Braid

Photo credit: Shawn Scallen / www.scallen.com

Braid are a four-piece indie/emo band from Champaign, Illinois, that formed in 1993, disbanded in 1999, reunited briefly in 2004, and have been fully active again since 2011. They are often considered one of essential 90's emo/indie band, whose name is often spoken on par with the other greats, such as Cap'n Jazz, Jawbreaker, and Texas Is The Reason. Just like those bands, what made Braid so good is that they aren't exactly like any of their contemporaries, but still fit within the same realm so seamlessly. However, one thing that especially sets Braid apart now is that they both fit in with the "classic" tag for incredibly influential albums such as Frame And Canvas, but they exist today in the same realm as the bands that have been influenced by them. They are signed to Topshelf Records, they put out a split with Balance & Composure, and have toured with the likes of Into It. Over. It. and A Great Big Pile Of Leaves. Braid's legacy has already been solidified as something of legend, and they continue to prove why they've earned that title. Braid's members have also been active in bands such as Hey Mercedes, The City On Film, and The Firebird Band, which are all also worth giving a listen to.

A few notes on their discography: Their three full-lengths from the 90's are all below here, which were released while they existed. Posthumously, they released their compilations Movie Music, Vol. 1 and Movie Music, Vol. 2, which collect most of the songs on their splits and singles, as well as the live album Lucky To Be Alive. They wouldn't release anything else until their 2011 reunion, which spawned the EP Closer To Closed, and 2014's long-awaited follow-up to Frame and Canvas, which is No Coast. The band also released a handful of splits, but so far I've only managed to find the ones with The Get Up Kids and Balance & Composure. Most of their split material is included on the aforementioned compilations, but if anyone happens to have them, I'd appreciate you sending them to me. Enjoy.

Frankie Welfare Boy Age Five (1995)

1. Angel Falls

2. Capricorn

3. Minuet

4. New Dollar Building

5. Lining Lake Michigan

6. Wax Wings

7. Garner Hall Music Room

8. Hugs From Boys

9. Three Point Turn

10. Eeyore And Easel

11. Red Dye Company

12. Summer Salt

13. X Marks The Hope Box

14. Brass Knuckle Sandwich

15. Dolores

16. Under The Influence Of Tricycle Mechanics

17. Featherweight

18. Ornamental

19. Kissy Windmill Point

20. Jane Describes John

21. Quarters

22. Interstate 57

23. Yawn London

24. Vest of Interest

25. Pipsqueak

26. Zero Frisco

The Age Of Octeen (1996)

1. My Baby Smokes

2. Nineteen Seventy Five

3. Divers

4. Jimmy Go Swimmer

5. Movie Clock Star

6. Eulalia Eulalia

7. Grace Car Part One

8. Harrison Ford

9. American Typewriter

10. The Chandelier Swing

11. Autobiography

The Get Up Kids/Braid (1997)

1. The Get Up Kids - I'm A Loner Dottie, A Rebel

2. Braid - Forever Got Shorter

Burning Airlines/Braid (1998)

1. Burning Airlines - Back of Love (Echo & The Bunnymen)

2. Braid - Always Something To Remind Me (Naked Eyes cover)

Frame & Canvas (1998)

1. The New Nathan Detroits

2. Killing A Camera

3. Never Will Come For Us

4. First Day Back

5. Collect From Clark Kent

6. Milwaukee Sky Rocket

7. A Dozen Roses

8. Urbana's Too Dark

9. Consolation Prize Fighter

10. Ariel

11. Breathe In

12. I Keep A Diary

Lucky To Be Alive (2000)

1. Autobiography

2. The New Nathan Detroits

3. Killing A Camera

4. Please Drive Faster

5. Forever Got Shorter

6. What A Wonderful Puddle

7. Never Will Come For Us

8. You're Lucky To Be Alive

9. Grace Car

10. A Dozen Roses

11. Breathe In

12. Milwaukee Sky Rocket

13. Divers

14. First Day Back

15. I'm Afraid Of Everything

16. The Chandelier Swing

17. Capricorn

Movie Music Vol. 1 (2000)

1. Sounds Like Violence

2. Motion Light

3. Perfect Pitch

4. I'm Afraid Of Everything

5. Radish White Icicle

6. Now I'm Exhausted

7. Fire Makes The House Grow

8. Niagara

9. That Car Came Out Of Nowhere

10. (Strawberry Ann) Switzerland

11. What A Wonderful Puddle

12. First Day Back

13. Hugs From Boys

14. Forever Got Shorter

15. Please Drive Faster

16. Circus Of The Stars

17. You're Lucky To Be Alive

Movie Music Vol. 2 (2000)

1. Elephant

2. Jimmy Go Swimmer

3. Eulalia, Eulalia

4. Katycat

5. Grand Theft Autumn

6. To Kiss A Trumpet Player

7. I'm Glowing And You're The Reason

8. Do You Love Coffee?

9. The Consolation Prizefighter

10. Bridge To Canada

11. Painting Nebraska

12. Collect From Clark Kent

13. Roses In The Car

14. My Life (Billy Joel cover)

15. Baby, Now That I've Found You (The Foundations cover)

16. This Charming Man (The Smiths cover)

17. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (The Smiths cover)

