Part 1: Last Vestiges of the Second Wave
This section will cover Second Wave Emo artists who continued to release music between 2002-2008, especially those who utilized characteristics of that Wave’s sound.
Billy Music - Midwest Index (2/5/2002)
With one of the worst band names in existence (and a hair more googlable than their original band name “Billy”), Billy Music released their sole LP Midwest Index in 2002 after a couple of EPs and an appearance on one of the Emo Diaries compilations. At least the album name is appropriate for across 10 tracks is a sort of catalog of Midwest Emo tropes, collected together as sort of a primer for newer fans of the 90s Emo sound.
Kilowatthours - The Bright Side (2/12/2002)
Given the band had a lot more Post-Rock influences when they first released music in 1999, they nonetheless released an EP and LP before 2002 with strong Emo influence, so this album deserves to be in this section. Still employing a heaping tablespoon of Post-Rock in their music, this release is more grounded in Midwest Emo than anything they’ve done before. The vocals are soft so as not to disturb the atmosphere of each song.
Check this album out if you are looking for the cozier side of the Second Wave Emo sound and get a minute preview into the future of Emo during the Third Wave…
Piebald - We Are the Only Friends We Have (2/19/2002) 💎 (See Also: Part 7)
Piebald was firmly entrenched in Second Wave Emo canon by releasing several EPs and albums in the 90s. These quality Midwest Emo releases would ensure the band had a loyal cult following, but they arguably released their magnum opus in 2002 and changed the trajectory of their legacy forever.
Taking the bones of Midwest Emo and using different time signatures, they unlocked their melodic potential on this album by incorporating elements of the burgeoning Emo-Pop movement. The anthemic hooks only add to the experience, making this arguably their best album. Do not let the Emo-Pop influence deter you - the edginess in the production ensures this is Emo, through and through.
Pop Unknown - The August Division (3/5/2002)
Conventional wisdom says this album isn’t as good as Pop Unknown’s previous LP, but I’d like to think The August Division stands on its own next to its progenitor. Taking Midwest Emo, sprinkling in some Post-Punk elements and injecting the whole thing with a ton of infectious melody, Pop Unknown delivers with their swan song. This album immediately grabs your attention and refuses to let go.
Brandtson - Dial In Sounds (3/5/2002)
Utilizing classic Midwest Emo as a base and tossing mild Pop-Punk and Post-Hardcore elements is a winning formula with Dial In Sounds. With a career spanning from the late 90s into the mid-00s, Brandtson has released a prolific discography with somewhat mixed results, but this one is a definite notch in the “win” column.
The Gloria Record - Start Here (4/6/2002)
The successor to Mineral, The Gloria Record was a passionate Midwest Emo band with less Post-Hardcore than their predecessor. The band's sound is often compared to Radiohead, and not just because their songwriting is both excellent and TGR displays Indie traits, but because Start Here is this band's OK Computer.
The Emo bones of the band are present here, but the sonic exploration employed by Simpson and the boys is as vast as it is genre-defying. Perhaps calling this a “vestige of the Second Wave” isn’t exactly true as this album could have been revolutionary for the genre had it blown up in popularity. However, as a dying branch of the Second Wave, this underrated album deserves its place here for how forward-thinking it is.
Camber - Wake Up and Be Happy (4/9/2002)
Bursting onto the scene in 1997, Camber gained some notoriety by being in the first Emo Diaries compilation, along with a very good SDRE-inspired first LP. After a few more releases, they put out their last full-length in 2002 and is considered one of their weaker releases. However, I think there are some pretty decent ideas in here and the songs are pretty neat. Check it out if you’re itching for more authentic 90s Emo.
Pedro the Lion - Control (4/16/2002)
Put simply, this is a bummer album. The Indie Rock-soaked Emo of Pedro the Lion's previous releases is present with bitter, crunchy guitars and a melancholic storyline that weaves the album together. The slew of mid-tempo tracks with Bazan’s droning voice wears on you emotionally throughout 10 tracks.
Pedro the Lion is known for consistency, but this is perhaps their most solid and memorable outing as a band.
The Casket Lottery - Survival Is for Cowards (6/18/2002) 💎
The Casket Lottery is a band with amazing longevity and consistency, having made splits with the likes of Hot Water Music and Touche Amore. After some really good albums and EPs in the late 90s / early 00s, 2002 saw the release of (arguably) their magnum opus, Survival is for Cowards. A potent blend of Post-Hardcore and Midwest Emo, this LP borrows much from the Second Wave but introduces fresh songwriting ideas, making this a sort of breath of fresh air.
