The Emo Diaries

Chapter Four: An Ocean of Doubt (Deep Elm)
by Tim Den

Do I really have to describe this? Do I really have to go into why I only had to skim through the record before beginning the review? Okay, if you must know, there is only one thing to say about this and every other chapter of The Emo Diaries: Perfection. Never has another compilation series managed to find such flawless line-ups each and every single time. Signed, unsigned, domestic, foreign, it doesn’t matter. They’re all good. Which, in turn, makes every chapter of this series heavily-anticipated and never a let down. Okay, so once in a while I worry the next chapter is not going to be as good as the previous. I mean, it’s difficult to top former line-ups that have included Jimmy Eat World, Jejune, Samiam, Starmarket, Appleseed Cast, etc. But somehow Deep Elm manages. This time, Five Speed, The Movie Life, and Forever Seems Further help raise the bar on the genre we love to hate, all displaying immense emo-ness and catchy rock. Now imagine all sixteen bands here doing the same. Quality, quality, I tell ya. No wonder Deep Elm has become the be-all end-all of emo labels. Not afraid of using the term to describe its roster of artists and with enough pure talent on board, there is only one direction for Deep Elm and The Emo Diaries series: up. Other bands on Emo Diaries IV: Red Animal War , The John Doe Band, Ed Matus’ Struggle, Aina, Keystone Sinatra, Spy Versus Spy, Odg, Merrick, Flux Capacitor.
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