15 Greatest Emo Albums Of All Time

An explosion of energy from the off, The Get Up Kids’ second album is the soundtrack to a group of young men finding out that life doesn’t always go as promised. The band were barely into their twenties when they dropped their breakthrough release, and the album is imbued with that sense of disappointment and cynicism that comes from seeing the world as it really is for the first time.

This youthful ennui connected with their intended audience, with Something To Write Home About becoming a top seller for their label, and it’s not hard to see why kids latched onto it. From high tempo opener “Holiday” onwards, the record bludgeons listeners with sharp guitars and almost metal-leaning drumming.

“I’m A Loner Dottie, A Rebel” aches with the sincerity of youth, with a newly introduced synthesiser creeping shyly into the spotlight. Album highlight “Ten Minutes” weaves smartly between verses showing off the band’s chops and a colossal pop punk chorus which comes close to a message of positivity.

The Get Up Kids continue to bring out music, but this was their biggest moment, and for good reason. It’s a charmingly naive but masterfully and wisely constructed piece of work, especially by a band so young.