Rating: 
Summary: OK people - Reality Check
Review: First off, i have not read this book...Why would you? Instead, start a band or start thinking for yourself. Stop worrying about if your "emo" enough. Honestly kids, Do you think the really good artists and bands that started this all and made a difference sat around and read how-to books on what to like? Don't let anyone tell you how to dress, what to listen to, and how to think...i dont care what genre you think you are. In fact i should be writing songs right now instead of preaching in this review! The point is; Instead of reading this book or any like it, a much better idea would be to spend that time going to little shows and supporting original local bands or starting your own. And dont worry what "kind" of bands or music you like - I've read and heard first-hand many a time when the guys in GOOD bands shudder at the mention of the word "emo" which should tell you something. Why would anyone want to be in an "emo" band? or a "grunge" band? It's all in the past and the true art and manifestation of creativity lies in the future. email me with any questions, just for kicks. f_w_e@juno.com
Rating:
Summary: OK people - Reality Check
Review: First off, i have not read this book...Why would you? Instead, start a band or start thinking for yourself. Stop worrying about if your "emo" enough. Honestly kids, Do you think the really good artists and bands that started this all and made a difference sat around and read how-to books on what to like? Don't let anyone tell you how to dress, what to listen to, and how to think...i dont care what genre you think you are. In fact i should be writing songs right now instead of preaching in this review! The point is; Instead of reading this book or any like it, a much better idea would be to spend that time going to little shows and supporting original local bands or starting your own. And dont worry what "kind" of bands or music you like - I've read and heard first-hand many a time when the guys in GOOD bands shudder at the mention of the word "emo" which should tell you something. Why would anyone want to be in an "emo" band? or a "grunge" band? It's all in the past and the true art and manifestation of creativity lies in the future. email me with any questions, just for kicks. f_w_e@juno.com
Rating: 
Summary: come on
Review: For anyone who rants on about how they thought that the book was going to be about the history of emo is obviously assuming. Lets not judge a book by it's cover-literally. The book briefly described a background to the emo music scene, and went further in depth on the emo in the present day. The generation Andy Greenwald is talking about was the exact generation I was very much a part of, and I believe it to be a very precise, and on target hit to the world of the so called "emo" scene today and a few major parts of it. If Greenwald wanted to go in depth about the history of emo and punk rock, he would need 5 novels to complete it. Not only did I find this a good read, but being a journalism major, I thought it was very well laid out, written, and inspirational!
Rating: 
Summary: Music
Review: I am a college kid who picked up this book because i wanted to learn about "emo" music and the history of "emo". There were ups and downs of the book which made the book an average book. The history of the first "emo" bands were very interesting and i found out about many different bands that i would have never found out about before then. Some of the chapters were to long and seemed to repeat information. That is my simple review of the book, but i have a few more things to say to some of the other reviewers. If you are going to trash someone's book you should at least take your time and read the whole book before jumping to conclusions. Honestly who cares if Texas Is The Reason is "emo" but Dashboard isnt "emo"; i thought bands where supposed to be about the music and not some stuipd title. The whole purpose of music is to express and help yourself, so stop worrying about titles or other things that will have no positive outcome. Start caring about the music.
Rating: 
Summary: A must have for punk/emo/indie enthusiasts
Review: I bought this book on a whim, not only because Andy Greenwald is a very credible source on rock music history, but also because I have been baffled for years as to what this thing called "emo" was. Well, my questions have been answered, and who would have thought that I would actually be an emo kid - I had no idea. Had I been properly introduced to Sunny Day Real Estate in 1993 I would have turned out a lot different, I think.
This book gets to the roots of the poppy-punk incarnation of current day emo, showing the progression of band influences from Minor Threat and Rites of Spring all the way to Dashboard Confessional. It all ties together so well, and the confusion of the "emo" aesthetic is made much clearer. Greenwald makes the argument that emo is not a genre, but rather an aethetic and a rite of passage through the throes of adolescence that everyone can relate to.
I really enjoyed how Greenwald tied in the internet with the current trends in music because it does have a profound impact on how info about bands and their music can travel in a nanosecond. The only criticism I have is the fact that three entire chapters were dedicated to Chris Carabba and Dashboard Confessional. I would have loved another chapter or two on mid 90's emo (Mineral, Promise Ring, and how about a chapter on the Chicago Emo scene, ie any/all of the Kinsella projects) but, hey, I didn't write it.
If you're confused about emo, punk, and indie music and want something to help clear it all up, buy this book. You might discover that you're an emo kid, too.
Rating:
Summary: A must have for punk/emo/indie enthusiasts
Review: I bought this book on a whim, not only because Andy Greenwald is a very credible source on rock music history, but also because I have been baffled for years as to what this thing called "emo" was. Well, my questions have been answered, and who would have thought that I would actually be an emo kid - I had no idea. Had I been properly introduced to Sunny Day Real Estate in 1993 I would have turned out a lot different, I think.
