I used to believe in the idea of timeless music. The iconic stuff had to be of everlasting quality, rising above the time of its creation. I also believed that doing musical history was an exercise in parsing eras, decades, and trends. If you understood all the details and nuances of when the art was made, you could better understand how it was made. I somehow held in tension the idea that music could be objectively rated and concretely documented with hard and fast rules while still being subjectively enjoyable.
I was wrong, and Bottom Bracket will show you why.
Can music transcend its timeline to be appreciated and highly regarded? Absolutely. And it should. Should we study different approaches, niches, and fandoms for both cultural and critical purposes? One thousand percent. But I don’t need to pigeonhole an artist’s music before listening to it and – GASP! – even liking it. As in, I don’t need to worry about which micro-branch of emo and punk birthed this talented Chicago trio before I can state unequivocally that their music totally kicks ass.
Released on the treasured Midwestern indie label, Count Your Lucky Stars, I’m So Afraid of Where conjures up brisk emo vibes with rich veins of math rock. Think tremendous late ‘90s techniques with early ‘10s moods and the band’s heart firmly on its sleeves. They sing about vintage emo themes like love, loss, and growing up but much more self-awareness than their ancestors. Instead of wallowing in woe-is-me self-pity, Bottom Bracket prefers deep introspection and emotional honesty as they seek out a path forward.
It would be easy to engage in Reddit-style arguments about which “wave” of emo the band belongs to most. Hell, I started such discussions with my descriptions in the prior paragraph. I hear equal measures of Braid, Into It. Over It., Hotelier, and Algernon Cadwallader throughout this batch of ten stellar songs. The bracing guitar work of Mario Cannamela overflows with technical acumen and jazzy fills that match his mouthful-of-lyrics vocal delivery with impeccable style. Rob Diaz on drums embraces time signature shifts that result in twisting arrangements, but he also knows how to deliver delightful pop hooks in 4/4 time. Tim Recio holds it all down on bass with deep punky rumbles as the overall super-clean production allows the gang vocals and instruments to shine in equal measure.
I’m So Afraid of Where encourages me to put down my history books and run headlong into the pit.
Bottom Bracket’s overarching skills and obvious joy reject my typical penchant for ranking the band in any sort of rockist hierarchy. Standout tracks like “Great Lake Jumper,” “Spin Cycle,” “Rainbow in the Rear View,” and “A Confrontation” help me remember my 20s with bittersweet fondness. Those songs also help my 40-something self feels proud that high-quality emo exists, complete with more emotionally in-tune lyrical content.
Timeless music doesn’t have to transcend history. Sometimes, it should send you back to a specific place in yours.