Joey Explains Why He Loves "Midwest Emo" Music

[@matte6621]

the moment I saw "midwest emo" i stopped everything and clicked this video. WHAT A LEGEND JOEY! REPRESENT

[@teppizini]

Same

[@konohamaru77]

Same.

[@LemonXXI]

Same lol

[@firte3899]

common Joey W

[@ProCoRat]

There was actually a very strong emo scene in the South 20-25 years ago. In Alabama and Tennessee.

[@frankunati]

I wonder how people would've reacted if joey simplified it by saying midwest emo and math rock are basically "emo jazz" lmao

[@icipher6730]

Don Caballero would've gotten annoyed if you would've said that they play 'jazz', lol

[@bcnicholas123]

Good way to describe it to the uninitiated honestly

[@parker5855]

"Is there southern emo?" Sir, that's called bluegrass.

[@auxchar]

Or what country used to be in the 70s-90s

[@placebojesus5652]

Reminds me of telling my friend DMX was gangster rap emo lol. I’m slippin’, I’m fallin’, I can’t get up.

[@formal_bin]

does that mean camping in alaska is bluegrass?

[@ablocate]

@@formal_bintheir genre is midwestern emo doesn’t matter where they’re from

[@matthewmiller9485]

Connor and Garnt: "People just create genres willy nilly, like mid-west emo" Me a metal fan: YOU HAVE NO IDEA DUDE!!!

[@icipher6730]

eh, once you'll nail basic subgenres of metal, you're pretty much good to go most of the more niche metal subgenres are not really distinct subgenres (if someone is going to tell me a 100% definitive difference between prog and tech death metal, I'll give this person an award), but kinda stackable descriptors honestly, metal subgenre categorization got ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NOTHING on electronic music

[@rashotcake6945]

Honestly, metalheads think metal is the only genre that overly and unnecessarily categorizes their preferred type of music, but other genres do the exact same thing, you just don’t know about it. For example: Pop has chamber pop, baroque pop, dance pop, synth pop, art pop, avant-pop, ambient pop, dream pop, etc. Punk has art punk, post-punk, proto-punk, Oi!, ska punk, skate punk, hardcore, post-hardcore, crust punk, anarcho punk, etc. Rap has boom bap, G funk, jazz rap, abstract hip hop, trap rap, emo rap, gangsta rap, disco rap, etc. Electronic has techno, IDM, EDM, house, synth wave, progressive synth, plunderphonics, downtempo, etc.

[@boogaloo_weed]

​@dragonballfanscantread2383 Prog Metal, Metalcore, Power Metal, Folk metal, Gothinc Metal, Industrial Metal, Nu/Rap metal, Glam Metal, Groove Metal, Stoner Rock

[@zetho.270]

aw hell nah 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀@dragonballfanscantread2383

[@bleachno9]

Midwest Emo was omnipresent growing up here in the Midwest and it really captures the cold skies and ennui of wishing you could hope for something better or for your love life to be perfect.

[@himesilva]

That "stuck in a dead end town" vibe, if you will 😅

[@OneRandomVictory]

Midwest Emo was huge back in my hometown during my high school and college years. I still listen to some songs every now and then even though I never delved too far into the genre. American Football, Modern Baseball, Mom Jeans, Tiger's Jaw, Charmer, and Free Throw (saw them at a live show) were some of the bands I listened to a bit.

[@lukekahs177]

Those bands all slap. Now I wonder if Joey has listened to all my favorite bands

[@TheMaximus997]

Modern Baseball were fantastic. Even have a tattoo dedicated to them. If you were in your midteens in 2014 they were basically Gods. And their music has aged really well too I feel.

[@bcnicholas123]

I’ve been wanting to see Free Throw for like a year now. Hopefully they come around soon

[@catgirlsz]

hospital bracelet is also a great band

[@romanovandenberg9761]

@@catgirlsz hospital bracelet slaps! i miss them :/

[@G30RGI3]

Im so glad midwest emo is getting more recognition and love i found the genre in late 2019 early 2020 and ive loved the genre ever since

[@dookiepost]

It’s so funny seeing it being so popular now. It was popular here in the Midwest in the early 2000s and then became extremely cringe and now it’s popular again outside of the Midwest

[@THE-CRT]

Bro I absolutely love Midwest emo, it is such a good genre, American football, Modern Baseball, mom jeans, etc. I just love the technical guitars and the almost whiny vocals, just love like all of it.

