Cory Wells – “The Way We Are”

There is a fine line between vulnerability and melodrama in acoustic music, and Cory Wells spends much of The Way We Are walking directly across it. On paper, the concept sounds questionable: an acoustic emo record fronted by a vocalist capable of unleashing metalcore-caliber screams. Yet Wells somehow makes the combination feel natural. Rather than treating the heavier moments as gimmicks, he uses them as emotional punctuation, allowing the songs to swell organically before erupting into cathartic release. The result is an album that stands apart from the endless sea of singer-songwriter heartbreak records.

A major reason the album succeeds is its production. Jon Lundin and Anton DeLost understand exactly how to balance Wells’ extremes. Lundin brings a modern alternative-rock polish to the proceedings while DeLost excels at creating space during the quieter moments. The album sounds crisp and expansive without sacrificing intimacy. Acoustic guitars remain at the forefront, but layers of textures and subtle instrumentation prevent the songs from feeling skeletal. Every scream, every breath and every plucked string feels carefully placed. The edges are sanded down just enough that the record never sounds like an open mic night experiment gone wrong. Instead, it feels like a carefully structured and fully realized album.

Lyrically, The Way We Are is steeped in heartbreak, grief and emotional exhaustion. Wells rarely hides behind metaphor, opting instead for direct and painfully honest observations about relationships that refuse to heal. Themes of codependency, lingering resentment and emotional stagnation run throughout the album. Even when he appears to be moving forward, there is a sense that old wounds continue to dictate his path. That honesty makes the album resonate, even when its subject matter becomes overwhelmingly bleak.

“Wildfire” serves as the album’s defining statement. Driven by aggressive acoustic strumming, the track immediately demonstrates that Wells is not interested in making background music. Beneath the guitar work are enough subtle textures to make the song feel like it is being performed by a full band. The chorus is undeniably catchy, but it is the bridge that delivers the knockout punch as Wells erupts into a scream of “Take your demons and seek out the day / You fuckin’ reap what you sow.” It is a moment that should feel out of place on an acoustic record but instead becomes one of its highlights. The lyric “You lit a match just to watch my world burn” perfectly encapsulates the album’s fixation on heartbreak and emotional destruction.

“Broken” offers a different side of Wells’ songwriting. The song begins with delicate fingerpicking before gradually expanding into something larger and more cinematic. The layered guitars employ a stereo-widening effect that creates the sensation of the room growing around the listener. Wells resists the urge to scream here, instead leaning into a falsetto delivery that reinforces the song’s fragility. As he sings “‘Cause you broke me in two,” the contrast between the soft instrumentation and emotional devastation becomes impossible to ignore.

Elsewhere, “Walk Away” captures the paralysis of a toxic relationship neither participant can fully leave behind. The arrangement moves at a deliberate pace, allowing every note room to breathe. Multiple vocal layers create the illusion of Wells acting as both lead singer and backing vocalist, emphasizing the emotional tug-of-war at the song’s core. It is one of the album’s strongest examples of restraint and demonstrates how effective he can be without relying on his trademark screams.

What makes The Way We Are particularly interesting is how Wells separates himself from his heavier musical past while still carrying traces of it into this project. Listeners familiar with his work in Falling Through April will immediately recognize the emotional intensity and vocal delivery. The difference is that the aggression has been redirected inward. Instead of breakdowns and distorted guitars, Wells uses acoustic arrangements as the framework for the same emotional devastation.

The album is not without flaws. The screaming initially feels revelatory because so few artists attempt it in an acoustic setting. Over time, however, some of that novelty wears off. Once the surprise factor fades, the songwriting occasionally struggles to maintain the same impact. Several songs in the middle stretch blur together, sharing similar tempos, dynamics and emotional beats. A duet with Lizzy Farrall on “Fall Apart” attempts to break up the formula, but Wells’ commanding presence ultimately overshadows her contribution so thoroughly that it is easy to forget she is there at all.

There is also the challenge of positioning an artist like Wells within the broader music landscape. Pure Noise Records built much of its reputation on pop-punk, hardcore and adjacent genres. Wells fits within that ecosystem culturally, but musically he occupies an unusual middle ground. He is too heavy for traditional singer-songwriter audiences and too restrained for many hardcore fans. While the label deserves credit for taking a chance on the project, it often felt as though the album never received the promotional push necessary to reach listeners outside of existing scene circles.

Ultimately, The Way We Are succeeds because Wells commits fully to his vision. He understands that vulnerability is not always quiet and that grief can be just as explosive as it is sorrowful. The album occasionally falls victim to repetition, and some of its strongest tricks lose effectiveness over repeated listens, but there is no denying the sincerity at its core. It may not completely transcend its niche, but it remains a compelling and emotionally raw record from an artist willing to take risks.

For Fans Of:

• Touché Amoré – Stage Four

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