings one word to my mind: beautiful. DeRosa’s voice is so gentle, so angel-alike, so that the song creates, together with the arrangement, a lovely, gentle, a bit of fragile mood. I am sure you also feel the warmth in your heart while listening to it.
2. Waste Time
Waste Time feels very similar to Petals at the beginning, though I have to say that this magical feeling you have while listening to the title track is just not that strong. The song, however, has a very intense development, becomes a rhythmic and has very strong atmospheric sounds. This sometimes drowns out DeRosa’s voice a bit, but it’s still a cool sound, definitely.
3. Water Is Still
Water Is Still somehow starts like Waste Time finished: very atmopsheric sounds. Water Is Still is practically non-vocal, so this seems to be Marflak’s playground on this EP. You see that he is able to create beautiful moods, at least in the studio (hard to judge how well it is working out live), but I feel he should step back and go for the real asset in this combo: his songwriting and arrangement combined with the voice of his partner.
4. Home
The character of Home again reminds me of parts of Waste Time. Atmospheric sounds mixed with the vocal performances of DeRosa. Couldn’t you decrease the mixers a bit on the instrumental side, please? The passages in which you can clearly hear her voice are just fascinating, while the melodic parts feel to interfere, to distract a bit too much in my point of view.
Phavors – Petals – Spotify
I will add the Spotify link after the EP release
Phavors – Petals – My View
Petals are the first public steps of a new band – and they are promising. The title track is huge – and to be very straight, the other tracks just illustrate that the band is looking for some balance between well arranged instrumental-melodic parts and the fragile, gentle voice of DeRosa. The band has two assets, but one of them is very fragile – this means that the melodic parts just have to be a bit more defensive here and then. Give her more space and the angelic voice will make you fly more skybound on the career ladder. Love to listen to projects like Phavors, definitely!
Folk Music
Here are all Flyctory.com postings related to Folk Music:

Arny Margret – dinner alone EP

Manntra – War of the Heathens

Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Dekel (September 2023)

Arstidir – Blik

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 08 September 2023)

Allison Russell – The Returner

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 01 September 2023)

The Paper Kites – At The Roadhouse

Adam Wendler – Living the Dream

William Fitzsimmons – Covers Vol. II


Heart to Heart – Semmel Concerts Introduces the Songwriters Round to Germany


Ludwig Wright – Turn of Tides or Where the Waves Come From


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 28 July 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 21 July 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 14 July 2023)


Kezia Gill – Misfit


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 07 July 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 30 June 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 23 June 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 16 June 2023)


Hannah Aldridge – Dream of America


Deer Tick – Emotional Contracts


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 09 June 2023)


Tenhi – Valkama


Milky Chance – Living In A Haze


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 02 June 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 26 May 2023)


Flora Falls – Hidden From You EP


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 28 April 2023)


Philip Bradatsch – Philip Bradatsch


Storm Seeker – Nautic Force


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 21 April 2023)


The Longest Johns (21st April 2023, Cologne)


The Wood Brothers – Heart is the Hero


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 07 April 2023)


Milow – Great To Know You EP


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 17 March 2023)


Stephen Jay – understatement


Timesbold – Not Still Here


Ailbhe Reddy – Endless Affair


Kendall Lujan – Forget Me Knots EP


The Nude Party – Rides On


Drayton Farley- Twenty on High


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 17 February 2023)


Jaimee Harris – Boomerang Town


Ron Sexsmith – The Vivian Line


Julian Taylor (15th February 2023, Cologne)


Ian Fisher – Burnt Tongue


The Rehats – Heart & Mind


Robert Forster – The Candle and the Flame


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 27 January 2023)


Joe Henry – All The Eye Can See


Siv Jakobsen – Gardening


Keimzeit Akustik Quintett – Schon gar nicht Proust


Masha The Rich Man – Sheyne Ziere


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 16 December 2022)


Some 2022 new Christmas Song Releases – Good Ones and Weird Ones


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 25 November 2022)


Karo Lynn – A Line in My Skin


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 11 November 2022)


Dave Helgi Johan – Drumheller


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 04 November 2022)


Seth Avett – Seth Avett Sings Greg Brown


Trampled by Turtles – Alpenglow


Arny Margret – they only talk about the weather


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 14 October 2022)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 7 October 2022)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 30 September 2022)


