Sunny Day Real Estate

Sound Familiar?

“Seven,” “In Circles”

Who Are They?

One of the first bands to establish emo as a music genre.

Before My Chemical Romance and The Used brought their own eyeliner-clad brand of emo to middle schoolers everywhere, Seattle-based sad boys Sunny Day Real Estate ruled the scene.

Guitarist Dan Hoerner and bassist Nate Mendel met at the University of Washington in 1992 and decided to form a band with drummer William Goldsmith. After releasing a demo tape under the name Empty Set, the threesome went through several name changes (including Chewbacca Kaboom and One Day I Stopped Breathing, the latter being the single most emo band name in history). They eventually settled on Sunny Day Real Estate and started the search for a lead singer.

Enter Jeremy Enigk. Before Jeremy came along, Dan did most of the vocals. Dan’s style was more in the hardcore vein, but Jeremy had more emotional depth to his voice, which led the band to adopt slower tempos. And that is essentially the formula for a ‘90s emo band.

Sunny Day’s first album, Diary, was released in 1994 on Sub Pop. The band embarked on pretty successful US tour with Shudder to Think and Soul Coughing, and even appeared on The Jon Stewart Show and MTV’s 120 Minutes. After the tour, Sunny Day regrouped to record a new album. And that’s kind of where everything fell apart.

The band broke up during the recording of Sunny Day Real Estate (or LP2, or The Pink Album) in 1995. Rumor has it that the root cause of the break-up was Jeremy’s sudden conversion to Christianity, but there really isn’t any solid proof of that.

(Fun fact: According to Jeremy, most of the songs on LP2 have incomplete lyrics because he and Dan never bothered to sit down and finish them. As a result, some songs are just pure gibberish.)

After Sunny Day called it quits (the first time, at least), Jeremy pursued a solo career while Nate and William joined Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters. William eventually ditched the band, but Nate stayed.

A couple years later, the band reformed (sans Nate, who didn’t want to leave the Foo Fighters) and released How It Feels to Be Something On in 1998.

Where Are They Now?

Unfortunately inactive, but we can always hope for another reunion.

Sunny Day left Sub Pop after releasing a live album and signed to another independent label, Time Bomb Recordings. The Rising Tide was released in 2000, and the band immediately embarked on a lengthy US tour. Sunny Day planned to go on its first overseas tour after traveling the US, but Time Bomb pulled all tour funding at the last minute. Apparently the label had invested far too much money in an album by Peter Searcy, which left it virtually bankrupt.

Since Timb Bomb could no longer afford to have Sunny Day (or any other bands, for that matter) on its roster, the label shut down and our heroes decided to disband once more.

After the second break-up, Jeremy, William and Nate got together to form The Fire Theft, which didn’t last long since Nate still had an obligation to the Foo Fighters.

Sunny Day eventually reunited again 2009 for a tour, and made an appearance at Coachella in 2010.

As for new material, nothing has surfaced (and probably never will). Dan claimed the band had started recording in 2010, but Nate basically crushed everyone’s hopes and dreams last year by confirming that Sunny Day Real Estate is currently inactive. According to him, the band attempted to record a new album, but the sessions just “fell apart.”

But Why Sunny Day Real Estate?

Even though this band has basically broken up yet again, there’s always hope for yet another reunion and maybe, just maybe, new material in the not too distant future. A girl can dream, okay?

What Does Sam Think?

I will admit that I had an “emo” phase in my middle school years. Much like most people my age (wow, that made me sound a little too old), I was exposed to bands like My Chemical Romance, Hawthorne Heights and The Used at the very impressionable age of 13. At that point, I thought emo was a new thing (and that eyeliner and a Hot Topic-approved wardrobe were required).

As I grew older, I discovered that emo actually predated Hot Topic. The genre, then known as “emotional hardcore,” originated in the hardcore punk scene of the mid-1980s with bands like Rites of Spring and Embrace. Emo was reinvented in the ‘90s with a less abrasive sound thanks to bands like Jawbreaker and, of course, Sunny Day Real Estate.

I started listening to Sunny Day in high school and was immediately blown away by the band’s mature sound. I’m not saying MCR sounds childish or anything, but there’s definitely something more refined to Sunny Day. They don’t try to be aggressive like their hardcore predecessors, but there’s still power behind the slow tempos and shimmering guitars.

My favorite aspect of this band has got to be Jeremy Enigk’s voice. This guy has such a unique voice and it captures emotion so well. It’s not beautiful in a conventional way—he rasps and strains on the higher notes. But all that strain and gravel hits me harder than some guy screaming in my ear (though I do enjoy that vocal style, too).

