EMO: THE EARLY YEARS
Late 80s to Mid 90s
If you didn't read FOURFA and don't plan to, then emo was basically created because the tough guy machoness of the original NY hardcore scenes was a bit unappealing to some people. The only solution was for these people to invent a brand of music that future emoists could act all elitist about online (emos have psychic future-predicting powers and saw the internet coming even back in '85, dude). Long ill-informed story short, emo took the original "angry" hardcore punk rock but took it in the direction of melody and emotion. The period when this whole thing really started to kick off is usually refered to as "revolution summer".
If a band is called just "emo" then they are most likely from the MOSS ICON or INDIAN SUMMER school of thought, the quiet to loud dynamic and indie-ish melodies are much more obvious than in RITES OF SPRING - who are usually heralded with starting the whole emo thing. THE HATED is a good example of the more pop/indie version of emo with the off-key clean vocal style which many bands would combine with screamy crescendos. The JULIA mp3 is a song which I think sums up these styles the most, very punkish but also something tru-as-fukk hardcore kids would scoff at and say "this isn't hardcore you pussy!" due to the lovely melodies and emotional leanings.
Although bands of this style dissappeared some time in the mid-90s, there has been a mini-revival of sorts in the last couple of years with many bands trying to recapture the intensity and passion of these early emo bands. The Pine, Sinaloa, Wow, Owls!, Life At These Speeds and Catena Collapse are just some of the bands out there giving those of us who missed it the first time a chance to enjoy that **** live.
Rites of Spring - For Want Of (4.16 MB)
Moss Icon - Guatemala (7.76 MB)
Indian Summer - Orchard (5.43 MB)
Julia - Untitled (7.49 MB)
(The Hated - Everysong)
