Mirrorglass - Handle With Care
- Chuck
- Apr 24
- 7 min read
Mirrorglass are an exciting rock band from Cavan, who first formed in 2022 and after some recent line up changes, now play live with Joshua Bowles on guitar and vocals, Paul Jackman on drums, Jack Bogue on bass and Vay on keyboards. Don't be fooled by their youthful appearance, this is a band to be taken seriously and they are set to shake up the Irish music scene with the launch of their nine track debut album, Handle With Care, which releases on CD from April 25th, 2025. (streaming to follow later). In their own words, "Mirrorglass wants to highlight the value of music beyond digital convenience—asserting that music is not just throwaway content, but an artistic statement that deserves to be experienced in its fullest form."
I have to say that I really respect this decision to prioritise physical copies over streaming. Not just because artists get ripped off by streaming platforms but mainly because I miss the art of the album as opposed to the single track focused industry forced upon us.
I previously wrote about the debut Mirrorglass single, Hey Honey! and after hearing an early preview of the album in its entirety, I was simply blown away. That really surprised me as I didn't expect it to be this good. Mirrorglass promised they would not be bound by the limitations of genre and that certainly seems to be the case as this debut release showcases the diverse song writing ability of Joshua Bowles. I absolutely loved it from first listen. It made me feel alive. It made me feel young again. It did all those wonderful things but as I mentioned earlier, it really surprised me.
Mirrorglass could be best described as a band who combine classic hard rock influences with a modern twist. They are a band whose greatest gift is their stunning ability to create memorable vocal melodies. Their lyrics are thought provoking and written with youthful exuberance about what it's like to be young, to be in love, to worry about the future, to feel sad and all the range of emotions that everyone experiences. They also delve into some darker fantasies and fun stuff too, which I found very entertaining. Joshua Bowles is a fantastic singer with a great range. There's a vulnerability that comes across in his voice at times, which really carries the emotion of what he's singing about. It adds to the overall charm. He is also the song writer and brains behind the band, having basically performed, mixed and produced the album all on his own. He's a talented and charismatic chap who knows his way around the guitar and has picked up a real swagger from his musical influences.
Handle With Care opens strongly with Hey Honey! which starts off with a classic hard rock style, crunching riff, before quickly opening up into a more fluent glam rock style song with a very infectious vocal melody. It really does contain a killer vocal melody throughout and when you combine a love song with a rockin' groove, you've cracked a winning combination. It's a feel good rocker with lyrics that remind everyone that all you need is love... and rock n' roll. If you've got them both then everything will be alright. This is a stadium rock anthem and the perfect introduction to the band. I've listened to it many times over the last few months and it's really uplifting and never gets old.
Let's Go To Mine is a ferocious, fast paced rocker with a blistering riff and thundering drum beat. I really like the snare sound on this album. This is a song that would have fit in well on Sunset Strip back in the 80's. The vocal key change near the end is a memorable moment on the album and you're left thinking.... 'holy shit, this dude has a set of pipes!' I'm sure there's a respectful nod to Axl Rose at the end too. This song rocks hard and will have people on their feet. It's a party song.
Ghost Town is the new single to coincide with the album launch. It's another melody driven rock tune with a fantastic singalong chorus. It's very radio friendly and I hope it does well. Again, the production is top class and the song builds momentum from the beginning through to the first chorus and then the bass really kicks in and drives the song to another level. The song continues to build momentum and level up in intensity all the way to the final guitar solo which contains some well chosen notes. The outro is quite special and emotional and one I'd love to sing along to at a festival. This is an anthem.
"We wanted Ghost Town to be the song that sticks with people," says Joshua Bowles. "It was the first ever Mirrorglass song so it has a special place in our hearts. It’s about being alone and isolated in your own mind. It’s also about self doubt but the song brings forward a realisation that you know yourself better than anyone and sometimes you’re the only one who can see a lot of your flaws. This song is about embracing your imperfections."
