Diary (Remastered) [Bonus Track Version]

Though Sunny Day Real Estate have often been credited with spearheading and popularizing the “emo” movement in mainstream music during the ‘90s, it’s a bit misleading and unfair to the band’s actual music. Yes, singer Jeremy Enigk can scream with conviction and often does (“In Circles,” “Song About an Angel”) but he’s hardly the first to sing with an overstated sense of theater, and the band is hardly a generic catch-all for all post-punk groups who claimed emo status in the ‘90s. Drummer William Goldsmith was heard to be good enough to take Dave Grohl’s seat when he decided to become the Foo Fighters’ full-time guitarist and singer, and from there, a majestic and fully formed group is on hand. The recording is raw and relentless on this 1994 debut, sometimes making the playing seem a bit sloppier than it actually is. However, everything that made Sunny Day Real Estate one of the decade’s most notable bands is here (“47,” “The Blankets Were the Stairs“). The 2009 re-master includes an alternate take of “8” (that appears on LP2) and another track labeled “9”. Is it emo? Does it matter?