10 Obscure 90s Alternative Rock Tracks With an Emo Tinge

While grunge went mainstream in the 90s, hundreds of pop-punk, post-hardcore and early-emo bands were bubbling under the radar, waiting for their genre to have its turn in the spotlight. Unfortunately, many of these bands dissolved before the culture shifted in the mid-2000s. We can't go back in time and change the course of history, but we can enjoy their albums today--and I think it's time for the Internet to appreciate what these groups contributed to the music world.

1. mineola pike by Slower Than Seasons

While Slower Than Seasons started off strong in 1996, two of the members left before they could release their first EP. Zack Wells frantically searched for their replacements until two members of V. Card signed up for the gig. "mineola pike," a track from their 1999 EP, showcases the band's strengths with wry vocals and a defeated tone that feels like a backslide into the inevitable. Unfortunately, Slower Than Seasons broke up a year later, but they left behind seventeen tracks that every emo fan should hear at least once.

2. Connect by Shutdown

In a 2007 review, a listener described Shutdown's second album, Icarus, as "background punk" that "doesn’t leap out at you and slap you in the face." After listening to "Connect," I have to disagree. This track is loud, fast-paced and punctuated with brutal vocals that could snap anybody out of a deep sleep, making it an unforgettable album closer. Sadly, information about this British band is scarce, but I hope they know that an Internet stranger (me) is rooting for them.

3. This Years First Snow by Dear Diary

While Dear Diary sounds like an American emo band, the group actually hails from Germany--and the way Some More Secrets alternates between English and German lyrics would probably leave some emo kids confused. "This Years First Snow," which comes from their 1999 album, uses a somber tone and anguished vocals to make you feel like you're listening to someone's private suffering. Thinking about it now, Dear Diary is the perfect name for an emo band, and I'm surprised that nobody else tried it!

4. Plenty by Three Steps Up

With eight monthly Spotify listeners and no online presence, Three Steps Up could've been a footnote in photographer Justin Borucki's career: an obscure band that he worked with alongside legends like Atreyu and The Bouncing Souls. Fortunately, we're going to change that by streaming "Plenty," an emotional track from their 1997 record. This track alternates between anger and despair, expertly crafting a full picture of loss and sorrow, and it's the perfect midpoint for an album titled Happiness To Reality Ratio.

5. blender by Not Rebecca

Not Rebecca got their start in 1992, releasing a cassette tape with handwritten liner notes. Four years later, they made it official with Rocketship to Canada, a pop-punk album that includes the irresistibly catchy "blender" alongside other peppy tracks. While Not Rebecca never found mainstream success, they were ahead of the curve in two ways: their sound would've fit perfectly into the mid-2000s pop-punk explosion, and they listed their songs in all lowercase long before it was cool to do so.

6. Too Far by Spicolie

Spicolie is fairly mysterious even for a 90s rock band. They're not active on social media, searches for the band bring up results about Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and both of the links on their Discogs page are long dead. Still, Spicolie doesn't deserve to be forgotten, and "Too Far" is loaded with classic hooks and punchy vocals. This song comes from their 1999 record, Suburban Hero, and it's the type of track that never gets old.

7. Not a Kid Anymore by Indiana

If Indiana wanted to make themselves untraceable, they certainly achieved it: I can't find them on Discogs or Bandcamp, and their name makes them almost impossible to Google. Luckily, Spotify has their 1999 self-titled EP available for streaming, which includes the haunting track "Not a Kid Anymore." The album cover depicts the sun setting over a highway, and that's the perfect visual for a song that's laced with young adult pain and desperation.

8. Harlow by Garrison

Unlike the other bands in this playlist, Garrison is holding steady with over 700 monthly Spotify listeners and a semi-active Instagram profile that shares old snapshots and news about album re-releases. "Harlow," a song from 1999's The Bend Before the Break, is a dark, mesmerizing track that makes it clear that the band deserves their success. "Remember everything you did to gain one inch of ground," the vocalist pleads near the end, and you can't help but listen as if your life depends on it.

9. Franklin Standard by Stillwell

Stillwell saw some excitement in their six-year career, with their Bandcamp profile noting that "the guy from Korn stole our name and our URL in the late 00s, and another band from Chicago stole it in the 20s. What a world!" Luckily, this didn't stop the band from releasing Seven Song E.P., which includes "Franklin Standard." This track starts off slow before plunging into a heavy, immersive sound that hums with repressed emotion, making you wonder when the rest of the music industry will catch up.

10. Giftminute by Midvale

Based in Washington, D.C., Midvale burned bright with a short three-year career that ended due to creative differences. Their work culminated in 1999's Five And Six (Tie), a brooding album that opens with the intensely passionate "Giftminute." Occasionally, this song backs off before dropping you back into the center of the action, whipping you back and forth inside an emotional war zone. After Midvale folded, a few members went on to join Dear Tonight, The Fifth Freedom and Good Clean Fun.

Have you heard any of these tracks before? Which one was your favorite? Sound off in the comments.