Spectreview: Dude York – Falling

-OLIVE-

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“I secretly hoped
When it happened to me
There would be no doubt
It would feel like falling”

Dude York’s been working the local scene for almost a decade now, morphing steadily from blurry, uptempo garage rock to something resembling a refined version of mall-punk. Falling, their second album for Hardly Art, comes hotly anticipated: it’s another small change in style for a band that’s as restless as their songs’ protagonists, and this time it’s bassist Claire England who gets her opportunity to shine. Many of the songs she fronts surge with an addicting energy, at times seemingly sharing a kindred spirit with fellow Seattle pop-punk auteur Lisa Prank. She holds court over nearly all of the highlights on this collection of songs, including the superb title track and the light, angsty “Unexpected.” Surprisingly, even though the band likely collaborated evenly on constructing the album, there’s an odd disconnect between her songs and those of guitarist Peter Richards, who used to take main vocal duties. On Falling, Richards has excellent moments, like the candy-coated, UK-touched indie rocker “Box” (of which drummer Andrew Hall adds a ton of character) and propulsive (if abrupt) closer “DGAFAF (I Know What’s Real).” His, however, is a strangely subdued force compared to England, and occasionally the moments he leads stumble when they could soar. “How It Goes” is a track with a sublimely moody verse that veers into a uncharacteristically clunky chorus, while “Doesn’t Matter’s” verse feels both unoriginal and a little overcooked compared to its effusive, harmonious chorus. Ultimately, Falling bears the growing pains of acclimating to a pop-forward spirit, but it boasts a good number of tracks that rank among Dude York’s finest material, and hopefully this will help propel the band towards a deservedly wider audience.

Recommended for dancing and cotton candy fights.