One part Sleater-Kinney, one part Weezer with a definite pinch of Elliott, Dude York are a three-piece from Seattle who describe themselves as meaningfulcore, which is a pretty succinct moniker in an age of myriad genres and sub-genres.
Peter Richards and Andrew Hall have been around for quite a while, but the addition of Claire England and a shift towards a more riffy pop-core sound on their current long-player, Sincerely, has raised the trio to a new level of beautiful noisy introspection.
“I feel like it’s about losing perspective—a spiraling-inward perspective despite what may be ready support networks around you,” opines Richards. “It’s like, ‘I don’t need anybody’s help. I should be able to do this myself, because it’s just, like, living.’”
Certainly, there are some great songs on this album: Something In The Way, The Way I Feel, Life Worth Living PT 2, but it is Love Is which truly captures this sense of confusion and painful self-doubt in the face of love, life and happiness.
“As far as I know, That’s all that love is” sings England. As far as I know, she’s right.
Sincerely debuted in February on legendary Seattle indie label Hardly Art.