Cory Wells

California native Cory Wells channels the acoustic lineage of emo pioneers Dashboard Confessional through an organic, introspective style that blends the emotional release of hardcore and emo with folk-based instrumentation. Following several standalone singles and an EP, his first full-length arrived in 2019 as The Way We Are.

Operating from Redondo Beach, Wells emerged within metal and hardcore circles, including a stint as a touring musician for post-hardcore group Movements, prior to transitioning into a more restrained yet equally forceful solo endeavor. The MTV Unplugged v2.0 release by Dashboard Confessional prompted him to focus on acoustic guitar writing; he then joined the Pure Noise roster in 2017, which issued his initial EP, How to Tear Apart the Ones You Love. Further singles followed across the subsequent two years while he performed live and cultivated listeners ahead of his debut album. Pure Noise put out The Way We Are in 2019, incorporating acoustic guitars, tambourines, and banjo alongside heavier textures and Wells’s commanding voice. The project also included a guest appearance from Dashboard Confessional’s Chris Carrabba and secured an opening slot on the band’s European tour.