Pulled Apart By Horses - Pulled Apart By Horses (2010)

So a while back I went to see Grammatics live with a bro. Whilst they were certainly the stars of the show to us they were actually there supporting Rolo Tomassi along with some other band from Leeds that no one had heard of. However, withing seconds of them playing I was in love with their energetic, upbeat post-hardcore tunes. I bought their EP and a tshirt and left that night a happy man.

So two years (I think, probably less actually) later they finally have a full length out. And it is gooooooooooooood.

I know I usually post angsty, depressing emotional bullshit on this blog but fuck that, lay your troubles by the door and listen to this. This has to be one of the most invigorating albums I've ever heard, it just makes me want to get up and dance like an idiot. Catchy hooks and riifs along with some shout a long choruses, fuck it's Future Of The Left all over again.

HIGH FIVE! SWAN DIVE! NOSE DIVE!

If you get the chance to see these guys live you'd better go see them live. I know I'm going to sometime soon (if only to buy a new tshirt, the one I bought last time is too baggy, really)

Give it a listen

AWESOME, RADICAL, AWESOME, TOTALLY WORTH BUYING (Jesus, that was lame)

And I'm coining the term "shoutcore". Deal with it.

Note: I realise this review is shit and doesn't let the reader know if this album is up their street or not...but fuck you, I'll re-write it the same time I re-write those other reviews.

Another note: Fixed the link. So now you can actually listen to this album. lololol

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...