[@dewaeryadi7776]

American midwest emo and folk punk is soo good, also japanese math rock/post rock scene is full with talented musician

[@callumdonington2227]

A great introduction to Midwest emo is a band called Modern Baseball. Primarily their albums Sports and You're Gonna Miss it all.

[@daveSoupy]

Sports is super a fantastic album and has this homemade feel about it that I can’t find anywhere else

[@callumdonington2227]

@@daveSoupy I love how Coals sounds it was recorded in a highschool music room

[@thewaterless]

I had no idea I had like identical musical tastes to Joey. What a King he is.

[@Painbow]

Real talk, Math Rock and Mathcore are the shit.

[@F1ll1nTh3Blanks]

Depressing music helps me process. Happy music when I am not in a good place, can give me a moment of relief but it won't last unless I confront my current state of mind.

[@SirFooplesTheThird]

Also. To the people who want to know. Midwest Emo is Emo mixed with Math Rock. Math Rock is Rock which utilizes Math in their composition. The time signatures are very complicated that add up, hence the name, Math Rock. I like to call Midwest Emo Twinkle Emo because the guitars sound very twinkle and ethereal. Yvette Young is a very good example of this

[@gelena31]

@@diydylana3151 nobody is doing it, so I have to do it: "Real Emo" only consists of the dc Emotional Hardcore scene and the late 90's Screamo scene. What is known by "Midwest Emo" is nothing but Alternative Rock with questionable real emo influence. When people try to argue that bands like My Chemical Romance are not real emo, while saying that Sunny Day Real Estate is, I can't help not to cringe because they are just as fake emo as My Chemical Romance (plus the pretentiousness). Real emo sounds ENERGETIC, POWERFUL and somewhat HATEFUL. Fake emo is weak, self pity and a failed attempt to direct energy and emotion into music. Some examples of REAL EMO are Pg 99, Rites of Spring, Cap n Jazz (the only real emo band from the midwest scene) and Loma Prieta. Some examples of FAKE EMO are American Football, My Chemical Romance and Mineral EMO BELONGS TO HARDCORE NOT TO INDIE, POP PUNK, ALT ROCK OR ANY OTHER MAINSTREAM GENRE

[@givingabutterflyaskeleton]

@@gelena31 was waiting for it haha

[@jacekly]

@@gelena31 oh god not the copypasta

[@SirFooplesTheThird]

@@gelena31 there it is lmao

[@gelena31]

@@diydylana3151 no for sure, I just remembered it while reading your comment dw

[@rossmeyer2608]

This is the ultimate crossover. Mineral, Sunny Day Real Estate, and American Football are classics. Tigers Jaw is the best new one.

[@CoconutJewce]

Throwing Tiny Moving Parts out there for another fucking great midwest emo band. And, if for some reason, you haven't heard of The National, they're great if you wanna feel depressed and want to sulk in that gloomy atmosphere for a bit.

[@marsrover001]

Minnow slaps.

[@bcnicholas123]

I saw TMP in November. It was such a fun show

[@bananafish7976]

TMP was the first time I heard Midwest Emo, they are the reason I fell in love with the genre. Such a nostalgic vibe. Also Birdhouse is my favorite song of theirs!

[@thebater4271]

Same! I came across the clouds above my head music video in 2014 right before or at the start of my sophomore year after my family moved from Fresno to Tracy CA and my friend bobby who i met at tracy high ended up putting me on to Title Fight and Whirr. It changed my life as my previous fave bands were Smashing pumpkins, three days grace, blink 182, and tool ​@bananafish7976

[@doomerd]

Im a fairly new fan of them and based on the context i got from watching these podcasts, Joey really is the music guy in their group and hearing him talk about midwest emo just made me like him even more

[@ruk7657]

yeah, he himself is a multi-instrumentalist and makes music under the name Ikurru. I haven't listened to it tho, so idk what he plays

[@MaximosTheStumbler]

A C K S H U A L L Y American Football didn't found Midwest Emo

[@shork721]

