McKinnon (Normal Park)
SPB: Your bio references math rock, [my opinion] one of the sillier genre names. Is there a music term you hear often that seems like it could have been phrased better?
Tyler: I don’t mind math rock as a genre term because it’s simple and descriptive, plus the music often can be a bit silly.
I think referring to the five different waves of emo (so far) is far more opaque and annoying. The fact is we all sound like assholes when we try to talk about emo in those terms. Plus, a lot of modern “emo”-labeled bands rely on stoner chords and more emotionally neutral melodies rather than the sappier hyper-melodic arrangements of previous waves. IMO this new crop of bands (Riley!, Gami etc.) fits an upbeat dynamic more similar to pop punk in the late 2000s/2010s. As someone who doesn’t mind niche subgenre terms to describe new and relevant music trends (as long as it’s phrased well), it could be cool to attach a new label to that sound. But I REALLY hope no one tries to make 6th wave emo a thing.
