Colossal - Welcome The Problems (2004)

Words can't express how much I love this album. Really, it's hard to write about. I've been rewriting this first paragraph for about 20 minutes trying to find the words to describe this album.

Still, if this is what emo music sounds like in this day and age then it ain't bad. Sounds like a mix between American Football and Don Caballero ie. emo vocals and emo guitars but also math rock drums and math rock guitars. I guess I could also throw some comparisons to Look Mexico, but Colossal have some sort of an edge to them, some grit. It's like they're....damn.

It's hard to find the words. Hopefully you'll dig this, though.

Give it a listen

It's hard to find the words to describe this album but it sure ain't hard to buy it.

Knapsack - This Conversation Is Ending...Starting Right Now (1998)

Emo week isn't over yet. I'm not sure when it will end, but I at least wanted to post something in the same vein as this jewel of an album.

You gotta remember that emo was still a pretty alternative/underground scene in the early 90s. Pretty surprising when you remember that the early 90s music scene was obsessed with this "alternative" ideal. But I guess bands like caP'n Jazz and Sunny Day Real Estate were as big as they got, which doesn't shock me since those are some of the...I don't know, "tamer" bands? They were angsty and loud from time to time, but they could hold a tune, y'know? It seems emo was just a genre that was to be unheard of forever.

But then some kids got together and did something wonderful, something that would certainly inspire the following generation with an influence you can still hear in popular music today. Emo-pop.

Knapsack were one of these bands that appeared during the later half of the 90s recording some emo inspired pop punk. Or was it pop punk inspired emo? Oh, I don't know but the point is they're great. It was bands like this as well as Saves The Day and The Get Up Kids that produced some top quality music that was the best of both worlds. It had the emotional vocals and lyrics of emo, but it had the catchyness of pop-punk.

I'm making it sound terrible, but it isn't. It may scream teenage angst, but it sounds so damn good. Knapsack never made it as big as their contermpories (who didn't really make "it" either) but this album casts a long shadow, and is a worthy last testement to a wonderful band. Check it.

Give it a listen

Emo-pop? All the fun of alternative music but with all the fun of being able to buy a cd pretty easily? Sounds rad to me

Indian Summer - Discography (1994)

If there's one common trend amongst emo bands (apart from playing emocore, being signed to indie labels, playing small venues, singing emotional bullshit and generally just being emo) it's a lack of recorded material. Hell, look at caP'n Jazz, one of the most highly regarded, critically acclaimed, influential emo bands to come out of the 90s midwest emo explosion. They deserve all the praise they get and all, but just think about it. You can get EVERYTHING they ever recorded in one 34 song compilation. And it's the same for a lot of bands.

Another great example of an entire career squished into one amazing album would be this beauty by quiet/loud practioners Indian Summer.

For those who are unfamiliar with this band let me try and explain their sound. I guess you could compare them to Slint but more extreme. That is to say, the quiet parts are really quiet and the loud parts are REALLY FUCKING LOUD. The average song will start of with some beautiful, melodic yet very minamilistic guitar playing and rather soft, gentle drumming. A hushed voice creeps in, whispering over the music. It's all nice and quiet. Ahhh....

SUDDENLY LOUDNESS!

So check it out, see how the quiet/loud dynamic that was so often used by the likes of Pixies, Nirvana and Slint was applied to the emotional hardcore genre that we all know and love so much.

Give it a listen

Goddamn, you wanna buy THIS album? I can't find it ANYWHERE, for srs.

I Hate Myself - Ten Songs (1997)

In November, 1997, a small band from Florida released what would be their only full length album. Titled "10 Songs" it was just that, a collection of 10 of their songs, recorded in the summer months by a group of guys who played some pretty cool music. Really it shouldn't be anything more than that. It should be as simple as it sounds. I shouldn't have to make this post about it, but here I am.

What we have here is one of the finest emo albums ever. I don't really want to go into the story of "emo" or "emocore" too much, because it's a story that is cloudy and mysterious even in the minds of the guys who were in the midst of it. But what I will say is that the genre exploded in the 90s, with fuckloads of bands going in different directions. I Hate Myself went in the "scream like an emotional white kid who doesn't give a fuck about anything whilst the band plays some fucking powerful yet melodic guitar lead music" direction. Oh, and what a wise decision that was.

So give this a listen and see what you make of it. I hope you like it, because the birthday of this album reminded me about how old emo is getting. Fuck, bro, Revolution Summer happened 24 years ago. As a result, I'm going to post some of my favorite post-hardcore, emotive hardcore and screamo releases this week. There'll be forgotten classics and brand new masterpieces. So let's all stick on our skinniest pair of jeans, stick on that dirty tshirt you wore yesterday and listen to some emotional bullshit!

Give it a listen

Y'know what else is pretty emo? Buying music...

The Progress - Merit (2006)

The Progress were an odd band. Odd in the same way a lot of current emo bands are odd. They had everything you could ever need to be popular, great songs, great lyrics, tight guitar playing, hooks-a-plenty. Heck, they even have the "emo" tag which is so down with the kids. But they're weren't popular back when they were together and they're not popular now. They've been overshadowed by those mediocre pop/punk bands that, somewhere along the lines, have emo influences (or so sources tell me).

But fuck them. Fuck the kids. Fuck what's popular. This is an amazing record, and one that certainly deserves your time. It's not going to change your life, and I doubt it's something you've never heard before but in a decade filled with so much crap it's nice to know that a band exists that can still hit all the right notes.

Check it out if you're into bands like Braid, Look Mexico, The One Up Downstairs and heck I'd say there's even a little bit of Jawbreaker in this record if they're more your thing. You know the score, if you like emotional bullshit you'll like this.

Give it a listen

Downloading music is too mainstream, I only buy music

Antenna Error - Fix The Receiver (2009)

Antenna Error are the greatest polish alternative rock band that, no doubt, you've never heard of. They play a style of music that bears resemblance to post-rock grandaddy's Slint, but Antenna Error are a bit noisier and their frontwoman has a wonderfully emotional, raw voice. This EP is their only release as far as I know and it's an amazing listen that I recommend to everyone.

Oh, and don't worry, you'll be able to understand most of it (as their english is actually very good, props to them).

Give it a listen

I can't read polish but I totally wanna check out their myspace

Look Mexico - This Is Animal Music (2007)

If you listen to one album today make it this one. The debut album from uber-awesome indie rock, math rock, emo band Look Mexico is a bona fide masterpiece. They sound like This Town Needs Guns and Algernon Cadwallader's lovechild, and that's no bad thing. With killer math rock drum beats you won't be able to get your head around, excellent, layered, math rock arpeggio wanking guitar creating catchy-as-fuck melodies that back up some amazing vocals (for an emo band, anyway) that are spitting out some genius lyrics. There's a bass guitar in there as well.

A while back I thought This Town Needs Guns would become my saviours, creating new, interesting second wave-emo inspired music. But Look Mexico's debut blows "Animals" (This Town Needs Guns debut, in case you're out of the loop) out of the water. It's catchy, it's quick, it's emotional and it's experimental (with a very Books-esque recording playing throughout the album). It's utter genius is what it is is what it is.

Give it a listen

I am a wonderful person and I'd like to buy this