The Promise Ring

The Promise Ring: Very EmergencyVery Emergency (1999)
Jade Tree Records

Reviewer Rating: 3.5

User Rating:

Contributed by: Pat41Pat41
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on February 6th 2002I was in a particularly emo mood one day and decided to get to know more bands. One of the bands that I came across was the Promise Ring. That is one of the few bands that have stuck with me through the years after this emo revelation. This band is like a lot of other bands I've heard and t.

I was in a particularly emo mood one day and decided to get to know more bands. One of the bands that I came across was the Promise Ring. That is one of the few bands that have stuck with me through the years after this emo revelation.

This band is like a lot of other bands I've heard and their sound is nothing completely original. But, despite all of those negatives the Promise Ring has a lot of positives to match. Their sound is an "emo" type rock and roll mix. This description is not very much seeing as how that label can be given to a lot of the bands out there. They can be compared to Piebald mixed with Cap'n Jazz, another band on their former label Jade Tree.

The songs on this album while all somewhat similar to the one that proceeds it always keep you interested and unlike some emo bands the vocals are not harmful on the ears and don't keep you wondering how this band ever got signed to a label. The drums are always kept simple but fitting to the song and not repetitive over the course of the album like some emo and punk albums and always keep a pace fitting to the song. The guitars are not anything impressive but are nothing to be looked down upon and always give a new feeling to every song. The fact that nothing on this album stands out as something incredible shows you that intricate and groundbreaking aren't always the best things to look for in a band.

The album starts out very fast and high energy with "Happiness is all the Rage" and "Emergency! Emergency!" The songs then slow down a bit but keep you into the album and not wanting to skip a track because you don't know what you might miss. The first sign of boredom on this album comes at the last song, "All of my Everythings." This song is not bad just really slow and, compared to the rest of the album, nothing that you would be missing if it was skipped over to head back to the beginning.

If you are a fan of Piebald, The Get Up Kids, Alkaline Trio, Hot Water Music, Jimmy Eat World, or Saves The Day I would suggest checking this band out. It will not disappoint you.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

Anonymous (October 18, 2004)

this cd is great. wooha.

Anonymous (June 2, 2004)

you kids arguing are fucking rediculous! hey i got an idea, lets just call it music and if you dont like it dont listen to it.

Anonymous (March 4, 2002)

This was my FIRST exposure to the promise ring... not my only. I know they sound very similar to a lot of bands because they have influenced a lot but that does not make them sound any different from the bands they influenced. Just because I said they sound like other bands thats not a bad thing. Bands sounds like other bands. Its a fact of life. No matter what happens there is always going to be some sort of influence going on. Get over yourself and your im smarter than you becuase i heard **insert band name** before you did that means im better attitude. And as for the emo thing... people want to know what it sounds like when they read a review... thats what a review is for, to inform people about a band or album. I think this sounds like an emo album so I said its an emo album.

Anonymous (March 3, 2002)

saying that the promise ring is not original sounding... that's funny, and you only say this after your first exposure is very emergency? these guys have been around before emo was called emo, so get a clue you fuckin tool. maybe they sound unoriginal because of all the bands that were inspired by the promise ring.... do me a favor, learn something before you review anything that is out of your realm of expertise... oh, and fuck "emo", there is no such thing...

xStreetPunkx (March 2, 2002)

You guys are arguing over what "emo" is, and what is isn't! Good Lord, get a life! If you like it, listen to it; if you don't like it, don't listen to it! Nobody cares what "genre" you think a certain band is; we all see things from a slightly different point of view--that's what makes us unique. You guys are obviously never going to agree, so get off the computer and go play marbles, or something!

Anonymous (February 28, 2002)

emo schmemo, the Promise Ring suck ass. if you want good pop music, get an Elvis Costello album. - fathead

Anonymous (February 25, 2002)

oh man, wyzo mentioned some good artists....

rock

Jimi

Anonymous (February 23, 2002)

listen to modest mouse (ewwww) and then listen to Hot water music's 'Fuel for the hate game' and try to tell me what part of emo dont you understand? HWM was considered an emo bands for a long time, but they are possibly the worst example of people desiring to label something for labelings sake.

They play fucking sincere rock and fucking roll, like the kind played at any tempo, will make you cry, or scream, or angry, or just want to have fun, as long as it punches your throat. Whether its the weakerthans, the new bomb turks, django reinhardt, miles davis, its all just Rock and roll as long as its got heart and soul (and doesnt drag on in a tepid thud of contrived music).

wyzo

Anonymous (February 21, 2002)

Um, Hot Water Music IS emo.

Anonymous (February 20, 2002)

I cant believe people are still arguing over the "emo" word. Who gives a shit? Call it whatever you want.

theboywhocriedangel (February 20, 2002)

it baffles me as to why people worry so much about labels... good music transcends labels... "emo" this, "emo" that... fuck it.

Anonymous (February 18, 2002)

Someone put the Indie label on Everclear??