This book gets to the roots of the poppy-punk incarnation of current day emo, showing the progression of band influences from Minor Threat and Rites of Spring all the way to Dashboard Confessional. It all ties together so well, and the confusion of the "emo" aesthetic is made much clearer. Greenwald makes the argument that emo is not a genre, but rather an aethetic and a rite of passage through the throes of adolescence that everyone can relate to.
I really enjoyed how Greenwald tied in the internet with the current trends in music because it does have a profound impact on how info about bands and their music can travel in a nanosecond. The only criticism I have is the fact that three entire chapters were dedicated to Chris Carabba and Dashboard Confessional. I would have loved another chapter or two on mid 90's emo (Mineral, Promise Ring, and how about a chapter on the Chicago Emo scene, ie any/all of the Kinsella projects) but, hey, I didn't write it.
If you're confused about emo, punk, and indie music and want something to help clear it all up, buy this book. You might discover that you're an emo kid, too.
Rating:
Summary: An embarrassment.
Review: I cannot believe I plopped down $15 bucks for this garbage. What I thought was going to be an interesting look into a music movement is nothing more than a book for high school kids. This guy really seems to believe that "emo" music is for and about high school kids. Every time this guy writes something good, he ruins it with some long-winded, syrupy metaphor relating to teenagers or inserts an e-mail from a high school kid talking about how Dashboard Confessional saved them from a world of despair. He writes about Dashboard Confessional like this was the greatest, most important band since Nirvana. The author writes whole chapters about obscure, mediocre bands, and totally ignores many, many truly talented "emo" bands. The book is badly written, too. The style reads like something out of Scholastic Magazine. Or better yet, it is like reading one of those trashy biographies on Dave Matthews Band or Blink-182 you see from time to time. This is probably the worst book about music I've ever read, and I've read a lot of 'em.
Rating:
Summary: one of the best music books in years
Review: I don't know who these complaining reviewers are, but I doubt they have actually read this book. The "emo" scene is a tough one to crack as no one in it actually wants to be labeled emo. Maybe there lies the problem. However, any one who is a fan of this music will quickly see that this book was made for them! Great writing and obviously well researched, Greenwald captures this moment in the music industry where fans are actually turning out to see singers and songwriters based on their music not on their press releases.As for the reviewer who says Greenwald never mentions Sunny day Real Estate or Rites of Spring. Greenwald actually covers Sunny Day pretty well on pages 19-33 & Rites on pages 11-19. Sure there is a lot a whole lot of Dashboard stuff in the book, but they are the band making headlines across the world. Whatever you think about emo this is still a wonderful look at how the music biz works at the ground level and with bands just getting big.
Rating:
Summary: one of the best music books in years
Review: I don't know who these complaining reviewers are, but I doubt they have actually read this book. The "emo" scene is a tough one to crack as no one in it actually wants to be labeled emo. Maybe there lies the problem. However, any one who is a fan of this music will quickly see that this book was made for them! Great writing and obviously well researched, Greenwald captures this moment in the music industry where fans are actually turning out to see singers and songwriters based on their music not on their press releases. As for the reviewer who says Greenwald never mentions Sunny day Real Estate or Rites of Spring. Greenwald actually covers Sunny Day pretty well on pages 19-33 & Rites on pages 11-19. Sure there is a lot a whole lot of Dashboard stuff in the book, but they are the band making headlines across the world. Whatever you think about emo this is still a wonderful look at how the music biz works at the ground level and with bands just getting big.
Rating:
Summary: reading is fundamental
Review: I don't usually get too annoyed with people...but I have to say, it really is not cool that people are coming on this site and bashing this book without even reading it first. It really worries me that people don't even have the time or common sense to read a book before ripping it apart. Furthermore, many of the people who are criticizing the "concept of this book" (which you assumed you understood based solely on the title and cover of the book) don't even have the reading comprehension skills to gather the basic premise of the book from its title.
Also, not to get too pretentious about this whole "what is emo?" debate, but, YOU can't define "emo". Neither can Andy Greenwald, but he does a pretty good job of tracking the evolution of the term, starting where he should, with Ian Mackaye. Currently, the word means something a little different in every different region. Really only the dictionary (or the people who coined the term) can give us the ultimate ruling on what "emo" is or is not. Anyone who has been a fan of Dashboard Confessional since its conception knows that Chris's music was consistently labeled "emo" in almost every magazine article put out between 2000 and early 2003.
That being said, I found Greenwald's use of metaphors and similes excessive at times. Still, overall, I think the book was a quick and worthwhile read. I feel it was a bit exploitative. For instance, if my memory is correct, Greenwald literally says that Chris told him things "off the record" and then summarizes the "off the record" stories for us. I wonder how Chris Carrabba feels about his portrayal in this book. I've heard different things about his reaction. Anyways, if you're a fan of Dashboard and want to learn more about the song meanings and more about Chris's personal life, you'll love this book. It really doesn't give a lot of details about the rest of the band however.
And if you want to get a grasp on the meaning of the term "emo", this is a great starting point. But you should check out other sources too and try to actually listen to the different bands that fall under this category.
-Theresa, 19, Connecticut
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