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Midwest emo (or Midwestern emo) refers to the emo scene and/or subgenre that developed in the 1990s Midwestern United States. Employing unconventional vocal stylings, distinct guitar riffs and arpeggiated melodies, Midwest emo bands shifted away from the genre's hardcore punk roots and drew on indie rock and math rock approaches. According to the author and critic Andy 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." Midwest emo is sometimes used interchangeably with second-wave emo. 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.

Characteristics

According to The 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."

Incorporating elements from indie rock, the genre also features "gloomy chord progressions" and arpeggiated guitar melodies. Midwest emo is also commonly associated with the use of math rock elements. Texas Is the Reason guitarist Norman Brannon has stated that the 1993 albums The Problem with Me by Seam, In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi, and On the Mouth by Superchunk were particularly influential on the development of Midwest emo and have been "name-checked by every second-wave emo band I knew". Post-hardcore band Jawbox also impacted the sound of Midwest emo, being cited as an influence by such bands as Braid, Elliott, and the Jazz June.

The definable traits of the Midwest emo have proven to be easily fused with other genres of underground independent music. Revival bands including The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die mixed the Midwestern emo sound with genres such as post-rock and orchestral music. Other outfits, including Patterns Make Sunrise, The Pennikurvers, and Everyone Asked About You, introduced elements of twee pop and indie pop into the sound of Midwest emo. This proved influential to the aforementioned Emo revival scene, with groups like Dowsing and Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) taking a similar approach.

History

The Midwest emo scene came into prominence starting in the mid-1990s with bands such as American Football, Chamberlain, The Promise Ring, Cap'n Jazz, Cursive, Rainer Maria, Mineral and The Get Up Kids. Braid has been regarded as an important act to propel the Midwest emo sound across the United States. Some of the acts to practice the sound were originally not from the Midwestern United States, with Sunny Day Real Estate being from Washington and Mineral being from Texas.

Midwest emo saw a notable resurgence over the late 2000s and early 2010s with labels such as Count Your Lucky Stars Records, as well as by bands such as CSTVT, Oliver Houston, Camping in Alaska, Into It. Over It., Algernon Cadwallader, Snowing, and Joie De Vivre.

In the 2020s, Midwest emo became a meme on TikTok with videos parodying the genre's stylings. This includes the use of long naming schemes, relationships, and poor singing quality.

See also

• List of Midwest emo bands
• Math rock
• Midwestern United States
• Post-rock

References

1. ^ Trefor, Cai. "13 Beautiful Photos of American Football At Shepherd's Bush Empire, 11/02/2017". Gigwise. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
2. "In its fourth wave, emo is revived and thriving". 15 August 2018.
3. ^ Lowe, Robert (February 14, 2013). "Funeral Advantage – Demo (staff review)". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
4. ^ "The History of Math Rock: Part One". 16 August 2015.
5. Greenwald, pp. 34–35.
6. "Is Emo Revival Really a Thing?".
7. ""We Pretty Much Whine About the Same Things": Emo in Asia". Bandcamp Daily. 2016-10-20. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
8. ^ Galil, Leor (August 5, 2013). "Midwestern emo catches its second wind". The Chicago Reader. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
9. Perry, Cameron (February 8, 2017). "Melbourne Artist Fractures Channels Midwest Emo On "Time Frame"". The Fader. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
10. Brannon, Norman (May 6, 2015). "Norman Brannon (Texas Is the Reason) Talks Mac McCaughan's Non-Believers". Talkhouse. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
11. "BRAID". Reggies Chicago. July 25, 2013. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023. Retrieved April 2, 2024. 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,' says. 'Anytime any of those bands like—Fugazi, Nation of Ulysses, Shudder to Think, or Jawbox—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...'
12. "Elliott 14/12/05 - Mail". metalorgie.com. December 2005. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024. [I think it is obvious and easily perceptible that our influences have evolved over the years and changes in line up. We moved from music incorporating post hardcore elements on US Songs (inspired by Quicksand, Jawbox, Sunny Day , etc.)...]
13. Anderl, Timothy (September 16, 2013). "When The Drums Kick In…Again; an interview with Andrew and Bryan of The Jazz June". Ghettoblaster Magazine. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2024. When I listen to the old Jazz June songs now I can hear elements from bands like Jawbox, Archers of Loaf and Superchunk that were direct influences on us.
14. Cohen, Ian (April 29, 2014). "Don't Call It an Emo Revival". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
15. "Review: Everyone Asked About You – Everyone Asked About You | Sputnikmusic". www.sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
16. Cohen, Jonathan. "Chamberlain – Fate's Got a Driver". AllMusic. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
17. ^ Gaca, Anna (January 23, 2017). "New Music: Oliver Houston Embrace Classic Midwestern Emo on Whatever Works". Spin. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
18. Bruno, Franklin (August 2000). "Cursive – Domestica". CMJ (84): 56.
19. Gwee, Karen (May 3, 2018). "An interview with Rainer Maria about their latest album S/T, Midwest emo and more". Bandwagon. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
20. ^ Raymer, Miles (August 9, 2013). "On Mineral and midwestern emo's second wave". The Chicago Reader. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
21. ^ Osmon, Erin (October 24, 2013). "Chicago Has a New Emo Rock Scene (Again)". Chicago. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
22. Green, Stuart (March 1, 2000). "Braid – Movie Music Vol. 2". Exclaim!. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
23. Gotrich, Lars (July 22, 2014). "Song Premiere: Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate), 'A Keepsake'". NPR. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
24. "Midwest Emo pioneers CAMPING IN ALASKA share top 10 influentian albums, new acoustic EP streaming". IDIOTEQ.com. 31 October 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
25. "I Went to High School with the Leader of the So-Called Emo Revival". Noisey Vice. April 4, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
26. "12 Bands To Know From The Emo Revival". Stereogum. 2013-10-01. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
27. Galil, Leor (2024-03-20). "Midwest emo becomes a meme". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2024-03-21.

Further reading

• Greenwald, Andy (2003). Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo. New York: St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 0-312-30863-9.

• Emo
• 1990s in music
• Alternative rock genres
• Culture of the Midwestern United States
• Indie rock
• 2010s in music
• 20th-century music genres
• 21st-century music genres