Extremely powerful vocals are driven by an exemplary rhythm section that keeps the listener engaged throughout its ~30-minute runtime.
Jawbreaker - Etc. (7/23/2002) (See Also: Part 3)
This one is cheating as Jawbreaker isn’t really a Second Wave band, but this is probably the best spot for it. A compilation of demos, outtakes, covers and alternate song versions recorded from the late 80s to the mid 90s, meaning B-Sides for every single Jawbreaker album are on here. Whether you call them Emocore, Emo Punk or something else, this unforgettable band has some truly classic tracks on this.
Kind of Like Spitting - Bridges Worth Burning (8/6/2002) 🚫NOTE: Ben Barnett has been accused of grooming recently
Since the mid-90s, Kind of Like Spitting occupied an unparalleled space during the Second Wave, playing Midwest Emo with heavy dosages of Indie and some Folksy elements for good measure. A prolific discography and a few magna opera later, we’re in 2002 with KoLS’s final Midwest Emo release, Bridges Worth Burning. This LP is arguably on the same level as their previous greatest releases, trending toward being more upbeat.
Beyond anything else, the passion with which this band plays, particularly in the vocals, is undeniable, much like the lyrics. Very few albums sound quite like this, so this is a must-listen. Soon thereafter, KoLS would veer hard into the Indie Folk direction, so this really serves as a denouement to their Emo career.
The Jim Yoshii Pile-Up - Homemade Drugs (10/11/2002)
Somehow, despite being brighter and overall more hopeful than their debut LP, Homemade Drugs is still a distressing, unhurried album. Tiny elements of Indie and Post-Rock are evident in this album, beginning to turn the Second Wave sound in a new direction.
Homemade Drugs isn’t the most well-known or beloved release in this section, but it is one of the best, especially if you’re looking for Emo music to sit back and dissociate to.
Jets to Brazil - Perfecting Loneliness (10/15/2002)
Emo weaved with equal parts Indie Rock, this late 90s Emo “supergroup” released their final LP Perfecting Loneliness in 2002. Little debate exists that Jets to Brazil's first album is their all-time musical accomplishment, but their final album is still worthy of praise. Fantastic lyricism and an overall softer tone characterize this album.
Songs regularly exceed 5 minutes of length on this album so if you’re searching for quick bursts of energy as songs, this one isn't for you. However, if you enjoy a mature take on Indie with inextricable Emo roots, this one is worth a listen.
Waxwing - Nobody Can Take What Everyone Owns (11/11/2002)
Waxwing produced Punk-leaning Emo goodness with their final LP. Although the album isn’t extraordinary, the songs are quite fun and energetic with pretty good vocals. Notably, one of the band’s guitarists, Cody Votolato, was working with The Blood Brothers at the same time.
Kid Brother Collective - Highway Miles (11/26/2002
Simple, old-school Emo that will make you yearn for simpler days. In the end, that’s all this genre needs. Nothing extraordinary on display, but more fare for those in the Mineral / Penfold camp.
Rainer Maria - Long Knives Drawn (1/28/2003)
Although Rainer Maria had changed fairly significantly since the band’s origins in the 90s, namely in the absence of male vocals, they had strong Emo ties in this 2003 LP. An Emo / Indie hybrid with the ethos of the Second Wave, what sets this album apart is how poppy Rainer Maria allows themselves to go, giving a memorable quality to the majority of the songs. This is an excellent addition to the band’s consistently good discography.
Cursive - The Ugly Organ (3/4/2003) 🎩
This one is probably one of the most well-known and beloved albums on this list, but I figure it’d be worth including it. Cursive began their career in the thick of the Second Wave, releasing two decent albums in the 90s before unleashing their first masterpiece Domestica in 2000. Following up on this unbelievable LP would be no small feat, but when Cursive released Ugly Organ in 2003, they did just that with an equally (if not more so) compelling album.
About 50/50 Post-Hardcore / Emo, Ugly Organ adds a cellist to the lineup, greatly expanding past the audio barriers of the genre’s typical instruments. Sinister, dissonant and brooding, this one needs to be heard to be believed. One of the best releases during the Third Wave. Fortunately, this band is still kicking and making awesome music.
