Kerosene Heights - Leaving
🥇#1 | S Tier
Following up on their first full-length release in 2023, Kerosene Heights plowed forward with as much momentum as any band in 2024, releasing this EP and a split with Swiss Army Wife. Leaving is a masterclass high-energy Emo, incorporating the drive of Pop-Punk with the maturity and catharsis of Midwest Emo. At only four songs, each track stands out and is brilliantly written, saying as much as they did in 2023 with about ⅓ the time. Kerosene Heights is well on their way to being one of the most consistently incredible Emo bands of this era.
red sun - best buds :)
A- Tier
Sideband to Me Too, Thanks.’ Zeke McPhail, red sun plays the ever-popular combination of Midwest Emo with Emo-Pop sensibilities, literally referencing Mom Jeans with their album name. Despite trending toward the more juvenile side of 5th Wave Emo, the compositions are fun and the guitarwork is refreshing. The vocal melodies worm their way into your brain, brimming with earnestness despite not singing about anything novel. Fans of modern Emo bands like S@YP and Swiss Army Wife will have plenty to enjoy on this EP.
Sweet Pill - Starchild
B+ Tier
A wonderful collection of mathy Midwest Emo songs with incredibly catchy vocals, Sweet Pill give us more goodness with this EP. If you’ve heard their debut LP, this is more of the same, which is never a bad thing with this band. In particular, the guitar is played with the perfect Midwest Emo tone. The vocal performance by Zayna Youssef is transcendent, particularly on the title track.
Comic Sans - Ojalá fuera mi cumpleaños
B+ Tier
One of Spain’s best kept secrets of the 20s, Comic Sans releases a mathy, melodic and fun record that harkens back to the days of Twinkledaddies royalty like Glocca Morra. Truly excellent guitarwork punctuates action-packed tracks that fizzle into lower intensities, the hallmark of many Emo greats of yore. With the band refining their production and tightening up their songwriting on this EP, they are poised to explode onto the international scene any day now.
bonus - was a dog
B Tier
Brand new Emo Revival Revival band bonus enter the scene with a delightfully twinkly and raw throwback to the early 10s with a cavalcade of epic riffs, DIY recording and production, flawed yet emotional vocals and some truly kickass tracks. At less than 13 minutes, this band shows us a small preview of the epicness they can craft.