Listen here: American Football

American Football was an emo band from Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, active from 1997 to 2000. The band was formed by guitarist/bassist and singer Mike Kinsella (formerly of Cap'n Jazz and Joan of Arc and currently of Owen) and drummer Steve Lamos (formerly of The One Up Downstairs, one time member of The Firebird Band and Edward Burch & the Staunch Characters, and currently of The Geese and DMS), and also included guitar player Steve Holmes (also of The Geese).

Kinsella and Lamos began playing together with David Johnson and Allen Johnson in 1997 under the name 'The One Up Downstairs', in which Kinsella was exclusively a vocalist. Three songs were recorded under this name, with the intention of releasing them as a 7" record on Polyvinyl Records; however, the band splintered before the record could be pressed, so the songs were shelved. The three tracks recorded by The One Up Downstairs would finally be released in 2006 as a digital download EP by Polyvinyl.

David Johnson and Allen Johnson went on to form the band Very Secretary (and later Favorite Saints), while Kinsella and Lamos began working with Steve Holmes. American Football completed a total of two releases—an eponymous EP in 1998 and their full-length debut album in 1999, both through Polyvinyl Records. Though the band did not record bass on the EP, Kinsella handled bass duties on the LP.

Within a year of the release of their full-length, American Football became a studio project, and shortly thereafter the band mutually decided to stop recording together.[1] Still, they gained critical acclaim for that album, which merged the plain-spoken, confessional lyrics and the varying time signatures of math rock with a softer musical sensibility. These characteristics have been found in Kinsella's project, Owen. There has been no discussion of reuniting the band.

Disography:
Albums -
American Football (S/T)
Ep's -
American Footbal (S/T)

Honest, heartfelt indie/emo. One of my favourite bands.

I have meant to check this band out for the longest time considering so many of my favorite bands were heavily influenced by them.

I really have no excuse. Will check soon.
Great thread, buddy.

I love these guys! glad too see some dollars who do as well!

>>2 which band are you talking about?

>>3
The bands influenced?
Mainly TTNG, but tons of other twinkly indie/emo and math rock groups have some influence from these guys. The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Loner Afraid To Die and Enemies come to mind first and I'm sure there's many others.

This is a somewhat random question but I'm trying to narrow down my "listen-to" list of 2013 stuff. If anyone's heard it, is Owen's latest album like 7/10-worthy or higher?

>>4 I would say The Little Explorer were also influenced by AF

>>5
Oh yes, them too for sure. /o/

well holy shit I actually didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would.

I'll definitely give it more listens, see if it grows, see if I experience that one moment when it clicks, but after four listens through, I'm actually really underwhelmed by the album. Like, aside from "Stay Home" and a few other occasional parts, it stays at this constant level and mood and doesn't really branch off enough to keep my attention or emotionally impact me. It's pleasant, nothing's really wrong, but it's hard for me to find parts of this that I enjoy as something more than just background music.

I just voiced emo community sacrilege, I know. Please don't kill me.

>>7 Im so happy you liked it! And to see an OP of mine on the board again.
I can agree with most of the points you've put forward ut not sure how you weren't emotionally effected. I guess its the timing you listen to an album that determines how much it affects you? this album destroyed me by the time I got to 'I'll See You When Were Both Not So Emotional'.
Oh well, poeple should check out this album regardless of music tast as its just brilliant, and if it has Yata thumbs up you know its good.

Shamelessy re bumbping because their s/t LP MIGHT be being repressed with two additional instrumental tracks along with it.
WAY TOO EXCITED TO BUY THIS IF THIS IS TRUE BUT ITS BEING ANNOUNCED NEXT MONTH

Shameless dead horse beating

And just like that, after nearly fifteen years, they were back.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL REUNION (Naughties emo revivallllll)

Click on this link to be transfered to your exciting destination

>>11 OH.MY.GOD.
This might make me want to get my license.

Finally decided to give them a listen. And I like it. So bump.

>>13 Emo revivaaaaaaal. Don't fuck it up.

I pre-ordered the limited run cassette and LP re-issure of theyre self titled LP the other night

THERE ARE 4 OF US. EMO REVIVAL HAS GONE OFFICIAL.

WE JUST NEED FUGAZI AND JAWBREAKER AND SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE BACK

(sunny day actually have a new song oops)

>>15 Emo revival has become reality. It really was about time.
Should we make an all around thread for the genre, so we won't have to post each band?

>>17 You make really good threads so you sould definitely make it. As long as you educate the peoples on what emo really is as a genre, not that I wanna cut myself long black hair scene bullshit :)))))))

>>17 Where's that thread?!

>>19 I got lazy.

>>20 Dont make me do it I know I'll mess it up ahaha

>>21 I can honestly say that I'm not sure if I can explain the revival myself.

>>22 Its okay were all in a state of confusion right now. All will be cleared up in time...

"Fifteen years after its release, the emo mixtape staple finally gets its own video with a love story that perfectly reflects Mike Kinsella's sweetly sung sigh, "We were falling out of love." " - APN

Its so nice seeing the house on the front cover of their S/T LP in something besides that picture. Kind of teared up watching the video along with the clip; American Football - Never Meant (Music Video)

Video along with the song* Ooops

>>24 That made my day. I like the whole 90s atmosphere that the video gives off.

>>26 Its sooo cool isnt it! I wish I had the money to fly to America to see the re union shows...

So is anyone in the US going to see these guys on their re union shows?

>>28 I don't have a method of getting to one.

