Part 2: Carrying the Flag of the Second Wave
This next section covers albums and EPs released in the 3rd Wave that are heavily indebted to the 2nd Wave’s signature sound from bands that weren’t around for that time period. This should show that even though Emo was taking on an entirely different meaning in mainstream contexts, many acts were dedicated to keeping the older traditions alive.
Admirably, bands continued the trend of 2nd Wave Emo going throughout the 2000s, though that seemed to die off by 2005. Still, some of the best gems in this section are released post-2005.
.waterpistol. - Between Here and There is Everything (1/22/2002)
Debuting with a three-song EP in the year 2000, this relatively obscure band is far enough removed from the Second Wave to appear in this section, at least in my opinion. Fun, active prototypical Midwest Emo is what you’ll find on this album. This sounds like Hardcore kids doing softer Emo music and it shows in the ever-present energy of the instruments and vocals.
Rescue - Even People and Not the Odds (2/19/2002)
Rest of My Life - Rest of My Life (5/1/2002)
This is the first release from the How is Annie label in Norway, one that is very important to the Nordic Emo scene. Rest of My Life’s self-titled LP is heavily indebted to the sounds of Second Wave Midwest Emo with hints of Post-Rock throughout. This sound palette would be a staple of the How is Annie lineup of bands, some of which you’ll see later in this series.
A strong presence of Post-Hardcore in the occasional screams and heavier moments of this album gives the songs a sense of urgency while the Post-Rock influence ensures the serenity of the quieter moments. This small evolution in Emo’s sound helped pave the way for more great releases in the future.
Time Spent Driving - Just Enough Bright (5/7/2002)
One of the more popular albums on this list, Time Spent Driving played classic Midwest Emo with Emo-Pop sensibilities on this album, giving the release its own brand of charm. Situated perfectly at the edge where Emo went mainstream and where Emo remained underground.
Rescue - Volume Plus Volume (5/28/2002)
With their debut LP, Rescue took the Post-Hardcore / Emo combination that was so popular in the mid-late 90s, added Math Rock elements like changing time signatures and played almost every song with a sense of urgency. Had this released sometime in the late 90s and was picked up by the right people, we might be calling this a minor Emo classic today.
In 2004, the band rereleased this album as Volume Plus Volume Plus, which included a bonus CD featuring their 2002 EP Even People and Not the Odds and other unreleased tracks.
8-Bit Revival - Up & Atom (9/1/2002)
Standard 90s-sounding Midwest Emo fare, this debut EP is a great look into an up-and-coming underground Emo band. This group would change their name to Oh Condor but possibly changed it back at some point (not so sure about the name change history), so expect to see more of them in this series.
Time to Fly - Birth.Work.Death (11/5/2002)
On their sole release, Time to Fly utilized the blueprints left behind by bands like Penfold and injected it with a high dose of Emo-Pop, a burgeoning influence during this time period. Regardless, the LP stands on its own as a Second Wave-inspired Emo.
The vocals are catchy and melodic, juxtaposed by the occasional scream. There are tons of riffs and even some twinkles in there, adding to the diversity of dynamics found throughout the album.
Rockets and Bluelights - Close At Hand (2002)
The Autumn Year - It's Better To Leave Something While You Still Love It, Than To Leave Something Because You Hate It (2002)
susquatch - First Demo (1/1/2003) (See Also: Part 6)
Since the 90s, Japan has had a flourishing Emo scene. Most here are aware of the Japanese Post-Rock / Screamo combination made famous by envy. However, Japan also kept Punky / melodic Emo alive during the 00s, usually with unique influences.
susquatch is a band that gained notoriety in 2009 with their twinkly debut LP right at the beginning of the Revival, but most are not aware of their debut Demo EP. With just the smallest hints that this is Japanese Emo, susquatch plays tribute to the greatness of Second Wave Emo quite effectively here. This isn't their only appearance in this series, but with four years to go before releasing their next EP, their sound would undergo massive changes.
A Season Drive - Summer of ‘73 (3/19/2003)
On the lighter side of Emo without veering into Emo-Pop territory, A Season Drive delivers a fun Second Wave-esque album in the vein of Sunny Day Real Estate. This album is by no means a classic, but it does keep the old ways alive for just a little bit longer.
Settlefish - Dance A While, Upset (5/5/2003)
Extremely difficult to find, this album has about half the songs featured on other Deep Elm compilations, so you can still hear the masterful and somewhat bleak Midwest emo songwriting used throughout. Nothing here is exceptional, but this refreshing take on Second Wave Midwest Emo features its share of twinkles and fun, mathy moments.
Filmmaker - Invitation to an Accident (5/14/2003)
Plain and simple, this is Seam-esque Midwest Emo done right, with just the right amount of Indie Rock influence to give the vocalist some fun melodies to play with. This band had one other EP released in 2001, but this would be their final release. Though this album is very short of groundbreaking, it’s a worthy listen for 90s Emo fans.