Benton Falls - Guilt Beats Hate (4/13/2003) 💎
Calling this a prototypical Second Wave Emo would do this album a great disservice as it's filled to the brim with passion, feeling and poetry. Benton Falls doesn't quite reach the lofty heights of their debut album, but this release is only a notch below. The Post-Hardcore-tinged Emo that was popularized by bands like Texas is the Reason and Mineral is fully on display here with messy, loud guitars, occasional belted screams and shifting volume dynamics.
This was released in early 2003, making it sort of the swan song to Second Wave Emo. This album is a real tour de force for the genre and is recommended to anyone who misses that 90s sound.
Brandtson - Death and Taxes (4/13/2003) (See Also: Part 7)
Elliott - Song in the Air (4/29/2003)
The third and final full LP from Elliott, Song in the Air bookends their legendary (if somewhat obscure) discography with another great release, even if it perhaps falls short of the grandiosity of False Cathedrals. Regardless, this record encapsulates the evolution of a band from a more typical Mineral-like vibe to a dreamy, ethereal one. The vocals are smooth and gentle while the atmosphere provided by the instruments is dense and layered.
Elliott typifies Second Wave Emo in one respect while pushing the boundaries of the genre at the time. You can really feel that this band could have gotten big under the right circumstances.
Small Brown Bike - Nail Yourself to the Ground (4/29/2003)
2003 was Small Brown Bike’s biggest year, having released an LP and EP, both very well received. Utilizing that classic Post-Hardcore / Emo formula with their very own spin, Small Brown Bike sounds like no other on this EP. With only five songs (and one being a completely different folksy song with slide guitars), the band gave 2003 a huge opening salvo with this one.
The Appleseed Cast - Two Conversations (7/22/2003) 🎩 (See Also: Part 5)
The Appleseed Cast is one of the most prolific acts in all of Emo and, by the Third Wave, had already established themselves as one of Emo’s great innovators. They experimented with Post-Rock on Mare Vitalis and perfected the combination of Post-Rock and Emo with Low Level Owl Vol 1 and 2, all before 2002 even hit!
Two Conversations takes the grandiosity of Low Level Owl and strips it to its barest form, more personal and intimate than anything this band had released previously (and possibly since). A breakup concept album isn’t exactly ingenious, but it’s executed very well across 10 songs; each track is handcrafted to fit the album’s flow perfectly and they add up to be greater than the sum of their parts. This band, and especially this album, would have a huge effect on Third Wave Emo going forward.
The Casket Lottery - Possiblies and Maybes (8/12/2003)
Small Brown Bike - The River Bed (9/29/2003)
Expanding sonically on what they produced earlier in the year with Nail Yourself to the Ground, Small Brown Bike ended their first run as a band with an immensely influential full-length album. One could argue that the sound pallette all screams Post-Hardcore and doesn’t have much to do with Emo, but the album owes almost its entire structure to 90s Emo.
The catchiness of the vocals and instruments is juxtaposed perfectly with the rough Post-Hardcore edges of each track, sacrificing none of the heaviness of the band in the process of getting stuck in your head.
Kid Brother Collective - Snowball Fight In Death Valley (2003)
The Casket Lottery - Smoke and Mirrors (6/1/2004)
Brandtson - Send Us a Signal (6/15/2004)
Brandtson dives deeper into the Indie Rock sound but doesn’t lose its core Midwest Emo roots with this full-length. With more Emo-Pop influence than ever, the hooks are as catchy as they’ve ever been for this band. You can hear the evolution of their sound compared even to their previous record, and that’s definitely a good thing.
The Jim Yoshii Pile-Up - Picks Us Apart (7/26/2005)
I Hate Myself - 3 Songs (8/3/2005)
With almost no released music in the 2000s, I Hate Myself produced one final outing in 2005 with their 3 Songs EP. Gone are the half-Emo, half-Screamo days of yore and this one is pretty much pure Second Wave Midwest Emo. However, this leaves room for wonderful vocal melodies and driving songs. Definitely worth listening to this band’s final moments together.
Gods Reflex - When It's Down to This (2/12/2008)
Somewhat obscure Midwest Emo from northern Illinois, Gods Reflex played traditional Second Wave Emo with minute Pop influences, mostly in the very catchy vocals. After two great LPs, the band would undergo significant personnel changes in the new Millennium until they faded away before the Third Wave could officially begin.
The band would slowly and subtly begin to reunite, writing music together until they collectively decided to make one more Gods Reflex album. At worst, this record is as good as their previous efforts. At best, this is the band’s finest work.
