By Monk
It can be difficult to admit that the problems in your life may be no one’s fault but your own, to own up to the damage that you have done and live with your mistakes every day, realizing that you’ve been blind, and then once you can finally confront the fear that the end is certain, begin to settle into that reality. As much as we all hate to admit it, it’s a situation we all experience, and one which is at the heart of this second album from Cory Wells (not to be confused with the former Three Dog Night singer of the same name) – and one he addresses with the easy eloquence of an expert songwriter.
At first it would be easy to dismiss Wells as just another of those Americana singers writing songs about lost loves and opportunities, or driving along desert freeways with the top down and ill-fated truckstop romances. But, it immediately obvious that there is so much more to this particular songwriter than initial perceptions may indicate. Yes, the opening title track starts out with just Wells’ voice and an acoustic guitar delivering a country-infused blues vibe. But, then, it explodes with intense fury, revealing its creators background in emo-punk, with a heart-wrenching, gravelly vocal that wouldn’t sound out of place on a metalcore album.
It’s a formula which Wells retains throughout the rest of the album’s nine visceral and emotive songs: beautiful, laconic acoustics lull you in before hitting you square in the face with impassioned fury, which simultaneously retain a sense of introspection and restrained as he explores the innate frailty of masculinity, among other subjects. While titles such as that of the album itself and ‘Natural Disaster’ may sound apologetic, they are far from that: yes, there is a deeply confessional quality to all of the songs, but also a sense of redemption and self-belief that resonates through the pure honesty with which they are expressed.
‘Harboring The Hurt…’ is a reflective yet optimistic album, one which offers us an opportunity to look deep into ourselves, to explore our innermost feelings and, hopefully, help us to express them to the ones we love. As the songs, it is an opportunity to ‘Breathe Again’, so take that breath and listen to this emotionally charged and challenging album, then let go of that hurt you’ve been harbouring…
- ‘Harboring The Hurt I’ve Caused‘ is out now.
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