Diary remains one of my favorite albums of the ‘90s (you can read a more detailed fangirl account here) because it’s the perfect mix of raw emotion and excellent instrumentation. Keep in mind that this album came out at the tail end of the grunge era. The difference between emo and grunge is pretty obvious, but I think Sunny Day bridges that gap quite nicely.

Sam's Top 50 Favorite Albums of the '90s (Part 1)

Greetings, my dear readers. If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’re probably wondering why the format is different this week. Well, it’s because you’re in for a treat. This week, I’ll be starting a countdown series. The first countdown will be my Top 50 Favorite Albums of the ‘90s. Notice that I said “favorite” rather than “best.” These are my personal choices, so I don’t want to hear any cries of, “But why is this album higher than this album?” or, “Where’s this album by my favorite band?” If you don’t see your favorite album on my list, you can always suggest that I listen to it (if I haven’t already).

This list will be updated every other week because I’d like to do some regular entries in between. So next week, you will see another artist spotlight. The week after next, you’ll see the next part of the list, and so on. So sit back and enjoy my fangirlery!

50. Grace by Jeff Buckley (1994)

I need to get something off my chest, guys. Jeff Buckley’s cover of “Hallelujah” is the best version of the song. Period. If you don’t agree, you’re wrong. Sorry, not sorry. That will be my only objective statement on this list, I promise. But I just have strong feelings about that song. The rest of the album is just as gorgeous. Jeff can croon like an angel. His voice just tugs at my heartstrings. I’m not sure if that’s because he was genuinely talented, or if it’s just the mystical feeling of listening to a musician who died too young. I’ve heard the argument that most Jeff Buckley fans tend to glorify his music because of his early death (much like Nirvana fans tend to hold Kurt Cobain up as a “grunge messiah”). But I think Grace holds up as a solid, moving album. With songs like “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” and of course “Hallelujah,” Jeff knows how to reduce even the most stoic listener to tears.

49. Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) by Wu-Tang Clan (1993)

I wasn’t really a huge fan of rap until I got to college and started listening to some old school ‘90s rap. A lot of my friends were really into Wu-Tang Clan, so I had to see what the big deal was. Enter the Wu-Tang is probably the rawest rap record I’ve ever heard. There’s no flashy production here—it’s all visceral. I know I’m just a middle class white girl, and I won’t pretend that I can relate to any of the songs on this album. But I can definitely appreciate the beats and the delivery. Enter the Wu-Tang takes no prisoners. The first track, “Bring Da Ruckus,” is basically a call to arms. These guys don’t fuck around and neither does this album.

48. Bridges to Babylon by The Rolling Stones (1997)

I grew up in a Rolling Stones household. My dad is the biggest Stones geek on the planet, so naturally, I’m familiar with the majority of the band’s extensive catalog. While I do appreciate classic Stones, my favorite album is (not surprisingly) their ‘90s release, Bridges to Babylon. These guys kind of took an awkward turn in the ‘80s (accentuated by the Mick Jagger/David Bowie phenomenon that is “Dancing inthe Street”), but by the time the ‘90s rolled around, the Stones got their groove back. This album is exactly like classic Stones, but it’s got enough of the old sound to complement the new sound. “Flip the Switch” and “Gunface” have some great guitar work from the great Keith Richards, and even the slower tunes (especially “Saint of Me”) have a quiet power. There are probably some Rolling Stones purists out there who like to ignore the band’s later work, but Bridges to Babylon can definitely stand up with the greatest Stones albums.

47. Red Medicine by Fugazi (1995)

As if this list wasn’t already all over the place genre-wise, here’s a post-hardcore album to throw into the mix. Punk rock took many forms in the ‘90s: grunge, pop-punk, emo and post-hardcore. Post-hardcore was a little harder for people to swallow, but it’s honestly the most interesting mutation. While I’m sure a lot of Fugazi fans wouldn’t choose this album as their favorite, it was my introduction to the band. I heard “Do You Like Me?” and I was hooked. Those messy, raunchy riffs at the beginning of that track definitely rubbed me the right way. A lot of the other tracks are a bit more experimental, and I think that turns off some of the pop-punk kids, for example. These aren’t three-chord races to the finish line—these songs are meticulous and aggressive.

