A Million Miles Away
The Emo Diaries, Chapter Two
Deep Elm
This is the second in a series documenting Deep Elm’s take on the emo scene. I listened with more than a little trepidation, as I’m typically not the biggest fan of Deep Elm stuff in general. There were good points to the previous chapter as well as points I had no interest in, and the same is true this time around. I applaud their readiness to include lesser-known bands alongside more familiar names, but I also curse their inclusion of bands well over the alternative rock/pop line. The range of styles considered emo aren’t really explored either, but I guess this is the stuff Deep Elm is partial to – emo with melodic accessibility and a slight pop edge. I expected good songs from The Blacktop Cadence, The Jazz June, and Seven Storey Mountain, and wasn’t the least bit disappointed, but I was also very pleasantly surprised by songs from Pop Unknown, Appleseed Cast, Shooters & Senders, and Buford, all bands I’ve heard nothing about and would love to hear more from. I only cared for seven songs out of thirteen tracks, but those songs are good enough to warrant picking this up. Deep Elm Records, P.O. Box 1965, New York, NY 10156