Midwest emo/shoegaze recommendations for anybody whose interested (from well known to more obscure picks) American Football Sunny Day Real Estate Title Fight Modern Baseball Marietta Turnover Tigers Jaw Joyce Manor Microwave (not really midwest emo but I had to include them) The World Is A Beautiful Place & I'm No Longer Afraid To Die Tiny Moving Parts The Hotelier Michael Cera Palin Oso Oso Charmer Prince Daddy And The Hyena Macseal Dikembe Remo Drive (Greatest Hits only) Carly Cosgrove Pool Kids Perspective A Lovely Hand To Hold Dogleg Oolong Guitar Fight From Fooly Cooly

[@gman_7112]

Carly Cosgrove mention WOOOOO

[@daveSoupy]

Gotta look up Midwest Pen Pals as they are the blueprint for Midwest emo especially their song Movies like Juno

[@Evan-pq1ql]

Amazing band and song you should check out this is pointless they have a similar sound

[@ifrick9336]

Bro modern baseball is literally my favorite band I love Midwest emo

[@givingabutterflyaskeleton]

i believe cap n jazz (mostly same members as american football) was the first "midwest emo" band

[@Cryinginthecloudssss]

Being from the midwest i may be biased but the midwest emo music be hitting hard in the middle of a drive down a shitty road surrounded by corn

[@rockman1994]

Finally midwestern emo gets recognition lol

[@Williamlongsword-l2c]

I was gutted when he said American Football invented emo. Many 4th wave bands are influenced by them, but they were nothing back in 1999. Emo was invented in the 80s...

[@teppizini]

Midwest emo and emo folk is the shit. Legit the realest music out there. Raw and unrefined passion for the music.

[@mundanemilk5612]

Dude garnt and Conner’s reactions had me feeling with joey. I’m not alone when explaining the genre

[@asanteismyrealname]

Band of Horses is southern emo for sure

[@CoconutJewce]

The first good Joey take I've heard. Bravo.

[@gelena31]

I was thinking just that lmao

[@DaviHaub]

Agreed

[@CatDevz]

"suburban emo" is I think the best way I've ever heard midwest emo described

[@LowendNate]

I get the listing to depressing music talk. having something to connect to and not only that but something to feel the emotions you need to feel out that really is what's best for me.

[@mikelpelaez]

Pink moon is one of the greatest albums ever made

[@teppizini]

Luke Cyrus Goetze did an amazing lapsteel cover of pink moon if you haven't heard it.

[@aidinexmachina4232]

Midwest Emo is the only Emo that ages well.

[@pingu8015]

ayo i did NOT expect madvillainy, my man

[@JJ-ln9qd]

he killed himself because he lived 10 minutes away from birmingham

[@parkermartin5799]

Modern Baseball is my favorite band rn

[@eric_t123]

I was so surprised when I read the title. It's such an underrated genre

[@ippotsk]

This could have gone so much more smoothly had he just offered to play Never Meant on his phone, lmao.

[@zwryy7622]

Haven't had anyone dislike Never Meant when I showed them. Truly a timeless classic.

[@bruisedbug]

4:30 exactly how i feel when i have to say "emo" out loud

[@thatsaylary]

HOLY SHIT ive never could have thought that joey likes midwest emo, what a chad

[@Alex_00123]

AMERICAN FOOTBALL IS SO GOOOD

[@kneesnap1041]

truuue

[@SirFooplesTheThird]

TMP is also awesome!

[@mikelpelaez]

although i'm not that into LP2 and 3, LP1 is legendary

[@Alex_00123]

@@SirFooplesTheThird yes agreed. also sunny day real estate are of course fantastic too.

[@indeed4681]

I guess if I were to describe Midwest Emo to some one, I'd tell them: "It's just emo but less loud and whiney added with beautiful musical composition with Math Rock."

[@777mxr]

As someone who has been listening to midwest emo since 2002, I'm glad it's getting popular today.