.waterpistol. - The Subway EP (5/20/2003)
The Jealous Sound - Kill Them With Kindness (6/3/2003)
Quite jealous I am, indeed! To create such pure, unadulterated fun is an underappreciated aspect of Emo but The Jealous Sound does so with very simple song structures. Now yes, let’s clear the elephant in the room: Brian Shehan of Knapsack fame reprises his role as frontman of this band, utilizing a familiar Indie Rock / Emo approach. Knapsack’s unique qualities made them a very influential Emo band from the mid-90s, but few could hope to replicate them. Even The Jealous Sound doesn’t exactly…sound like Knapsack.
Fear not, for while The Jealous Sound is inherently indebted to Brian’s earlier project, they stand on their own two feet. With less overtly-Punk-influenced songs than Knapsack, a healthy use of synths and a few Emo-Pop sensibilities, they definitely are beginning to grow out of the shadow of Second Wave Emo. Still, they perhaps are too intertwined with the time period to be completely removed from it.
The December Drive - Handslikegunsandcrashingsounds (6/10/2003) 💎
Releasing in 2003, this album was allegedly in the works for about three years and DAMN does that seem right! At its core, Handslikegunsandcrashingsounds is a Second Wave-inspired Emo / Post-Hardcore tour de force. Small elements of Post-Rock seep into the album, generating a powerful aura around each song. Powerful guitarwork lays the foundation for a truly unforgettable vocal performance.
Although this album takes a lot of direction from the Second Wave classics, The December Drive injects this album with their own flavor, giving this album a slightly forward-thinking edge compared to many of the true 90s Emo bands. This is without a doubt one of the best albums in this entire section.
Dead Letter Auction - Cancer of Time (7/1/2003)
Dissonant and noisy, Cancer of Time is Dead Letter Auction’s only full-length and boy, is it a doozy! If you like technical Post-Hardcore with a 90s Emo foundation, you’ve come to the right band. The shouty vocals add to the cacophonous atmosphere as much as the dynamic shifts to quiet.
Outsmarting Simon - Silent Sober and Sound (8/5/2003)
Taking as much influence from Mineral and Penfold as they did from early Jimmy Eat World and The Get Up Kids, Outsmarting Simon debuted with this great traditional Emo LP. Silent Sober and Sound showcases the band's propensity for quiet-loud dynamics and dreamy atmospheres. Not the most memorable album, but definitely one with a pulse on the genre.
Rockets and Bluelights - A Smashed City with Flames and Music in the Air (9/12/2003) 💎
One of the most criminally underlooked and underrated Midwest Emo releases ever, it’s also ludicrously short with only four songs. The Post-Hardcore guitar tone is punchy and robust, leaning into the Emo clean dynamic seamlessly from the heavy distortion. The rhythm section does wonders in giving the songs style, keeping up with the spastic energy of the highs and the subtly of the lows.
Rudimentary Post-Rock song structures come into play in this EP, giving each track its own identity.
Halos for Martyrs - A Rush of Sound and the Silence That Follows (2003) 💎
Make no mistake: this EP is a love letter to Second Wave Emo in both production and style. The ever-present Post-Hardcore accompanies Halos for Martyrs through an Emo musical journey while Math Rock influences seep in through the cracks, particularly in the twinkly riffs scattered about. This release was definitely an overlooked gem in 2003.
Kid Kilowatt - Guitar Method (3/4/2004) (See Also: Part 1)
Wow, this stuff is great! It almost sounds like it was ACTUALLY recorded between 1996 and 1999! Oh…well, it looks like it actually WAS recorded during that time! I’m not sure if this album should count on this list as it’s more of a compilation of the band’s recorded material from that time, released in CD format a half-decade after their breakup, Regardless, Kid Kilowatt featured members of Cave In, Piebald and even Converge. Despite that sort of street cred, they played fairly straightforward Indie-influenced Emo.
This LP can feel a bit disjointed at times, a consequence of releasing all of the band’s material at once in LP format. However, if this album had come out in the late 90s while the band was still around, we might be calling this one of the best undiscovered Emo bands of the 90s (I guess we can technically still call them that).
Rescue - Flamingo Minutes (7/13/2004)
The 101 - Green Street (10/13/2004) (See Also: Part 7)
The 101 use analog-sounding production that would be at home with the 90s Emo greats, utilizing some primitive Emo-Pop elements such as great use of melody and the odd synth here or there. The individual songs may not have much to write home about, but the flow of the album is actually quite good, making the sum greater than its parts.
This is especially good if you dig Christie Front Drive.
Settlefish - The Plural of the Choir (3/29/2005)
Outsmarting Simon - Stand Up Straight (4/12/2005)
Baltimore In Love - Lick The Stars (6/5/2005) (See Also: Part 3)
Harkens back to the rough edges of mid-90s DIY Emo, with just a little bit of Emocore in the mix.
