Top 40 '90s albums, #30: American Football — American Football

Honestly, I have no idea what to write about American Football, the self-titled debut from one of midwest emo’s best bands. It’s a great album. “Never Meant” is easily one of the greatest opening tracks of all time. And yet, I just don’t really know what to say about it. I didn’t really listen to it until after I graduated college, which is a little funny, because I think it would’ve hit really well when I was a teenager. Maybe it doesn’t wear its sadness on its sleeve enough, and maybe it’s not quirky enough, or twee enough, or some other variation of ‘not enough.’ But realistically, I think it’s just a testament to the fact that you can’t listen to every band all the time, and you can’t beat yourself up for discovering a band later.

Sonically, American Football is a perfect encapsulation of what made that midwest emo sound work. The bright, twinkling guitars, the slow pace, the strummed-once and sustained chord that’s allowed to breathe — all staples of midwest emo. And, of course, there’s a trumpet. That’s pretty great.

I saw that this album is sometimes described as slowcore. I don’t really know where slowcore ends and post rock starts, let alone where slowcore ends and midwest emo starts. Are all my musical interests I’ve expressed through the first 11 albums really just several sides of the same multi-faceted coin? (Your coins have three or four sides too, right?)