[@Masterlordrx]

I need a video on all your favorite bands and songs in Midwest emo lol

[@keithmjali761]

Cliff notes version: Math Rock is a jazzier, noisier version of Indie Rock mixed with Progressive Rock and a bit of Noise Rock I ended up binging a lot of Japanese math rock on Spotify after this, Haisuinonosa, Osterreich, Co Shu Nie, Paranoid Void, Tricot, Cinema Staff, Ling Tosite Sigure and Toe are my new faves and I'm hoping to find more. \m/

[@anasianemo]

I love how Joey is explaining the different layers of Emo 😂

[@ScottDalylives]

It's so great he's talking about this but he was really struggling to explain it well lol

[@thelastgreatadventurer9234]

Wasn’t expecting to see Joey talk about Nick Drake lol. Great surprise!

[@FoulUnderworldCreature]

Nick Drake

[@mikelpelaez]

people, please listen to the brave little abacus, the greatest midwest emo band

[@rashotcake6945]

the way Joey describes midwest emo, it feels like he doesn’t actually know that much about how to describe music. Like, math rock isn’t hard to explain to a layman, just say it’s rock music with weird time signatures and rhythms. And about midwest emo, just say it’s indie rock with twinkly guitars and amateurish whiny sad vocals

[@erinburnheart]

I LOVE MIDWEST EMO SO MUCH - Not done watching the video tbh but I’m so excited for this one lol

[@starofdabloc]

His history take and description of Midwest Emo is so off 😂

[@A-Problem-Child]

We all start somewhere 😂

[@okayitsdead6631]

still waiting for someone to put a Midwest emo intro over the pizza debate

[@merlinmeurer5339]

How dare you tell me that my favorite genre(Finnish Pagan Shaman Folk Metal) is too specific!

[@hyoga4345]

I can only think of Korpiklaani.

[@taxinvasion260]

Midwest Emo is Emo but the sadness is derived from a life in a suburban hellscape, and thus way sadder and more painful. Also _happy sound make pain go way._

[@Camothor10]

Starting off amazing with the genius Nick Drake

[@zesty7734]

Pretty fire 3x3 from all of them

[@flowernal]

any D.C. emocore enjoyers?

[@arselcrusader5600]

I listen to Dragon Force songs when I'm sad, going from Seasons (Acoustic Version), then Reasons to Live, then any random fantasy themed song of theirs yelling "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!! THIS IS IT!!!! I'M GONNA WIN THIS!!! GONNA F'ING GET THROUGH THIS!!!"

[@ZeromasterReviews]

I'm so Happy Joey is talking about Midwest Emo AND American Fucking Football!!! I owe this man a beer

[@kevinhishamdewanto4172]

Let's just forget~

[@cradoccrandall6202]

Midwest emo has amazing guitar riffs

[@Shepherdservices317]

Mid west emo fan here! Check out Chinese football. Chinese band following in the footsteps of us Midwesterners

[@Ethan-fy3db]

I haven’t watched trash taste in a while cool to see that Joey also likes midwest emo

[@miles9856]

I swear all I hear in midwest-emo is the music that's in Shinkai films

[@alex1Sded]

I’m a Floridian but my heart belongs in Missouri

[@weebman09]

Lets gooo!! Midwest Gang

[@3evo333]

Fuck yea Joey!!! Me too!!!

[@konohamaru77]

Midwest emo is something different. First time i listen to it, i feel.....empty....its....its so different from the rest music i ve been listen to this day. Its...make me calm...its make me...feel.....i dont know...fine....i feel somehow relate..... Midwest emo is different. Totally different

[@Depressso-Espresso]

cuz it's amazing tape of music, that's why

[@alexblickhan5175]

I love Midwest emo

[@MarziePop]

American football and Thursday are my go tos

[@henkerharmse9361]

The middle guy is saying "like" the whole time.

[@samvakarian]

Any tiny moving parts fans in the comments?

[@sebastianmartinezj4028]

Yea boi

[@Eivesohn]

Henlo

[@yamko7989]

Midwest emo is mellow depressed rock

[@waozer]

he should listen to oolong.. ogbert the nerd.. arcadia grey.. origami angel.. prince dadd.y.. hwe...r t..tr a..

[@TheCreepypro]

yeah I don't blame anybody for hearing these genres and being like yeah that is made up which garnt literally did on the spot also I love math rock it sounds so good to me I love the wails

[@himesilva]

Omg Joey sound like he's trying to explain Midwest Emo to boomers "so what was it, country emo?" I'm dead 🤣

[@OneFlewCuckoo]

Nick Drake is proto to is all props for joeys knowledge

[@vor565]

he's one of us!!!

