For When You Can't Breathe - A Home That Doesn't Exist

B Tier

A Home That Doesn’t Exist is FWYCB’s debut album and like many in Emo before them, the album cover is of a house (at least this one is more of a landscape shot than just a photo of the house), and that sets the sonic expectations right away. Somewhat traditional Midwest Emo compositions are highlighted by the impassioned yet melodic vocals ala Arm's Length or Ben Quad. For When You Can't Breathe is definitely a contemporary of such notable acts and this debut shows they have the promise to achieve their name with these modern greats.

Touche Amore - Spiral In A Straight Line

B Tier

Iconic Post-Hardcore / Emo legends Touche Amore need no introduction. On their sixth studio album, the band refines the sense of melody they developed on the back end of their discography while adding in some of the missing Screamo flourishes from their previous album. Though perhaps their best material is behind them, Touche Amore nonetheless push themselves sonically to give hope and meaning to new miseries that appear with time and age. Don't mourn the youthful expressions of old, enjoy a more world-weary approach to find a place in this world.

Re-read - Повсякденність, драма, романтика

B Tier

Re-read’s debut LP is an ethereal blend of Midwest Emo and Dream Pop. This gem comes from Ukraine’s budding Emo scene. The lush soundscapes that compose the harmonies are punctuated by spirited mathy guitar riffs, though the dreamy dual vocals add more to harmony than melody. The songs are well composed and the individual performances are all technically excellent, but I don't quite sense their spirit in this music. Perhaps there is a language barrier, but one of the songs is written in a universal human tongue (cat noises. I don't want to explain…).