its getting late but i dont mind

If you like your emo subtle, get out now (but follow the blog and refresh a few times so my hit counter will go up.) Penfold is some whiny-ass shit, which is why I like it. I'm not deluding myself. Some voices are just good for whining. This brings me to Penfold's second release, Amateurs and Professionals. I stumbled upon it while looking up artists similar to the Promise Ring on Last.fm (!) The first track, "June", starts out with a marching-bandesque drum-beat and gives you a good idea of what's to come: Heavy angst. The feel of the album is comparable to staring out the car window when it's raining hard. Great shtuff.

The Shark's Own Private Fuck

Sunny Day Real Estate is fucking radical. I'm using the word 'radical' ironically, of course. Anyways, their debut album Diary is widely regarded as the greatest emo album ever. But is it really? Fuck if I know, but I prefer 1998's How it Feels to be Something On better. It's not exactly groundbreaking (girlfriend's a fucking whore, she cheated on me, why couldn't I see it?, etc.) but it just sounds good. The vocals are deep when they need to be, they're near falsetto when they need to be- it just falls into place. A must-have emo album along with Diary.

Best Tracks: The Shark's Own Personal Fuck, Roses in Water, Every Shining Time You Arrive

Three more favorites of mine

Modest Mouse - The Lonesome Crowded West

When I was told Good News... wasn't an accurate repesentation of Modest Mouse, I was intrigued. Well, not really, seeing how it took me a fucking month to actually download The Lonesome Crowded West. Man, I was missing out on so much. The opening track Teeth Like God's Shoeshine is erratic, noisy, and a representation of what to expect from the rest of the album. Best Tracks: Trailer Trash, Heart Cooks Brain, Cowboy Dan, Convenient Parking,

Lounge (Closing Time)

oh my god elephant - Five Song EP(?)
"Real" emo with math-rock undertones. That's all I can say about them, besides "FUCK YEAH". Oh, and they changed their name to Rainbow Tornado. Best Tracks: Dan Dan Dan Dan, Evan Tuckerman

Ape Up! - Demo '09

Judging by the title of the band and the cover of the album, you'd think the guys behind Ape Up! are total assholes. I guess that's plausible, but their demotape (released earlier this year) is really good. I believe the singer is the same bro behind Snowing (I don't really know, all I have to go off of them is their MySpace page), so you can expect God-tier vocals. Top tracks: Two Tickets to Stink Town, Nice Marmot, Rudich Ranch

Download these OSTs or you suck

I can't really explain them, but you really owe it to yourself to give these a shot.