[@summersendband]

Nick Drake died of an overdose of anti-depressants. He was 26.

[@ProCoRat]

You do not have to explain it. Just play Charmer. They are IMO the most squarely Midwest Emo band out of any popular band.

[@Masterlordrx]

Wow!! JOEY IS ONE OF US 🎉❤😂

[@mlgdoritos2315]

fucking valid taste joey

[@James-hy1xc]

LEGEND

[@konohamaru77]

Midwest emo..is kinda underated.

[@joahn]

"Its not a phase mom!"

[@NicoTetrox]

I put this in the main video a while ago, but this is for people who want to get into Nick Drake: Just a few (possible) corrections/information about NICK DRAKE: -He was born fairly privileged I believe. He was upper middle class, but that doesn’t really matter in the context of his music. -He may not have had bouts with depression since childhood, though it’s possible, as Nick was described as very sensitive and introspective. From what information is given, it seems the lack of success of his first 2 albums “Five Leaves Left” and “Bryter Layter” exacerbated a decline in his mental health. He felt that he became a failure to his parents and peers. He had the talent to back it up, as these are phenomenal albums. The only problem was marketing, and Nick Drake had trouble performing live and connecting to an audience. During the time leading up to Pink Moon, that was when his depression started developing. He was prescribed anti-depressants, but due to the stigma on depression and mental health during the 70’s, he would often not take his medication, and would often bounce back and forth between neutrality and depression. It was a vicious drilling cycle. He would take his medication and get energy to write music, and would immediately emotionally crash. -Pink Moon’s cover was a painting, because any pictures they attempted to take of Nick for the cover/album art, showed him very detached. He was always looking away and was hunched over, and nobody knew what to do with them for the album. -Pink Moon is the only song on the album that has piano. The rest of the album is just guitar. After Bryter Layter, he had plans to just do an acoustic only album. The previous album had orchestration and heavy instrumental backing (with various contributions by the Velvet Underground’s John Cale). He felt since that didn’t work for sales of his album, he would try to do an acoustic album only. -According to close friend and Pink Moon’s album producer John Robert Wood, Nick Drake wouldn’t play music unless he was in a good headspace. However, no doubt his music was introspective and dealt with depression. This was possibly during the time when his mental state would ping pong between neutrality and a crash in depression. We don’t know if he was already this drilled deep within depression, but it’s very possible. -We don’t know if his death was a suicide or accidental. He overdosed on painkillers, and his family say he could have attempted to take a bunch and get back on his feet the next day and continue his music, or he deliberately chose to end it. In some twisted way, his sister, Gabrielle Drake, a famous British actress, stated that she would have felt some comfort if she found out he chose to end his life himself, as everything else in his life was out of his control, so at least he controlled how he would go out. -Different note, but his song “Fruit Tree” off his debut album “Five Leaves Left” discusses how an artist isn’t remembered or appreciated until they’re dead. It’s a haunting context for his future. RIP Nick Drake. I didn’t know Joey listened to him, and I’m glad his name is being spread more.

[@EvilTurkeyTikTok]

4:30

[@ItsShaz1]

Nice Joey!

[@lol1cris]

Joey is the goat

[@mrbrightside4u]

His explanation is simultaneously the absolute worst description of midwest emo, but also very accurate.

[@joeshadowz]

"american football founded midwest emo" ☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠

[@konohamaru77]

If you know. The title of midwest emo song is ssooooooo weird. Here i found the titlw was...a title of game.

[@Realpersonfrongod]

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL(I constantly listen to Midwest emo and talk shit about it to make people think I don't actually listen to Midwest emo)

[@ZydePunk]

To me, midwest emo is just nerdy emo punk. A beautiful blend of math rock and punk with depressing lyrics.

[@deeptracy23]

Dude in Akira shirt is a vlogger/podcaster? He's barely literate. He talked for most of the 10 mins in this video but he used only 20 words, half of them "like", and expressed 1 complete thought.

[@konohamaru77]

JOEY LOVE MIDWEST EMO?!

[@kneesnap1041]

Add an "L" and this becomes "Midwest Elmo Music".