I had the privilege of hearing an earlier demo of this album and the next song, Heart of Gold, wasn't on it at that time. I'm glad they added it as it's possibly the best song Mirrorglass have written and recorded to date. It might just be perfect. It starts with a synth intro that quickly transitions into another fast paced modern rock song featuring blistering vocal melodies and hooks throughout. I was captivated on first listen and by the time I got to the first chorus, "Everybody's going crazy. I'm going crazy for you", I knew this was special. This song feels really mature in its overall production and composition and not something you'd expect on a debut album from such a young songwriter. I know I'm repeating but the vocal melodies are sensational on this album and it reminds me of an old song writing trick where you write a song, use the chorus as a verse and then write a new chorus. I can't think of any other way that this flow of melodies was created. If this is melody 'take one' then I bow to a new god. It rocks with a killer groove and surely would be a great single at some stage.
Better Off Dead is my favourite Mirrorglass song. It's amazing and I think it's one that could be very popular. It's another feel good song that sounds like the next chapter in the story of Hey Honey! It features some nice guitar tones and catchy chord progressions but yet again, it's the vocal melody that stands out. I felt a rush of excitement as I heard this song for the first time. If you can listen to this song and stay sitting down, there must be something wrong with you. It's one that will have everyone up dancing. The melodies are youth filled and energising and the song construction is magnificent and so mature. I'm perplexed by how good it is. It's perfectly arranged and even the early vocal transitions into the verses are something that I'm gushing over. The lyrics here are not all roses as it's a song about a troubled heart but yet it's so uplifting. I feel like Mirrorglass are a band that people could relate to. Some of these songs will help younger people in particular through some tough times, knowing they're not alone in feeling thoughts of despair as they can punch the air and rock along with Mirrorglass, because they got your back and you know they've been through what you're going through, right? The chorus in this song is killer. I love the drumming in this one too. I wouldn't change a thing about this song.
Wasted Time is one of the more recent songs written for this album. It's a no nonsense rocker with a Darkness type vibe in the verse that transitions into a more deeper indie rock chorus and outro. It's got some great licks in there and a strong bass line. The lyrics are clearly aimed at those who have let Joshua down on his journey. I'd like to think that time wasn't wasted but experience was gained... either way, it's made for a great rock song with a bit of attitude that kicks ass!
Crazy Man is a heavy, crunching guitar song that still maintains that special Mirrorglass melody style, again led by a wonderful vocal journey. There's another great chorus which you'd expect from this band. This song kinda reflects on the craziness that we're surrounded by at the moment. It's a tale of madness and more punk than the other songs. I think this one could be 'the grower' as it gets better with every listen.
Where Will You Go? is a song that has already got some attention, winning a song writing competition last year. It was also the first indication that this band were not going to rest on their laurels and just be a guitar band. This is a stripped back piano ballad which starts with the chorus before going into the verse, which is something I always found interesting and very cool. The lyrics touch on the uncertainty of what may lie ahead in life whilst acknowledging that the 'right now' is something special and that caring for someone is a gift to be appreciated. It's a beautiful song with a lovely composition. The final album version has an orchestral touch added which brings the song to a new level.
The closing track, Secretly Admitting To Murder is another strong display of versatility and progressive song writing. It opens with a synth based intro hook that sets the melody for the song. It feels like an open road song. A getaway song for your drive home after you've committed some unthinkable crime. The guitar solo feels like the perfect ending for this album which wraps it all up nicely with a classic rock anthem.
Handle With Care is one of the best debut releases I've heard for some time. I highly recommend that everyone checks it out and gives this young band the support they deserve. Mirrorglass list their main influences as, Thin Lizzy, Def Leppard, Guns N’ Roses, AC/DC, Green Day, Nirvana, The Beatles and Queen. You can really hear all these influences in their music. I'm really impressed by their confidence and ambition and can't wait to see what comes next. If you like guitar bands and catchy tunes, go check out Mirrorglass.
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