With just a single full-length, an EP, and a couple of singles in their catalog, Texas Is the Reason were living proof that longevity isn't required for a band to make an enduring impression. Letting go of the tough-guy posturing of their previous hardcore bands and turning toward decidedly more melodic and emotional waters, the band formed in 1994 and lasted just three short years, leaving behind precious little to remember them by, perhaps making each selection seem all the more special because of it. Not that...[read more]

A punk band bringing back the Spirit of '77 in the early years of the 21st Century seems like one of the unlikeliest acts to incite a major label bidding war, but after the success of their relentless debut full-length Flash Flash Flash, that's exactly what happened with The Explosion. Eventually landing at Virgin Records, the Boston quintet didn't water down their sound much with their jump to the majors, keeping their old-school punk revivalism largely intact and releasing Black Tape, another fiery and...[read more]

Situated just North of the Rio Grande, dusty El Paso, Texas, seems like the kind of place likely to give rise to Western and Latin-influenced sounds, but in the early 1990's a different kind of storm was brewing. With their first live performance in October 1994, the post-hardcore juggernaut known as At the Drive-In was unleashed on the world, and on the strength of two early EPs and enthusiastic word-of-mouth, the quintet drew the attention of Flipside Records, who released their 1996 debut full-length Acrobatic...[read more]

Even if you prefer Matthew Good’s recent solo efforts, I think it’s hard to deny that some very excellent records came out of his time in the Matthew Good Band. The Canadian alternative rock act formed in the early 90’s and released a record called Last of the Ghetto Astronauts before hitting it big with Underdogs in 1997. That album’s opener “Deep Six” has a catchy chorus that still pulls me in even to this day and “Apparitions” is one hauntingly beautiful track. My personal favourite though is...[read more]

Imagine if the Ramones had at least one female vocalist backing them up while Ben Weasel wrote their songs. Now you know what Teen Idols sound like, a rotating four-piece based out of Nashville (now Chicago) that always played second fiddle to their skate-punk peers. Perhaps it was due to their powerpop-infused harmonies or lack of political awareness, yet no matter how you spell it, their four full-length albums were something to celebrate. While the band plans to return later this year with new material, it's been...[read more]

Coming out of Berkeley, California in the late '80's, Samiam helped spark a craze that fused alternative college rock with punk ethics, fastening their legitimacy onto the '90's indie music scene with several well-received records (Clumsy, You Are Freaking Me Out). While they never reached the mainstream level of success they hoped to achieve after releasing two major-label efforts, the band had a devoted following until quietly ending things in 2000. The group did reform in 2006, however, for one more album...[read more]

We've already featured Braid in the Weekly Nostalgia spotlight, and it's about time we showcase Bob Nanna's post-Braid band. Hey Mercedes would blend Braid's emo-rock passion with a touch of powerpop melody and accessibility. Their short run, spanning roughly five years, spawned three EP's and two well-loved full-lengths. 2001's Everynight Fire Works found the band navigating the delicate balance of earnestness and catharsis, while 2003's Loses Control went in a slightly more immediate direction, with what...[read more]

It's been quite a decade for us. We've seen music pass through digital, manipulative frequencies and watched others strip their sounds bare. In a decade where there was not only an industry shift, but a creative shift in rediscovery, I'm going to throwback to a band that still stirs controversy of positive praise and negative guff to this day - Neutral Milk Hotel. As a Louisiana native, it's crazy to think that such a project started in the BF-town of Ruston, home to Louisiana Tech. Like many great projects, this one started in the bedrooms, combining four track recordings matched to...[read more]

Beulah were just a pop band. They made simple little songs about simpler things and it all went down smooth at a local sandwich shop or by a nondescript river. And if that's the outer surface for your band, congratulations. Most bands would kill to be perceived as likable and benign and so forth. Did I say kill for? I meant commit suicide because of. And that's doubly (maybe even triply) true for Beulah. The changes from album to album, like When Your Heartstrings Break's spring lightness to...[read more]

They started out as an indie rock band in the 90’s, but that’s not what Treble Charger is widely known for. They made their mark on the mainstream a little later by playing super catchy tunes with a pop-punk edge to them. If you were living in Canada near the start of this decade, it’s very unlikely you don’t know who they are. Their singles were all over the radio, their music videos were on constant rotation at MuchMusic and they were even nominated at the Junos. For me, this band was certainly one of my...[read more]

