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Although many modern hardcore fans scoff at emo bands, it is imperative to acknowledge that the roots of modern hardcore can be found among emo originators.
Contemporary emo has taken on a connotation that completely juxtaposes the image created by early emo bands. Most people think of emo musicians as tightly clothed, pierced-lip pretty boys with swoopy, eye covering bangs and high-pitched, whiney voices. This image is mostly thanks to bands like Taking Back Sunday who helped bring fashion-emo to the forefront.
However, bands that preceded TBS and their counterparts were more focused on emotionally-driven lyricism and conveying their feelings with conviction and energy during live performances. Fashion was of no consequence.
Hardcore and emo are inextricably linked, and any hardcore expert would tell you so.
Starting at the dawn of emo was a band called Sunny Day Real Estate, to whom the music world owes a great deal of gratitude. During a time when grunge bands like Nirvana battled it out with pop-punk bands like Green Day, SDRE fell comfortably into neither category. Jeremy Enigk’s voice was soothing and better suited for music of a more ethereal and dynamic nature than the bombastic, driving tunes written by grunge or pop-punk bands. And Enigk’s lyrics were not destined to arouse some sort of angst-driven outrage or to inspire violent dancing at concerts. They were meant to elicit feelings of a deeper sort by appealing to a person’s emotional sensibilities.
SDRE’s emo compatriots Weezer released their debut album known as “The Blue Album” during the same year SDRE released their debut album “Diary.” Weezer broke into the mainstream scene much more easily due to Rivers Cuomo’s relatively accessible lyrics. For example, “Undone (The Sweater Song)” may convey some sort of deeper message, but most listeners merely acknowledge the song’s catchiness and comedic subject matter. As a side note, it may interest the reader to know that Nate Mendel and William Goldsmith left SDRE to become founding members of the Foo Fighters.
Moving along the emo timeline, another band that is important to acknowledge is The Get Up Kids. The Get Up Kids continue touring today, but not in the same circuits as modern emo bands. In fact, TGUK guitarist Jim Suptic is quoted, saying, “The punk scene we came out of and the punk scene now are completely different. It’s like glam rock now … If this is the world we helped create, then I apologize,” in an article on “Drowned in Sound.”
Characterized by only lightly distorted guitars and primarily vocal-centric music, they carved out a niche for themselves as forerunners within what is often referred to as “First-Wave Emo.” In order to get a good idea of what TGUK are all about, I highly suggest listening to the song “I’m a Londer Dottie, a Rebel.”
Although I do not have ample space to do either band their due justice, among the other important emo bands to mention are Saves the Day and Death Cab for Cutie. Saves the Day should be credited with taking the vocal-centric style of The Get up Kids and marrying it with more intelligent and narrative lyricism. Additionally, lead singer Chris Conley contributed slightly more angsty vocals to Saves the Day’s efforts compared to other emo bands of the same generation, which really prompted the listener to pay close attention to the song’s message.
As for Death Cab for Cutie, I recommend listening to the song “Title Track” from their album titled, “We Have the Facts and We are Voting Yes.” Although this album may be considered part of a different wave of emo than the aforementioned bands, the song “Title Track” exemplifies all that is good about classic emo.
Bangor Daily News