Emo History: The Birth Of Midwest Emo Took Over The Second Wave In The 1990's

After the first emo wave took Washington DC by storm in the 1980s, things were rapidly changing within the music scene. Some of the bands that were a part of the Revolution Summer Movement stopped playing shows or broke up as the years inched closer to 1990. But, before we can dive straight into learning about the second wave, we need to first nod to a few bands that had a huge impact on the 90s scene as a whole.

Two bands that broke up after the Revolution Summer Movement that were both pivotal in the first wave of emo were Rites of Spring and Embrace. After Embrace broke up in the spring of 1986, lead singer Ian Mackaye (co–owner of Dischord Records), went on to form a post–hardcore/punk band that you have definitely heard of (and if you haven’t, you are living under a rock): Fugazi. Even though Fugazi is not considered an emo band, the impact that they had on the second wave of emo cannot go ignored. Other than Ian Mackaye, Fugazi was composed of Guy Piccioto (lead singer of Rites of Spring), Brendan Canty (drummer of Rites of Spring), and bassist Joe Lally, all of which were prominently present within the first emo wave. Fugazi’s strong commitment to the DIY ethic and stance against commercialization had a lasting impact on the independent bands within the second wave of emo in the early 90s. Another band that is not emo (at least, in my opinion) that had an impact on not only the second wave of emo, but the music industry as a whole, was Nirvana. Nirvana quickly became a household name by 1990 and introduced a taste of the rock music scene to a larger audience. Additionally, Nirvana’s mainstream explosion led to the industry looking more into independent artists within the “rock” genre to highlight. Although there is not a way to measure the exact impact that Fugazi and Nirvana has had on the emo scene, the ripple effects of their efforts are consistently obvious.

Jawbreaker in the early ’90s in San Francisco.

With Fugazi and Nirvana, plus many more at the forefront of the rock scene in the early 1990s, there was a new sound that was being adopted within the mix from bands that would ultimately become some of the most important bands in emo history. The first wave of emo was rooted in hardcore and punk with raw, aggressive, and intense sounds. Although emo bands in the 1990s were utilizing elements of hardcore and punk in their music, the sound was transitioning into a slower melodic tempo with twinkly guitar riffs as opposed to the heavier and grittier guitar sounds that were prominent in the first wave. Other than the differences in sound being evident, there were also lyrical differences that started to take place. Bands were still focusing on having lyrics that were personal, but were utilizing a deeper sense of vulnerability and introspection as well as less on the political climate that was more primarily evident in the first wave. This change in sound and lyricism is known and referred to as Midwest Emo. In addition to the change in sound, there was also a consistent change in fashion. The fashion during the second emo wave was originally heavily influenced by the grunge scene with loose fitting clothing and flannels, and then it slowly transitioned into implementing thick–rimmed glasses, sweaters, and cardigans.

The first emo band from the second wave that I would like to take time to highlight is Jawbreaker. A band from NYC that started out in the DIY hardcore scene in 1986 that quickly evolved into utilizing more melodic sounds while simultaneously executing emotionally charged lyrics. Jawbreaker was the first emo band in the second wave that received heavy backlash from their fan base because they toured with major label act Nirvana in 1993. Their fans claimed Jawbreaker to be “sellouts” not only because of touring with Nirvana, but because of Jawbreaker signing with DCG Records (Nirvana’s label) the week after the band rejected rumors that they were doing so. Jawbreaker was the first emo band from the second wave to struggle balancing staying true to their DIY roots and achieving mainstream success. Nonetheless, Jawbreaker released their critically acclaimed third album 24 Hour Revenge Therapy in 1994. 24 Hour Revenge Therapy blended raw emotion and sophisticated songwriting, making it an instant classic in the second wave. Although the album’s success was cut short due to being outshined by Green Day’s Dookie and The Offspring’s Smash, 24 Hour Revenge Therapy certainly helped the emo genre start to gain traction in the mainstream. Jawbreaker’s success in the early 90s paved the way for emo bands to achieve mainstream success and continue to push boundaries sonically and lyrically in the second wave.

The band that is widely considered as the first band to ever utilize and implement the midwest emo sound is Cap’N Jazz. From Chicago, Cap’N Jazz formed in 1989 and released multiple singles for independent labels in the early 90s before releasing their only album, Burritos, Inspiration Point, Fork Balloon Sports, Cards in the Spokes, Automatic Biographies, Kites, Kung Fu, Trophies, Banana Peels We’ve Slipped On, and Egg Shells We’ve Tippy Toed Over (more commonly known as Shmap’n Shmazz) in 1995. Cap’N Jazz were known for utilizing arpeggio melodies (chord notes are played individually, one right after another, rather than simultaneously) throughout their music, creating a more textured guitar sound. Their approach to songwriting deeply impacted the way that emo bands wrote and performed music.

The midwest emo sound was not reserved just for bands that were in the midwest. Another band that captivated the midwest sound so well is Sunny Day Real Estate. Formed in Seattle, Washington in 1992, Sunny Day Real Estate were known for blending elements of indie rock, post–hardcore, grunge, and midwest emo. Sunny Day Real Estate showcased their ability to blend these elements in their debut album, Diary, which was released in 1994. Diary is one of my personal favorite albums from the second wave because Sunny Day Real Estate utilized a lot of elements of indie rock throughout the record — something that was not seen commonly in the scene at the time.

Another band that utilized components of the midwest emo sound that ended up being more pivotal towards the end of the second wave is Jimmy Eat World. Formed in 1993 in Mesa, Arizona, Jimmy Eat World is a band that has quite the unique history when it comes to album releases and record labels. The band released their self–titled album in 1994 with minimal success before landing a major record label deal with Capitol Records in 1995. At this time during the scene, a lot of bands were starting to get signed to major labels due to the mainstream success of bands like Fugazi, Nirvana, Green Day, and even Weezer. Jimmy Eat World released their sophomore album, Static Prevails, in 1996 through Capitol Records, and it was deemed unsuccessful from Capitol’s standards. Despite Capitol Records not being happy with how Static Prevails sounded or its reception, Jimmy Eat World continued to tour and focus on writing their next album. Jimmy Eat World released their third album, Clarity, in 1999 through Capitol Records. Even though Clarity only sold 10,000 albums within a year of its release, it is now looked at as a highly regarded album. From its incorporation of midwest emo elements, emotional introspective lyrics, and diverse instrumentation — bells, chimes, and organs — it pushed the sonic boundaries of the emo scene at the time.

Other bands that also utilized the midwest emo sound and continued to further develop it in the second wave are Mineral (formed in 1994, from Houston), The Promise Ring (formed in 1995, from Milwaukee), Christie Front Drive (formed in 1993, from Denver), Braid (formed in 1993, from Champaign, IL), and The Get Up Kids (formed in 1995, from Kansas City).

The 90s were full of change within the emo landscape, yet so much remained the same. Although there were a lot of changes on the musical level, the emotionally charged lyrics that channeled raw levels of vulnerability remained the same. After listening to the music from the second wave in the 1990s for the past several years, here is my list of what I think are the top 10 most important albums from that decade:

In the next edition of emo history, I’ll take you all through the beginning of the third wave: 2000 – 2004. The beginning of the mainstream explosion of the emo genre that changed absolutely everything.

Emo History: The Birth Of Midwest Emo Took Over The Second Wave In The 1990’s