I felt it would be good to do some actual hobby stuff on this blog again, instead of just whining about my feelings. I enjoy complaining about music and I happened to have this article open on a tab since I was reading about Shmap'n Shmazz so why not go through all 40 albums and see what happens. Of course, the fact that it's a list of emo albums means that I'm not really avoiding the whining about my feelings part, but on the other hand. Also I swear I listen to things other than emo. In fact most of what I listen to is probably closer to alternative/indie rock (especially of the garage variety). Or like quiet indie pop singer-song writers. I'm not that much of a stereotype! (Well I am, but in a hipster way)
The first album on the list is In Love and Death by the Used. I've never gone out of my way to listen to the Used. In fact, despite being well aware of them since high school (mostly because I knew what bands had mormon ties), I don't think I've ever listened to a song by them before this. If this is their best album, I guess I wasn't missing much.
I mean the album is fine. I can see why people who like 3rd wave emo like it (I'm not a huge fan of the genre outside of Jimmy Eat World...middle school biases will always remain I guess 😛... and for that matter I think most people consider JEW 2nd wave even though they have that pop sound associated with the 3rd wave. Then again waves are about time periods more than sound. It's not like 2nd wave= midwest and 3rd wave = emo pop even if those were the dominant genres during the waves. But I digress). I can also see why people might like the lyrics but none of the songs really pulled me hard enough to actually bother looking at them or thinking about them. My guess is that they are probably cringe for emo, which is already the cringest of all genres (Šyþed Pyklez is an emo band, actually). None of the music/guitar work really got to me either. It just was there.
Favorite songs? Uhhh I think I liked "Let it Bleed", "Light with a Sharpened Edge" and "Lunacy Fringe". No idea what any of them are about but I'm pretty sure those were the ones I liked the most. Not gonna bother going back and checking, let alone relistening to them.
So yeah, that's In Love and Death. I'm sure it's very deep and I guess putting something from them on the list works from a representation standpoint. But this got in over 10 Songs? Or something by Marietta? Or please be nice (okay this one might've been too obscure)? I'll also note here that the article says it was published in 2019 but the text seems to indicate it was actually made in 2016 and there's only one album post 2008. So they're missing a lot of good stuff even ignoring that they couldn't rank albums from the future (Somewhere City is a perfect album, dammit, even if some of Origami Angel's later work has higher highs).
The next album is A Fever You Can't Sweat Out by Panic! at the Disco. I actually have listened to this album before, in fact it might be the only P!atD album I've listened to. I seem to recall it being a bit too poppy/theatrical for my liking (though still good) but we'll see how I feel this time through.
Pretty strong opening to be honest. "The Only Difference Between Martyrdom And Suicide Is Press Coverage" is a fun, punchy song, has good bass and fun electronic stuff (also this band is one that loved absurd titles. I forgot for a second). Next few songs are fine but not as fun as that first (technically second) one. "Time to Dance" doesn't even feel as danceable as you'd think given the title. Where's the bass? "Intermission" is good. It's not emo (from a genre standpoint, honestly this whole album is pretty borderline but that's Rolling Stone for you), but it's good.
Less of a fan of the second half of the album, probably to the surprise of no one. There's some pretty fun stuff on it but I have a complicated relationship with theater kids. The bass intro on "I Constantly Thank God For Esteban" (and the spanishish guitar) is pretty sweet.
I think this is another band that people really like the lyrics of but I don't care enough to look at them. Also I'm pretty sure they're they're probably a lot cleverer and less "emo" than most "emo" bands. Take that as you will.
Based
on the above my favorite songs are "The Only Difference...",
"Intermission" and "Esteban" which I think is a pretty unpopular opinion
overall. Which checks out honestly.
To be quite frank I know P!atD is strongly associated with emo in pop culture but this album is probably one of the biggest offenders on the list (and the entry actually recognizes this). Good album (I certainly like it more than In Love and Death) but barely emo adjacent at best. It's not even that pop punky so it's not covering that side of the genre either.
It's pretty funny that both of these albums have Mormon ties (and I think are the only albums on the list that do). Apostates, but ties all the same. Doctrines of Salvation will put Šyþed Pyklez into this esteemed (?) group, though not apostate. And also not having any emo songs since the album is basically electronica (and emotions).