I miss the superbowls...

they don't look like an emo band.. at least the typical one or as far as I know, the one with heavy eyeliners & gloomy faces.. I thought that for me they have the aura of All American Rejects and the like.. ^__^

they don't look like an emo band.. at least the typical one or as far as I know, the one with heavy eyeliners & gloomy faces.. I thought that for me they have the aura of All American Rejects and the like.. ^__^

they don't look like an emo band.. at least the typical one or as far as I know, the one with heavy eyeliners & gloomy faces.. I thought that for me they have the aura of All American Rejects and the like.. ^__^

>>32
Bands like American Football were labeled "emo" far before that trend popped up and the term got confused with "scene" stuff and goth elements. Early emo (and to this day "true" emo and "emo revival") are used more to refer to an endearing style of lyricism, meant to connect with the audience on a more personal level. Usually the song topics are sad, contemplative, introspective, and/or nostalgic. Often but not always, emo music as the term was first used doesn't refer to heavier instrumentation and is more of an ethos, much like "punk" is an ethos to describe various genres. Some emo is mixed indie and alternative rock elements, some emo (such as American Football) is also mathrock (go Wikipedia it), and some emo strays the line into post-hardcore...but most don't do that last one successfully.

That's emo 101. Tell all your friends.
Glad I could clear up that misunderstanding for you.

bamp

Pretty much the defining mid-west emo band. They are great. But I'm much more of a mineral and penfold guy myself though.

>>37 What? They don't define mid-west emo at all. That'd be Cap'n Jazz. But ye', more of a mineral person here as well.

>>38 I didn't mean defining like that. I meant like the poster boys.

Like, for me at least, when I ask people if they like midwest emo, they usually say they dig american football first. They also introduce a lot of people to it (also mathrock). But that's just my experience.

>>39 I know what you're saying now. I can agree with it.

Bump

These guys'll be playing in Melbourne on the 4th of June.

I think I'm gonna go.

>>42 Actually, it's July.
Still probably gonna go.

Yep, definitely seeing these guys on Saturday.
So excited!

I kne I was responsible for the last 3 posts, but just to complete the whole "Neige is seeing American Football" saga, I geel obliged to post this:

Neige just saw American Football tonight. It was awesome. They played a bunch of shit that I hadn't heard before. It was awesome. Also I drank a lot which made it better. And they played "Never Meant"asy, which shows some amount of self-awareness on their part - They know most people are
Just their for the bibe

Thano god for American Football.

>>45 I saw them in Brisbane a few nights before you did and I pretty much feel the same about it as you do. It was everything i expected it to be + more. Also got very drunk and had a lil' sob to "I'll See You When Were Both Not So Emotional" because for me that was the song on the LP that was always so relavent when i first started listening to AF.

As much as they were brilliant and how undeniably in tune with each other they are I felt like it was a little bit of a 'Mike Kinsella show' rather than going to see a band. I kind of feel like AF getting back together was to make money out of the hype that surrounds them rather than give people an opportunity to experience an album (and EP) that shaped part of most peoples youth.

Also, >>45 did Mike play any of his Owen stuff at the Melbourne gig? He came on by himself out of nowhere before AF had started and played a few songs. As little of the Owen stuff as I've heard it was real cool to see him play (like two or three songs).

10/10 experience tho AF 4eva

>>46 If they did play anything by Owen, I wouldn't have been able to tell since I've never actually listened to them. I know that there was a separate gig for Owen a few days later, but I unfortunately couldn't go.

Did you have Birthmark opening for them? If so what did you think of them/him?

As for me, my emotional highlight of the night was hearing Stay Home. That song is just wow.

>>47 I didn't catch the supports unfortunately, Ill have to check out Birthmark I guess

Oops thats was me ^^^

So if anyone has been paying attention to social media in the past few days they would have seen that American Football are teasing something...which I think we can all agree will be a new release. I hope it is, I'd like to see if they can continue writing fantastic songs on a new LP (or EP). They teased a little bit of a new song in their latest Facebook video - check it out or like 'Im gonna take a cold shower and listen to American Football' because theyre helping with the hype (for me)

>>50 The last one I saw had music over it. Definitely sounded like some Kinsella written guitar stuff.

Man, I really, really fucking hope this is new music. And another tour would be amazing too. I swear this is the most hyped I've ever been from a teaser.

Confirmed. New album coming out October 21. Also titled American Football. Few shows planned, but nothing close to me so... fuck.

http://americanfootball.bandcamp.com/album/american-football-lp2


New song too. I'm so fucking happy right now.

>>53 Im not overwhelmed actually, but definitely not disappointed. It's hard (nearly impossible) to write a record that equals their first LP - and maybe it's 17 years too late?

The single is pretty boring, a very straight forward song - but that sound is still there, the guitar work is fantastic. Hopefully the album will be more dynamic.

Nervously/eagerly awaiting October 21st!

>>54 Actually, I agree with you. I got caught in the hype soon as it was announced - ended up pre-ordering the album on vinyl.

Man, I hope they don't go full Owen. The melody is nice and with the guitar work they've captured a similar. But I'm sure I'll enjoy it either way.

>>55 Im considering it as well, just to get a 1st run - if its no good some kid on Tumblr will pay $100 for a first run in a few years time

So, it happened. AF2 was released an the world has had plenty of time to digest the new American Football album. Im sure there were many tears shed and many fans made and lost.

Myself? An emotional roller coaster from begnning to end, but 20 years too late - WHY COULDNT THEY HAVE DONE THIS THEN!!! Im happy with it, but to be honest if it was exactly the same as the first full length I still would have been happy. Some great hooks, catchy little classic twinkle licks from Kinsella and co. - pretty decent album