I've had quite an obsession this past year with discovering early post-hardcore bands. I'm not speaking of the obvious influences of Jawbox, Sunny Day Real Estate and Jawbreaker - ones I am already familiar with - no, I'm speaking more along the lines of a band like Still Life. Formed in Los Angeles, California at the tip end of the 80's, the band started to take shape around 1991 and released a series of 7" records. In 1996, the band...[read more]

We all have those days. When the world is simply wearing us thin and we just want to go buck wild on it. While the law and common decency won't allow for such action, The Blood Brothers have managed to create a sound to release said frustration through. Formed in 1997 in Seattle, Washington, duel vocalist Jordan Billie and Johnny Whitney were low end-high end audible sirens backed by the the ferocious guitar work of Cody Votolato and the rhythmic groove of Morgan Henderson and Mark Gajadhar. After...[read more]

What's the point of slick production if there is no heart? Mineral's only two releases don't sound like they were made to the best audio quality, but the passion of both their records boils over the surface of vocalist/guitarist Chris Simpson's audible desperation. Drummer Gabriel Wiley, guitarist Scott McCarver and bassist Jeremy Gomez complete the early influence that was the Texas four piece of an early heart on the sleeve of many. 1997's debut, The Power of Failing, is an early indie/emo staple with the likes of Diary and Dear You. The entire album, lyrically...[read more]

Teetering the lines of what was punk and what was post, The Jesus Lizard came on the scene in 1989, releasing Pure, their debut EP through Touch and Go Records. In 1991, the band released Goat, which is claimed by many critics to be their seminal release. Daunting guitar riffs mixed with a bold rhythm section, the vocals of David Yow overlapped the music with a frightful sermon that gave the band a cold, yet driving sound. Their next two albums, 1992's Liar and 1994's Down would be their...[read more]

It's cold, windy, pouring rain and once this storm front passes through, it will drop to winter coats and chilly nights. I've decided to leave my bed only to take out my copy of American Football's self-titled and let its tracks flood my small apartment while I work a bit. In Urbana, Illinois, guitarist/bassist/vocalist Mike Kinsella, guitarist Steve Holmes and drummer Steve Lamos painted a picture that was worthy of gracing the roof of a chapel, landscaped in horns, easy drumming and guitar lines that carried the...[read more]

I remember getting a demo tape from a friend in high school. I used to cover "Lost It" and "He Said" in a ska cover band I was in my senior year of high school. I can't pop in Heads Are Gonna Roll without thinking of a time when life was innocent and fun, before it was violently shoved into the responsibilities of college and beyond. The Hippos not only hold a place in my music catalog, they are forever cemented in a great time in my life. Hailing from Los Angeles, the six piece (with only a minor line-up change for...[read more]

Supposedly Norma Jean ripped them off. Fans can't stop yelling their name out at Minus the Bear, Narrows, and (case in point, last night) These Arms Are Snakes shows. Everyone and your mom wants to see at least one more show from them. Botch are held on the high end by metal heads, post-hardcore nuts and mathematicians/digital fiends. Born in the depths of Tacoma, Washington (not Seattle) bassist Brian Cook, drummer Tim Latona, vocalist Dave Verellen, and guitarist Dave Knudson brought a ferocious sound that was both pummeling...[read more]

There's something haunting about Engine Down's music that crawls under the skin, and only heightens the senses enough to be carried along and never blown away from each intricate detail. In 1996, four men emerged from Richmond, Virginia with a vibrant sound: vocalist/guitarist Keeley Davis, drummer Cornbread Compton, bassist Jason Wood and guitarist Jonathan Fuller. After their first two albums, Engine Down crafted Demure, a 45-minute sonic ride of rhythmic bites backed by superb guitar aftertaste. The band...[read more]

Before the “emo” tag became a part of popular culture, The Get Up Kids were making the Midwest proud with their unique rock ‘n’ roll sound. Whether they got crowds jumping along to the fast-paced confessional “Coming Clean” or kept them entranced with the piano driven “I’ll Catch You”, The Get Up Kids proved themselves as a band comfortable in creating pop hits, unabashed ballads, or anything inbetween. Though there is not enough space here to laud every individual effort that made the band special, a big part of their success...[read more]