18. Always Something There To Remind Me (Lou Johnson cover)

19. Trompe le Monde (The Pixies cover)

Closer To Closed (2011)

1. The Right Time

2. Do Over

3. You Are The Reason

4. Universe Or Worse

Braid/Balance And Composure (2013)

1. Braid - Lux

2. Braid - Many Enemies

3. Balance And Composure - You Can't Fix Me

4. Balance And Composure - Say

No Coast (2014)

1. Bang

2. East End Hollows

3. No Coast

4. Damages!

5. Many Enemies

6. Pre Evergreen

7. Put Some Wings On That Kid

8. Lux

9. Doing Yourself In

10. Climber New Entry

11. Light Crisis

12. This Is Not A Revolution

Kids Get Grids (2015)

1. Kids Get Grids

2. Because I Am

Facebook

Bandcamp

American Football

So, here's a band that everybody should hear. American Football are one of the best bands who put out one of the best albums ever, and that's a fact.

They formed in 1997 in Champaign, Illinois and disbanded in 2000. They were a three-piece made up of Mike Kinsella (formerly of Cap'n Jazz, The One Up Downstairs, Joan Of Arc, and future member of Owls and his solo project, Owen, among others), Steve Lamos (formerly of The One Up Downstairs and others), and Steve Holmes. The three-piece rarely played shows during the existence, and only released one LP and one EP.

American Football have got to be one of the most replicated and influential bands ever. They experimented with alternate tunings, odd time signatures, and technical playing. Essentially, they fused elements of emo, indie, and math rock to create a completely original sound. The playing is very delicate, gentle, and melodic, which the layered guitars carry perfectly. They occasionally make use of a trumpet, which fits right into the band's dynamic. The drums are incredibly tight and rhythmic, and flow perfectly, even with the odd time signatures. The overall tone is very somber, somewhat nostalgic, and absolutely heart shattering. This is the kind of stuff you listen to when you're lying awake and thinking too much. This is all reinforced by Mike's soft croon, which pours out into these songs, with his heart-on-the-sleeve lyrics completely clear for all to hear. Countless bands after them would be inspired to use the same model (call it "twinkly", "midwest emo", whatever) they do, and though many amazing bands were spurred from that, I don't think any of them could quite touch the level of beauty that American Football did.

UPDATE: In 2014, the band reunited to release a deluxe edition of their self-titled album plus demos and live songs. They are also playing a handful of reunion shows and put out a video for the greatest song ever, "Never Meant".

UPDATE: It's 2016, and they've released another self-titled full-length, again on Polyvinyl.

American Football EP (1998)

1. The One With The Tambourine

2. Letters And Packages

3. Five Silent Miles 

American Football (1999)

1. Never Meant

2. The Summer Ends

3. Honestly?

4. For Sure

5. You Know I Should Be Leaving Soon

6. But The Regrets Are Killing Me

7. I'll See You When We're Both Not So Emotional

8. Stay Home

9. The One With The Wurlitzer

American Football (Deluxe Edition) (2014)

1. Never Meant

2. The Summer Ends

3. Honestly?

4. For Sure

5. You Know I Should Be Leaving Soon

6. But The Regrets Are Killing Me

7. I'll See You When We're Both Not So Emotional

8. Stay Home

9. The One With The Wurlitzer
10. Intro [Live at the Blind Pig, Champaign, IL, 1997]

11. Five Silent Miles [Live at the Blind Pig, Champaign, IL, 1997]

12. Untitled #1 (The One With the Trumpet) [Boombox Practice Session, 1998]

13. Untitled #2 [Boombox Practice Session, 1998]

14. Stay Home [Boombox Practice Session, 1998]

15. Untitled #3 [Boombox Practice Session, 1999]

16. Never Meant [4-Track Album Prep, 1999]

17. But the Regrets Are Killing Me [4-Track Album Prep, 1999]

18. I'll See You When We're Both Not So Emotional [4-Track Album Prep, 1999]

19. The 7's [Live at the Blind Pig, Champaign, IL, 1997]

American Football (LP2) (2016)

1. Where Are We Now?

2. My Instincts Are The Enemy

3. Home Is Where The Haunt Is

4. Born To Lose

5. I've Been So Lost For So Long

6. Give Me The Gun

7. I Need A Drink (Or Two Or Three)

8. Desire Gets In The Way

9. Everyone Is Dressed Up

Note: Removed for copyright infringement

American Football (LP3)

1. Silhouettes

2. Every Wave To Ever Rise (feat. Elizabeth Powell)

3. Uncomfortably Numb (feat. Hayley Williams)

4. Heir Apparent

5. Doom In Full Bloom

6. I Can't Feel You (feat. Rachel Goswell)

7. Mine To Miss

8. Life Support

Rare Symmetry / Fade Into You (2021)

1. Rare Symmetry

2. Fade Into You (Mazzy Star cover)

Polyvinyl