Back in the distant past, the word 'emo' didn't have the dreadful connotations it has now. And I can guarantee that, even at the mention of that eyeliner-fuelled genre, a lot of people will have stopped reading this. But back in the early 90s, the word 'emo' meant this kind of twinkly, intricate, rhythmic indie rock.
Cap'n Jazz were probably the primary exponents of that kind of emo, with a slightly more shouty style and punk ethos. Their drummer and vocalist Mike Kinsella, one of the leading lights of the Chicago indie scene for the last 20 years, formed various bands after their breakup in 1995, one of which evolved into the more laid-back American Football. They weren't around for long, releasing an EP in 1998 and a single full-length in 1999, before moving on to other projects (Kinsella now plays on his own under the name 'Owen'). The recordings they made have been critically lauded ever since their release, with the album especially being lauded as an influence by a growing number of bands.
This song was the first one on their eponymous EP, and is probably my favourite of theirs. The few lyrics there are aren't as cryptic as some of the band's other songs, but are still open to interpretation. They are, however, fairly depressing (fairly predictably for a song classed as 'emo', I suppose, rightly or wrongly). Musically is where the song excels - it is absolutely lovely, with chiming trebly guitars and soft but incredibly precise drums.
American Football – The One With The Tambourine
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