Stay Inside - Ferried Away
#9 | A Tier
Stay Inside eschews the darker Post-Hardcore tones of their previous work in favor of brighter Pop-Punk ones on Ferried Away to magnificent results. This is the perfect Summer Emo album to vibe to on the beach while wallowing over a breakup. The horns add depth to the melodies but also contribute to the isolated vibes. For fans of their older work, there are still some moody and atmospheric tracks, placed perfectly within the album’s immaculate flow. You need to stop reading and start listening! Now!
Riley! - Keep Your Cool
A Tier
Heavily inspired by modern greats like Free Throw and Prince Daddy, Riley! bursts forth with their third album, which is probably their best. The band channels their frustrations into a manifesto of banger riffs, catchy screams and a who's who of Emo features. Betwixt song after song of cathartic and energetic track lies the odd respite, greeting the listener with a sad embrace. In short, this album is Riley!’s statement to the world that they belong in the conversation with other modern greats.
chase usa (fka Chase Plato) - Honey Baby: I Love It When You Call Me That !
B- Tier
An ambitious experiment, this debut LP from Chase Plato combines raw and gritty Midwest Emo with the spiritedness of Pop-Punk and blends it together with unorthodox Hip Hop elements. The vocals are usually rapped or sung through a filter of some sort, but I have to emphasize that this isn’t Emo-Rap proper, which has its own genre conventions more closely related to Hip Hop. This seems to be grounded in Punk, even with the fun production flourishes. The only negative is that this release is a bit disjointed, a consequence of their visionary trajectory.
Hot Mulligan - Warmer Weather
B- Tier
Hot Mulligan simply cannot stop releasing memorable, catchy and impactful songs, which is what Warmer Weather is comprised of. Tades signature vocals and hard-hitting lyricism are front and center like always with a potent combo of Emo-Pop and Pop-Punk (with Midwest riffs) driving the eight-minute EP forward. These three tracks were released steadily throughout the year, giving fans personal time with each one. Had this release been slightly longer with similar quality, I would be rating this higher.