Jawbox formed in 1989 and released most of their recorded output on the venerable Dischord label until disbanding in 1997. However, the band did release two records on major label Atlantic Records, being one of only two bands to ever leave Dischord for a major label. While this angered some fans at the time, the band never altered their sound and received considerable accolades from critics. While all their records were great, For Your Own Special Sweetheart is the record that transformed me into a Jawbox fanatic....[read more]

Despite only surviving a criminally-short four years, Bear vs. Shark left an indelible mark on the scene. The band's music was filled with tension-building verses that exploded into visceral choruses, and their rare knack for making chaos so instantly memorable was remarkable, rivaling punk pioneers like Mission of Burma and Fugazi, the latter of which was an obvious influence. Led by the gravelly-voiced Marc Paffi, Bear vs. Shark formed in 2001 (perhaps fittingly the year kindred spirits At the Drive-In called it quits)...[read more]

The Promise Ring were one of the bands most instrumental to emo's rise to prominence. The band burst onto the scene in 1996 with their powerful debut 30 Degrees Everywhere and cemented their legacy with the genre-defining Nothing Feels Good. They would go on to explore poppier territory on Very Emergency, and by their 2002 swan-song Wood/Water, there was little trace of the angst and knotty angularity that characterized their earlier recordings. One constant throughout their too-short...[read more]

As one of Drive-Thru Records' initial signees, Allister had the distinction of being one of the first in a long line of bands that assisted in introducing the new era of the indie-label craze that SoCal pop-punk helped create (we all remember Epitaph's early success). Their debut, Dead Ends and Girlfriends, is a classically-themed pop-punk album that paid homage to both pioneers like Descendants and modern-day prophets like blink-182. Before their 2007 demise, Allister continued to grow as snot-nosed pop-punkers who loved to...[read more]

Writing about Champaign-Urbana based group Braid is a difficult thing to do since the band single handedly changed the way I looked at music and the sort of music I was interested in. I wrote about the significance of their music in an earlier article for Absolutepunk, which you can read here. Braid was around from roughly 1993-1999 and then reunited for a reunion tour in 2004. The band was notorious for touring heavily and their live shows were always...[read more]

In a day when crunkcore and neon seems to be far too commonplace, pausing to remember Seattle, WA's Vendetta Red seems utterly necessary. Emerging onto the mainstream music scene with their impressive, rage-filled major-label breakthrough Between the Never and Now, Vendetta Red managed to mix melody and radio-friendly choruses with daunting sonic heights. Lead singer Zach Davidson's captivating vocals and clever wordplay were the perfect complement to snarly guitars and bombastic drums. Though it's been six...[read more]

Elliott was a band from the mid 90’s until roughly 2003. The band released three albums over the duration of their career starting with the raw and aggressive U.S. Songs, which caused them to be lumped into the mid-90’s emo movement and compared to the other bands of the genre. The band’s second album, False Cathedrals, was a transformation of the band’s sound as they dropped the more straightforward approach of U.S. Songs and began crafting more lushly arranged songs that left listeners in awe of...[read more]

Hailing from the almighty Atlanta, the Marvelous 3 (fronted by mega-producer Butch Walker) stormed out the gates and brought massive arena-sized hooks to the masses. Scoring a popular hit in 1999 with "Freak of the Week," from their major-label debut, Hey! Album, the band became a leader in the powerpop-punk craze in the late '90's. If you were a fan when they were big, come and share your memories in the replies. If you have yet to hear some of the catchiest melodies likely to ever cross your eardrums, come take a listen.

If only life could be more like the summer of 2001. Remember that? We weren't at war, the first Shrek movie was released and Lawrence, KS The Anniversary had just released their shimmering sophomore album Your Majesty. Whether it was the Midwestern work ethic or simply an innate ability to write solid songs, The Anniversary possessed a Byrdsian quality that blended well with the DIY emo ethic. Led by the one-two punch Josh Berwanger and Justin Roelefs, the Jayhawk quintet were everything that was great about...[read more]

How many of you miss Anadivine? The former Militia Groupers were one of the best bands at blending pop sensibilities with progressive and technical musicianship. Zoo has aged gracefully over the years, and still remains as a near-perfect bridge between accessible and intricate. If you've never heard of these guys before...now is the time. If you were a fan back when they were making music -- we'd love to hear from you as you break out the tunes and discuss the band in the replies.