46. Dear You by Jawbreaker (1995)

Speaking of punk rock subgenres, let’s talk about Jawbreaker and emo movement of the early ‘90s. When I say “emo,” the first band that probably comes to mind is My Chemical Romance. Am I right? Yeah, I thought so. Believe it or not, MCR didn’t start the emo movement. It started back in the mid-‘80s and it had nothing to do with eyeliner or vampires or bad haircuts. Though bands like Rites of Spring and Embrace actually pioneered emo (or “emotional hardcore”), Jawbreaker and another band called Sunny Day Real Estate (who also makes an appearance on this list) reinvented it. Jawbreaker was a bit closer to the original emocore sound than Sunny Day Real Estate, though. Dear You is the band’s most polished-sounding album, but that doesn’t lessen the impact of it. My personal favorite track is “Chemistry,” which has this perfect mix of aggressive guitar riffs and a nice, melodic chorus with clever lyrics.

45. Tragic Kingdom by No Doubt (1995)

If you read my entry on No Doubt, you’ll recall that I’m in love with Gwen Stefani. Tragic Kingdom-era Gwen is the best Gwen because she was just so spunky. And yes, I do realize there are other people in the band, so let’s just talk about Tragic Kingdom in a musical sense. Again, looking back to my No Doubt entry, it’s pretty obvious that I love this album. It’s one of the most inventive albums from the third wave ska movement because it incorporates more than just swing-style beats and a trumpet/trombone chorus. “Don’t Speak,” for example, is a gorgeous ballad that you wouldn’t normally hear on a ska album. There’s even a Spanish-style guitar solo. Beat that, Reel Big Fish.

44. Hello Nasty by Beastie Boys (1998)

I know most people would choose Ill Communication over Hello Nasty, but I’m not most people. This is my favorite Beastie Boys album because it features some of the best Beastie Boys songs. “Intergalactic,” “Electrify,” “Super Disco Breakin’”—these are fantastic tunes. When I was younger, I would attempt to dance to “Body Movin’” and my parents would laugh at me, but dammit, I loved that shit. If you get me drunk enough, I will dance to every single song, and I will do those horribly embarrassing moves that I probably shouldn’t do in public. The Beasties bring out the best in me, you know? And God rest MCA’s soul. That man helped create some awesome music and I still upset when I realize he’s gone. But we still have albums like Hello Nasty to remind us that the spirit of the Beastie Boys will never die.

43. Diary by Sunny Day Real Estate (1994)

Oh hey, remember when I said you’d be seeing Sunny Day Real Estate on this list? Didn’t think you’d see them so soon, huh? Like Jawbreaker, these guys reinvented emo in the early ‘90s. Diary was the band’s first (and probably most successful) album. There’s something urgent in its tone and the sound helps bridge the gap between post-hardcore and the later forms of emo. It’s powerful (even if you can’t understand most of Jeremy Enigk’s lyrics). Some personal highlights include “The Blankets Were the Stairs,” “In Circles” and “Pheurton Skeurto.”

42. Purple by Stone Temple Pilots (1994)

This band gets a lot of shit, but they made some damn good music back in the day. I’ll admit that STP’s first album, 1992’s Core, was kind of a grunge rip-off, but Purple, the second album, was so much better. The band incorporated some psychedelic rock influences and Scott Weiland’s lyrics and vocal delivery vastly improved. Purple also had three perfect singles: “Vasoline,” “Interstate Love Song” and “Big Empty.” I still believe “Interstate Love Song” is one of the best songs of the ‘90s because of its simplicity. It has a Southern rock feel to it, but there’s a pop undertone there that makes it so much more accessible. STP wasn’t a grunge band by any means and I think most people would agree with me. Scott Weiland and company were vastly more creative than their contemporaries. It’s a shame that Scott and the rest of the band went their separate ways (but I can always hope for a reunion).

41. Siamese Dream by Smashing Pumpkins (1993)

This album was tough to place on the list because on one hand, it’s technically perfect. On the other hand, there is one SmashingPumpkins album that I love way more than this one. But let’s concentrate on this one. Siamese Dream is the definition of a flawless album. I seriously struggle to find anything wrong with it (though I do know too many people who hate “Today,” but whatever—I like it). Billy Corgan was obsessed with making this a great album, so much so that he often overdubbed James Iha and D’arcy Wretzky’s guitar and bass parts with his own playing. But the result was a record that felt so incredibly massive, yet so controlled. “Geek U.S.A.,” along with being my second favorite Smashing Pumpkins song ever, is the perfect example of this sentiment. It condenses a three-part epic into five glorious minutes. And that’s what Siamese Dream is—a glorious epic. 

Foo Fighters

Sound Familiar?

“Everlong,” “My Hero,” “Learn to Fly”

Who Are They?

Dave Grohl’s venture into post-Nirvana territory.

