Review Summary: Scar me with your insecurities. The ones I will not pass on to future generations. Teaching me lies, never wanted them. I never wanted to be your son. And just because you gave me life, doesn't mean you have to be part of it.
Not all musical gems are immediately noticed. Nick Drake wrote some of the most critically acclaimed folk music in the late 60’s and early 70’s and it hardly got any attention until after he had passed away. Why is it that it took so long for his music to explode? Was it society’s fault for not recognizing him as soon as they could have? Maybe people were too caught up in post Beatles projects at the time. Whatever the reason, the important thing is that Nick Drake has made a lasting impression even if it was delayed. There is no telling how many incredible bands and musicians that are still under the radar to the present day.
As far as early emo goes, mostly all of the essentials have been made apparent in the last couple of decades with the exception of the San Jose, California band September. September released their only album ‘Erasmia Pulcella’ in 1996. According to the band the vocals on it were recorded in their backyard and if you listen closely you can hear dogs barking and children screaming. Three of the four songs on the album are over seven minutes long. Each of these emo epics has the soft to loud dynamic down like clockwork. The first band that comes to mind when listening to September is the legendary Indian Summer. The loud and heavy parts are undeniably reminiscent of them as well as the often spoken word bits. While it is easy to conclude that Indian Summer are the main influence of September there are also shades of future emo bands that can be heard within the songs too such as The Van Pelt and Boys Life. When it comes down to it all September is not just another band following in the steps of Indian Summer. They are their own take on emo.
'Erasmia Pulcella' is an album you would listen to while walking through a rural neighborhood on a fall evening. It is an album that reminds you of how bitter yet at the same time beautiful the world can be. Simply put, if you are a fan of classic emo you need to hear this.
