If you question my expertise on sceney-bopper-ness, let me walk you through a moment in time.
I’m standing in the sitting room, my mother in the kitchen, and I’m begging her to let me either a) cut my fringe to one of those cool, massive emo fringes that were huge on Tumblr, or b) let me dye my hair purple. Guess which one I got?
Neither.
And while I was angry at the time –in much retrospect (death), I do appreciate the hit she took from me on that one. Because instead of photos of me at 13, wearing an egregious amount of eyeliner, an emo fringe, with purple streaks, there are now photos of me with just an egregious amount of eyeliner.
With her telling me that ‘it was just a phase,’ I’d ‘grow out of it,’ ‘I wouldn’t want the haircut after the novelty wore off’,’ and ‘hair dye takes a lot of maintenance.’ To that, I asked for a cartilage piercing, which, to my 13-year-old brain was neither permanent and took little maintenance beyond its healing period. What do you think her answer was to that?
In my anger, I stormed off into my room, as very much expected from a young teen, saying to the air behind me, “It’s not a phase, mom!”
And guess what, I’m still writing about the little teeny-bopper bands that I listened to when I was a kid… even after death. So, hah! Guess who was right, Mom?
That’s my expertise. And here’s what we having dropping in vinyl for the sceney boppers in the audience.
Beartooth – Pure Ecstasy
A band many scene kids have grown up with. From watching them open for Sleeping with Sirens and Pierce The Veil on their co-headlining tour a decade or so ago, to now hearing vocalist Caleb Shomo reflect on the torment that drew a lot of fans to their first records as it articulated something we didn’t know how to in our young age… there’s a certain full-circle moment, hence why I just went several lines without making a joke. I’m gonna show my therapist it is possible (listen, I’ll be real here, there are therapists in the afterlife (for those of you worried). Even ghosts have problems, and the vow isn’t void just because they’re dead. Same way student loans don’t die with you).
Purchase the LP from the band here.
Thornhill –Bodies Definitive
Not just critically acclaimed, but the rather viral Thornhill record, Bodies has been reprinted on two new exclusive vinyl variants, with the first already sold out. The second left up for sale is still up for pre-order and also features alternate album artwork. Thornhill is one of those sweet spot bands: the actual good bands that sceney-boppers find themselves drawn towards but can still be enjoyed by normal people. Looking at you, Black Veil Brides, fan-base.
Underoath –Define The Great Line
Another sweet-spot sceney-bopper band that both helped shape the scene the way into what it is now, but also attracts sceney-boppers who actually do the research into their favorite bands’ favorite bands. Underoath has reissued Define The Great Line for its 20th anniversary –anyone feel old yet? These next few years will definitely make 2010s emos feel quite old as we hit decade and 20-year anniversaries for some of our favorite LPs –and it’s on a fancy new colored vinyl with all new cover art.
Get your hands on it before the kids get their grubby paws do here.
The Warning –Everything’s Falling
You remember those three little girls on the (now-disgraced) Ellen DeGeneres show over a decade ago that played Ozzy Osbourne‘s “Crazy Train” at just 14, 12, and 9 years old? The appearance landed them with some financial aid to attend the Berklee College of Music, and here now is the Grammy-nominated hard rock trio that have unleashed their newest, more poppier venture on some pretty cool LPs. With pink, a picture disk, and more up for grabs, their melodic hard rock is perfect for scene-beginners (pun intended).