Anonymous (February 18, 2002)

Ah, here we go again: At last some(one or two) good points have been made. The label Indie does not represent anything but Independent, that is, its not a genre, it is putting out music outside the commercial scene. Its the same thing with Alternative, which is an MTV-word. Indie has however been misused so much that it has become mainstream, and does, sadly, put a label on band like Everclear(a band that I don't care about). So when people use it the wrong way, they just don't know better(read: idiots!).Then there is the subject, again, of what is, what's not. There's emo-rock, emo-core, screamo, emo-yadayadayada. Let's just sey that there is a lot to emo.-Andre

Anonymous (February 18, 2002)

so you're confused and i'm not saying what i'm trying to say in a way that helps you understand what i mean... if you still want to talk about it msn message me.
i like emo, i dont like much other styles of music so i think its good to call a band "EMO" it's my personal opinion. (you keep saying i said "i dont like emo) (what i meant is i dont like all bands termed as emo --- only the ones that actually have emotion as their main thing)

shesh i didnt mean to make it out to be the way things should be or gospel or anything important like that. to me indie rock is independant music.. to me that doesn't describe a band whos vision is emotions. to me it describes a band that doesnt sell millions of records but does play music for the love of it. so how can you say that a band that is predominately about emotions is indie rock? just because they dont sell millions of records? rock and roll is singing about girls and fast cars and dancing etc. the basics. so indie rock is music along those lines but not really too popular. then there's emo...music that has mostly emotions (and often quite detailed) as the subject matter...this is just my theory.

wyzo (February 17, 2002)

what hes saying is there is pure 'emo' bands. These cant be confused with emocore, or bands that have emo thrown around with them. These are the white boy college rock sweater bands, which are only emo. Like mineral, modest mouse, you know, really boring, overly long and plodding music.

Then there are punk and rock bands that have the emo flavor, like a dash of emo. These are called emo bands by mainstream kids with no conception of musical history or depth. No motiv, hot water music, your boy sets fire, your jets to brazil. All these bands have emo mentioned in reviews and blurbs but are really just rock and roll bands that people dont want to call a spade a spade. So they call it emo.

Its as if no body has ever used a slow tempo, or acoustic guitar in a song before. Like prior to emo, these types of songs weren't written.

It all boils down to it all being punk rock and rock and roll, whether its blues or johnny cash, if its sincere, its punk rock.

Emo doesnt exist, and I wish people would quit using it as a catch all term. Rites of spring, moss icon, hell, even the DC bands rocked out, forget this emo crap. Dashboard writes pop songs, lets just get back to calling a spade a spade.

And about this review, the last song is the best song, so I dont know what your problem is with it. It makes me want to slash my wrists, its what a good promise ring song is supposed to do.

wyzo

Anonymous (February 17, 2002)

"i dont particulary like emo because emo is great but i only like bands that are emo or emo influenced like mineral." That right there says you dont like emo but you do like emo and emo influenced bands... im still confused.

Anonymous (February 16, 2002)

hum, i call it indy rock...

then people can't get on your ass for the emo comment...

although, i do think if you say some kind of band is "emo" influenced, it usually is a pretty good overview on what that band might sound like....as long as the person you're talking to knows what bands are usually labeled "emo." you get what i'm saying?

but if there was ever a band i'd call "emo" it'd have to be mineral...they embody everything that people relate to "emo"...

Jimi

Anonymous (February 16, 2002)

umm no.... i like emo....
what i was saying is that a lot of people say that emo should not be labeled as "emo" ...(as in previous posts) and labeled rather as just rock and roll -- but i dont like bands like the red hot chilli peppers which are rock and roll so i see it fit to label bands as emo...

pat41 (February 15, 2002)

Did anyone understand that comment? From what I got he doesnt like emo and and he only likes bands that are emo or emo influenced... what the hell??

Anonymous (February 14, 2002)

i never said emo was related to punk, but hardcore WAS related to punk... i dont particulary like emo because emo is great but i only like bands that are emo or emo influenced like mineral. so i guess if it cant be labeled emo ... then i am just getting into a style of music but its not allowed to have a label because that means its different to say something else

Anonymous (February 13, 2002)

nope

lame actually

Jimi

Anonymous (February 13, 2002)

I tried to come up with something nice to say about the promise ring. Does "lamefully shitacular" sound nice?

Anonymous (February 13, 2002)

As usual the reviews turn to beeing "what is, what's not" blabla. Here is my blabla: emo is more hardcore then it is punk. Punk actually has nothing to do with emo whatsoever. What's next? Tango punk? Jazzemo? As someone said a while ago on this site(paraphrased): "emo doesn't sound like what you think. It's a whole lot different." That says it all. So please, forget about what is and what's not. Just buy what you like!

Anonymous (February 13, 2002)

yes

Jimi

YellowTrash (February 12, 2002)

Wasn't one of the members of TPR from Captain Jazz?