The Moirai - Bury Yourself (8/1/2005) 💎
Brian Carley, vocalist and guitarist of Penfold, refused to let Emo go by the wayside in the 2000s. Somehow, in the year 2005, The Moirai managed to unveil a 90s Emo classic that seemed lost to time and had just been unearthed. Midwest Emo had all but perished from the face of the Earth at this point, especially in the form of 90s Second Wave Emo, but The Moirai’s sole release aimed to inject the dying genre with one last super boost.
Bury Yourself is a true successor to Penfold’s two classic Second Wave albums, featuring almost every member of the aforementioned band in the credits. The complexity of the compositions appears deceptively simple to the untrained ear, but the quiet-loud dynamics that Penfold made a career of are all here in spades. Brian’s vocal performance is as good as it ever has been; legitimately, one of the best vocal performances you’re going to hear in this entire series. The vocal mastery is only matched by the intelligent, passionate lyrics it delivers. Alas, the Second Wave can finally rest easy knowing The Moirai gave it a proper sendoff.
Build Nest, Sleep - Build Nest, Sleep (6/26/2006)
Another early release from the How Is Annie record label, Build Nest, Sleep produces old school Emo with a Noise Rock twist! The production is relatively lofi and the songs are smartly built around this. It creates a somewhat dense atmosphere, and atmosphere is what Norway’s infamous label does best. Perhaps not the greatest album on this list, but it is certainly quite an interesting one.
Relative - The Progress of Stagnation (11/29/2006)
This is arguably more Post-Hardcore at times, but the Second Wave Emo stank seems to have reached this band in the mid-aughts. Look out for lush sections of Emo atmosphere get broken up by chaotic outbursts throughout.
Minor Ache - Black Hours Surround You (2006)
This gem comes by way of Melbourne, Australia! It seemed as though once the US gave up on Second Wave Midwest Emo completely, the international community stepped up and released a few bangers in the genre’s honor.
Time Spent Driving - I’m Your Stab in the Back (7/3/2007)
Everton - Floorsleepers (9/27/2007)
Our journey brings us to Austria with Everton. Floorsleepers features songs of varying lengths, but they always give the compositions time to breathe and create a true individual identity. The clean, chunky guitars provide a nice base for the sound while the rhythm section, particularly the drums, are active and lively, even during quiet moments.
Amazing, the production is also very reminiscent of the period they’re trying to visit. There must be a comparable “Midwest” area of Austria because these talented folks must be from there. The sad vibes are real.
The Brightest Comet - Demo (2007)
Female-fronted, Indie Rock-driven and unabashedly 90s in style, The Brightest Comet is a throwback Emo band in the vein of Rainer Maria or Eldritch Anisette. Their talented vocalist, Andi Camp, also performed vocal and bass duties for a 90s Emo band Ribbon Fix, so definitely check them out if you like this.
By 2007, Revival and Proto-Revival bands were coming together and started making music. The Brightest Comet decided to do it their own way and Second Wave lovers have every reason to be thankful.
Aura… - Enquanto houver sentimentos (2007)
Maybe news didn't travel that fast to Brazil back in the day; Aura… didn't seem to know the Second Wave was long gone and the Fourth Wave was already looming. But damn, did they ever release a 90s-inspired gem with Enquanto Houver Sentimentos.
The analog recording gives this a true DIY feel while the compositions are familiar yet somewhat complex. They sound like they could have opened up for Mineral back in the day.
Jacket Weather - Jacket Weather (2/9/2008)
Initially recorded over a period between 2000 and 2003, Jacket Weather’s unreleased recorded s/t finally saw the light of day in 2008! Given the time period during recording, the songs on this record are entrenched in that late 90s Midwest Emo sound, including delightfully layered guitarwork, fantastic crescendos and crashes, cathartic lyrics and an average song length that would make Jets to Brazil blush.
The artists would also release a split with fellow Utah bands in 2008 and another archival album in 2016. This neat objet d'art of Emo should be listened to at least once.
Lindsay Minton - Past is Prelude (4/20/2008)
A year before starting influential Emo Revival band football, etc., Lindsay Minton came out with a solo album. I’d fully anticipated this being an unknown Proto-Revival jam but was pleasantly surprised with how traditional this album’s approach to Emo is. Lindsay drew strength from female-fronted Midwest Emo bands like Ribbon Fix, Eldritch Anisette and Friends Unseen while adding more modern sensibilities, particularly in production. Perhaps it could just as easily fit in the Proto-Revival department - after all, much of the categorization on this list is just me splitting hairs - but I believe this to be too close a tribute to the fantastic bands of the Second Wave.
Expect varied song structures, dynamic volume switches and bummer tempos, the latter of which is what truly distinguishes Past is Prelude from any other football, etc. content.