Jim Kroft – The Isolation Diaries Vol. 3 EP


Melissa Naschenweng – Glück


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 23 September 2022)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 02 September 2022)


Adam Wendler – Motions


Wooden Empire – Ghosts



Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 12 August 2022)


Gipsy Kings & More Than Words (11th August 2022, Cologne)


HAVET – Mamas Lullaby EP


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 05 August 2022)


Manntra – Kreatura


Pete Wolf Band – Crosswalk To Nowhere EP



Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 29 July 2022)


Broken Forest – Wild At Heart EP


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 22 July 2022)


Dawes – Misadventures Of Doomscroller



Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 01 July 2022)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 24 June 2022)


Museum at Bethel Woods – The Original Site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival


Clara Louise – Enough Is Enough


Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Tomas Rimeika (14th June 2022)


Avi Kaplan – Floating On A Dream


VoixxBradler – Blast


Mina Richman – Jaywalker EP


Ryan Sheridan – Americana


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 22 April 2022)


Mrs. Greenbird – Love You To The Bone


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 01 April 2022)


Ian Noe – River Fools & Mountain Saints


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 11 March 2022)


The Keltics – 9


Emma Elisabeth – Some Kind of Paradise


Arny Margret – intertwined


Fairytale – Winter Tales


Shovels & Rope – Manticore


Michael Lane – Take It Slow


Jördis Tielsch – New Mornings


Klaus Lage – Je wahrer die Liebe


Amos Lee – Dreamland


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 04 Feb 2022)


Marissa Nadler – The Wrath Of The Clouds EP


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 28 Jan 2022)


Kiefer Sutherland – Bloor Street


Jamestown Revival – Young Man


Spoon And The Forkestra – The Fondest Flinch EP


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 31 Dec 2021)


Jona Bird – Januar


Flyctory.com – My Favorite Albums / EPs 2021


No Snakes In Heaven – Dancer EP


Ian Tray Band – Electricity


Some Non-Country Christmas Songs 2021


Spell Songs – Spell Songs II: Let The Light In


Lisa Wanloo – Shadows


Al Lewis – Moving On Moving Past EP


Flora Falls – Ankle Deep EP


Michael Patrick Kelly – B.O.A.T.S


Houndmouth – Good For You


ABBA – Voyage


AHI – Prospect


Billy Bragg – The Million Things That Never Happened


Hulkoff – Ragnarök


Skinny Lister – A Matter of Life and Love


Dave Hause – Blood Harmony


The Hits of the Trips – My Summer 2021 in Music


Noah Gundersen – A Pillar of Salt


Santiano – Wenn die Kälte Kommt


Strand Of Oaks – In Heaven


Paule – Wunderschön unperfekt


Saint City Orchestra – Unified


Echo Bloom – Wake


Martha Wainwright – Love Will Be Reborn


James McMurtry – The Horses And The Hounds


Watchhouse – Watchhouse


Willy Mason – Already Dead


Leah Blevins – First Time Feeling


Joshua Radin – The Ghost and The Wall


Ida Mae – Click Click Domino


Rivers Of England – Eight In The Evening In Spring EP


Eliza Shaddad – The Woman You Want


An Early Bird – Diviner



William Fitzsimmons – Ready The Astronaut


Orian – Before It Weighs Us Down EP


Richie Necker – New Songs and Untold Stories


Gary Louris – Jump For Joy


Anders Enda Barnet – You Are The River


Emirsian – Lezoon


Oliver Wood – Always Smilin’


Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Linda Mar (11th May 2021)


Jon And Roy – Know Your Mind


Claudia Koreck – Perlentaucherin


Watershed – Elephant In The Room


Sing meinen Song – Das Tauschkonzert Vol. 8


Mighty Oaks – Mexico


Van Morrison – Latest Record Project Volume 1


VINTER – Seasons


Robert John Hope – Plasticine Heart


Todd Snider – First Agnostic Church of Hope And Wonder


Beharie – Beharie // Beharie (EP)


