| Midwest emo | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Midwestern emo |
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | 1990s,Midwestern United States |
| Typical instruments |
|
| Derivative forms | Emo revival |
| Other topics | |
Midwest emo (orMidwestern emo[1]) is anemo scene and/or subgenre[2] that developed in the 1990sMidwestern United States. Employing unconventional vocal stylings, distinct guitar riffs andarpeggiated melodies,[3] Midwest emo bands shifted away from the genre'shardcore punk roots and drew onindie rock andmath rock approaches.[4] According to the author and criticAndy Greenwald, "this was the period when emo earned many, if not all, of the stereotypes that have lasted to this day: boy-driven, glasses-wearing, overly sensitive, overly brainy, chiming-guitar-driven college music."[5] Midwest emo is sometimes used interchangeably withsecond-wave emo.[6] Although implied by the name, Midwest emo does not solely refer to bands and artists from the Midwestern United States, and the style is played by outfits across the United States and internationally.[7]
According toThe Chicago Reader critic Leor Galil, the second-wave bands of the Midwest emo scene "transformed the angular fury of D.C. emo into something malleable, melodic, and cathartic—its common features included cycling guitar parts, chugging bass lines, and unconventional singing that sounded like a sweet neighbor kid with no vocal training but plenty of heart."[8]
Incorporating elements fromindie rock, the genre also features "gloomy chord progressions"[9] and arpeggiated guitar melodies,[3] which according toThe Post, results in "a much less intense version of emo." Midwest emo is also commonly associated with the use ofmath rock elements, which were utilized by 1990s bands such asSunny Day Real Estate andAmerican Football to "create the backbone" of the subgenre.[10]Texas Is the Reason guitarist Norman Brannon has stated that the 1993 albumsThe Problem with Me bySeam,In on the Kill Taker byFugazi, andOn the Mouth bySuperchunk were particularly influential on the development of Midwest emo and have been "name-checked by every second-wave emo band I knew".[11]Post-hardcore bandJawbox also impacted the sound of Midwest emo, being cited as an influence by such bands asBraid,Elliott, andthe Jazz June.[12][13][14]
The definable traits of the Midwest emo have proven to be easily fused with other genres of undergroundindependent music.Revival bands includingThe World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die mixed the Midwestern emo sound with genres such aspost-rock and orchestral music.[15] Other outfits, including Patterns Make Sunrise, The Pennikurvers, andEveryone Asked About You, introduced elements oftwee pop andindie pop into the sound of Midwest emo.[16] This proved influential to the aforementionedEmo revival scene, with groups likeDowsing andEmpire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) taking a similar approach.Midwest emo has also been described as a "whole band potluck"[17] with several bands bringing in experimental sounds to develop the genre. The result is "a musical casserole of introspective lyrics, DIY sprinkles, and heartfelt garnishes that cooked up the signature Midwest Emo scene, where everyone brought their own instruments to the party".[17] This style of shared sound and experimentation in the scene helped to develop the scene in the Midwest, where many alternative people[who?] feel there is a lack of culture.[18]
The Midwest emo scene came into prominence starting in the mid-1990s with bands such asAmerican Football,[8]Chamberlain,[19]the Promise Ring,[1]Cap'n Jazz,[20]Cursive,[21]Rainer Maria,[22]Mineral andthe Get Up Kids.[23]Braid has been regarded as an important act to propel the Midwest emo sound across the United States.[24][25] Some of the acts to practice the sound were originally not from the Midwestern United States, withSunny Day Real Estate being fromWashington and Mineral being fromTexas.[23]
Midwest emo saw a notable resurgence over the late 2000s and early 2010s with labels such asCount Your Lucky Stars Records,[26] as well as by bands such asCSTVT,[24]Oliver Houston,[20]Camping in Alaska,[27]Into It. Over It.,[28]Algernon Cadwallader,Snowing,[8] andJoie De Vivre.[29]
In the 2020s, Midwest emo became ameme onTikTok with videos parodying the genre's stylings. This includes the use of long naming schemes, relationships, and poor singing quality.[30]
Braid started writing songs that combined the sounds of DC with those of the Bay Area. 'We would soak up and study pretty much anything on Dischord,' [Bob Nanna] says. 'Anytime any of those bands like—Fugazi,Nation of Ulysses,Shudder to Think, orJawbox—came anywhere near Chicago, we were there.' In addition to the music, Nanna was obsessed with the energy that these bands expressed onstage. 'But Braid was also equal parts of music coming out of the Bay Area...'
When I listen to the old Jazz June songs now I can hear elements from bands likeJawbox,Archers of Loaf andSuperchunk that were direct influences on us.