The year was 1994 and music had suffered a devastating casualty with the loss of Kurt Cobain. While Nirvana was obviously done for without the reluctant idol, Dave Grohl did not go quietly into that grunge-less night. He started a one-man project, recording the songs he had kept to himself during his stint as Nirvana’s drummer. Before the release of 1995’s Foo Fighters, Dave figured he needed a legitimate band to tour with. So he recruited fellow Seattle friends Nate Mendel and William Goldsmith (formerly of Sunny Day Real Estate), and threw in Nirvana’s touring guitarist Pat Smear for good measure. And when their powers united, Foo Fighters were born.

After spending most of 1995 touring behind the debut album, the boys settled down in Washington to begin recording their follow-up in 1996. But the initial recording process didn’t go as smoothly as expected. Dave, dissatisfied with how the mixes were turning out, removed Goldsmith’s drum parts and replaced them with his own. That didn’t fly with Goldsmith, so he left the band. But rescue came in the form of Alanis Morissette’s touring drummer Taylor Hawkins, just in time for the release of The Colour and the Shape. And there was much rejoicing.

Foo Fighters saw mainstream success with singles like “Everlong” and “My Hero,” making disgruntled Nirvana fans murmur, “Say, that drummer guy can actually write songs! And good ones at that!” Whodathunkit, right? Unfortunately, Dave didn’t have the same success with band mates. Pat Smear ditched the group and was replaced by Franz Stahl, but Franz left shortly before the band started recording There is Nothing Left to Lose. Terrible decision considering that the album spawned “Learn To Fly,” Foo Fighters’ first single to reach the US Hot 100.

Where Are They Now?

Far from the colossal shadow cast by Kurt Cobain.

After lending some help to Queens of the Stone Age on their album Songs for the Deaf in 2002, Dave turned his attention back to Foo Fighters with new inspiration. The original demos of what would later become One By One were re-recorded, but after the album’s release, the band expressed their displeasure with it. Dave admitted that, “Four of the songs were good, and the other seven I never played again in my life.”

Subsequent albums In Your Honor and Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace earned the band commercial success. Singles like “Best of You” and “The Pretender” transformed them into stadium rock superstars. You couldn’t turn on the radio without hearing Dave scream, “Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?!” But no one got the best of these guys. To date, “Best of You” is the band’s only single to reach Platinum status in the US. It also earned them a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Song in 2006. It was so good, Pat Smear returned as a touring guitarist. Now that’s talent.

In 2009, Dave took a break from the Foos to reunite with Queens of the Stone Age front man Josh Homme on his new project Them Crooked Vultures. The supergroup also included bass master John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin. Too good to be true? Think again. The band’s self-titled debut produced the Grammy Award-winning single “New Fang” and proved not only that having John Paul Jones on your side is a win-win situation, but also that Dave Grohl can still rock out on a drum kit.

But Why Foo Fighters?

Their seventh studio album Wasting Light is slated for release on April 12. “Rope,” the first official single, dropped last month and Foo Fighters fans are practically salivating for more. And then there’s this ridiculously cheesy video for “White Limo,” featuring Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister. Ah, classic Foo video magic at its best.

What Does Sam Think?

Being part of one of the most influential bands of the ‘90s (and probably of all time) can potentially be a hard image to shake off. At the time, I don’t think many people really expected Dave to find success in anything else. Krist Novoselic dropped out of the music business altogether, so Dave was pretty much on his own. But even with all the doubt, he stepped up and found his own sound. Granted, he was heavily influenced by Kurt (a fact that he’s proud to admit), but you’d be hard-pressed to find a Foo Fighters song that sounds even remotely like Nirvana. Dave hasn’t completely distanced himself from his former grungy glory; he’s taken the necessary ingredients and created a monster to call his own.

However, that monster seems to have developed a mind of its own in recent years. While the band’s first three albums are fantastic, the last three have been a little disappointing. That is just the way I see it. Now cue the chorus of, “Blasphemy!” But it’s really not blasphemy, folks. Dave said himself that One By One wasn’t his greatest accomplishment. That album kind of started a slightly bland modern rock trend. “Best of You” was great…the first thousand times I heard it. And with Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, I kept thinking to myself, “Wait. I think I’ve heard this one before.” I was afraid that the Foos had lost their touch. But “Rope” proved me wrong. If the rest of Wasting Light sounds like that single, I’ll shut my mouth.

But there will always be a special place in my heart for The Colour and the Shape. It’s raw, yet catchy, and “Everlong” brings on a whole new level of nostalgia. Plus the video is incredible. Michel Gondry, you are a genius. And Dave Grohl, keep on keepin’ on.

--Sam Boyer, reporting from the ‘90s.