Adam Douglas – Better Angels


Vanessa Peters – Modern Age


Barbarisms – Zugzwang


Ray Cooper – Land Of Heroes


Skullcrusher – Storm in Summer EP


Manntra – Monster Mind Consuming


John Smith – The Fray


Timo Scharf – Everything Ever Always Is All Forgotten EP


Frances Luke Accord – Sunnyside EP


Ziggy Alberts – searching for freedom


Blackmore’s Night – Nature’s Light


The Paper Kites – Roses


Tim Hart – Winning Hand


Jack McBannon – True Stories


Sonor Teutonicus – Morgenrot


Korpiklaani – Jylhä


Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Emma Stevens (4th February 2021)


Spotlight – Flyctory.com Meets Frances Luke Accord (21st January 2021)


Passenger – Songs For The Drunk And Broken Hearted


Andrew Bird – Hark!


Darlingside – Fish Pond Fish


Dawes – Good Luck With Whatever


Diana DeMuth – Misadventure


Yonder Boys – Acid Folk


Spotlight – Flyctory.com Meets Riley Whittaker (6th September 2020)


Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Jackie Therrien (3rd September 2020)


Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Roderick August (28th July 2020)


Lori McKenna – The Balladeer


Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Lucy LaForge / Lucy & La Mer (31st May 2020)


Steve Earle & The Dukes – Ghosts of West Virginia


Maple & Rye – For Everything


Mrs. Greenbird: Strong Crowdfunding Start for New Album


Lucinda Williams – Good Souls Better Angels


Laura Marling – Song For Our Daughter


A Choir of Ghosts – An Ounce of Gold


Mrs. Greenbird (Frankfurt, 7th November 2019)


Mrs. Greenbird – Dark Waters (Review)
Flyctory.com in Pittsburgh
Here are all other postings by Flyctory.com related to Greater Pittsburgh:


Hampton Inn Pittsburgh – Bridgeville



William Fitzsimmons – Covers Vol. II


Home is where the heart is – My Twelve Favorite Cities of the World


Pinball Perfection (Pittsburgh)


NHL Schedule 2023-24 released – Here are my suggested Trips


Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Honor Museum


Even Hotel Pittsburgh Downtown


Quality Inn Pittsburgh Airport


Big Mac Museum (North Huntingdon PA, Pictured Story)


DoubleTree by Hilton Pittsburgh Downtown


Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum (Pittsburgh)


Five Years of Flyctory.com – My 20 Most Popular Travel Posts (so far…)


Anti-Flag – Lies They Tell Our Children


Flyctory.com Best Ones 2022


Hampton Inn Pittsburgh Airport


Gabbie Hanna – This Time Next Year


Senator John Heinz History Center Pittsburgh


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 02 December 2022)



Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 12 August 2022)



Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 29 July 2022)


NHL Schedule 2022-23 released – Some suggested Icehopping Itineraries


Car Rental Review – Enterprise Pittsburgh Airport (PIT) – Nissan Rogue



Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 01 July 2022)


UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex (Pictured Story)


Following The Pittsburgh Penguins in March 2022 (Day 5, 14th March 2022)


Following The Pittsburgh Penguins in March 2022 (Day 4, 13th March 2022)


Following The Pittsburgh Penguins in March 2022 (Day 3, 12th March 2022)


Following The Pittsburgh Penguins in March 2022 (Preview)


The Twelve Best Flights Of My Life (… so far)



William Fitzsimmons – Ready The Astronaut


USS Requin – A Submarine in Pittsburgh


Carnegie Science Center Pittsburgh


Seven Things I look forward to do in the United States again


PNC Park – Home of the Pittsburgh Pirates


Lakeview – She Drove Me To The Bar EP


Gabby Barrett – Goldmine


Andy Warhol Museum Pittsburgh


California With The Pittsburgh Penguins 2020 (Preview)


Hofbräuhaus Pittsburgh


Visiting PPG Paints Arena (Pittsburgh)


DoubleTree by Hilton Pittsburgh – Green Tree


Steve Moakler – Blue Jeans


Hampton Inn & Suites Pittsburgh/Waterfront – West Homestead


Flyctory.com Best Ones 2019


Pittsburgh Light Rail – It’s (partially) for free!


American Airlines Admirals Club Pittsburgh


Pittsburgh Christmas Market and Ice Rink


Mount Washington and the Pittsburgh Inclines


Flying with Southern Airways Express


A Visit at the NHL Stadium Series 2019