Anonymous (February 10, 2002)

Arent labels just labels anyway... they dont make the band who they are. I think that if someone wants to say this is emo then say its fucking emo... if someone wants to call this power pop then call it power pop.. whatever gets the feeling and mood of the music across to the listeners and to other people. Who cares what you call it as long as you enjoy it. I call it emo because it is emotional music and means something to people... isnt that what emo is? emotional punk? And this band definitley has punk roots.
Also why wouldnt you say they sound like Capn Jazz? I find a lot of their stuff similar in sound. Not like enough to make it be the same band but definitley some influence. Thats what I was trying to get across, what they sound like in terms of influence and in comparison. Who cares that I compared them to Capn Jazz if its so completely obvious.. maybe someone has never heard of The Promise Ring and wants to know what they sound like and they have heard Capn Jazz, maybe that will help them out. Why the fuck not?! Anyway... enough bitching on my own review. But one more thing... what the hell makes Kurt F hate me? IS that just retarded to me or does anyone else find it stupid that he hates someone he has never met?

Anonymous (February 10, 2002)

if someone wants to label as emo .. why not? if it clarifys why they like it? maybe they are looking for music that "focuses" on the emotional side of life

Anonymous (February 10, 2002)

hum kurt....i agree, AMerican Football is definitly swell....

as for Vermont, most people hate them, but i love em....i think it must be davey's voice, but it still makes me so happy when i listen to it....

much like a promise ring song...

actually, i think the new promise ring album "woodwater" has quite a few songs that sound kinda like Vermont (in a great way of course)...

yeah, the new cd is amazing...grows on me more and more with every listen...

Jimi

Anonymous (February 10, 2002)

i went to go see jack's broken heart headline, and instead they didnt and let the promise ring headline. i walked out on the promise ring. maybe their record is better than their live show, or maybe the venue's set-up sucked, but to me they were just boring. no life to either their music or their performance. same old slow crap feeding kids whose biggest fears are getting dumped by their girlfriend. to each his/her own i guess.

Kurt_F (February 9, 2002)

Jimi's right. American Football is a very swell band by the way. I don't know what to make of Vermont.....Some good songs, and some others that I feel neutral on. Maybe it's just the way the drums sound..........oh well. Cap'n Jazz makes me tear up.

Anonymous (February 9, 2002)

who said the promise ring sound like cap'n jazz?

They don't sound anything alike....not in the slightest....

and sure the promise ring has some roots from cap'n jazz....

so do about a million other bands...joan of arc, american football, vermont, blah blah blah....

still, NO ONE sounds like cap'n jazz...

Jimi

Anonymous (February 9, 2002)

Umm can you be any more vague with your review. Your "review" is sounds alot like the some of the other reviews:boring,doesn't tell me much,and lacking original thought or creativity.By the way of course the promise ring sounds like capn jazz since their roots are in that band. wanker

Kurt_F (February 9, 2002)

Um, this cd isn't emo. Maybe 30 Degrees Everywhere and Nothing Feels Good, but not this cd. It's just indie power pop, and a good cd at that. Pat, with each review, I hate you more and more.

Anonymous (February 8, 2002)

Why dont we just forget tags all together... just call everything rock. Thats all it is. The only reason we classifie it as anything is so that people will hear the label "emo" or somehting and be like yea i like emo ill check them out. Or so people can be like yea Im an emo kid.

whatiwishidsaid (February 8, 2002)

but the thing is, all of those bands have such a difference in sound (except for thursday and saves the day i suppose) that calling them all emo just seems wrong...that's why the term is so horrible....

it's just put on any band with a different sound....it's as bad as the "alternative" tag....

maybe we should just add core to the end of everything to make it easier...like the promise ring are popcore, fugazi is post hardcore and saves the day is gaycore....ahahaha, just kidding about that last one kids...

Jimi

Anonymous (February 8, 2002)

I always thought of post hardcore as post hardcore not emo... i put it in its own category. There is also many different kinds of emo. There is emo like the promise ring, there is emo like thursday, there is emo like fugazi, and there is emo like saves the day. All of which combine into one great genre of music that a lot of people enjoy in many ways. emo to me will be emotional punk... which it really is actually. And all this stuff has punk roots but it very emotional music with a lot of melody to it. THATS what emo is.

Anonymous (February 7, 2002)

no, "emo" is the stupidest tag in the world...but people will continue to use it until it's worn into the ground...

shit, i always thought of "emo" as post-hardcore...something like rites of spring, fugazi or cap'n jazz...i don't know....

somewhere along the line, it got put on any indy rock band who put out a record...

this album is power pop all the way baby...

and it makes my head feel warm and fuzzy....

like hot chocolate on a cold winters day...

buy this album...

but don't buy that "emo" band Joan of Arc's album...Tim's too "emo" for me now...

Jimi

YellowTrash (February 7, 2002)

I just bought this album after watching their music video for "Very Emergency!" and downloading all of their mp3s from Jade Tree. I like this album, but there's a couple songs that aren't too interesting.

Anonymous (February 7, 2002)

What do you consider "emo" because if Saves the Day isnt "emo" I dont know what is. I have always known emo to be emotional punk... that is what this seems to be to me.

exhaustra (February 7, 2002)

you fucking kids are killing me. please, for the love of all things sacred, stop using the term 'emo.' it means absolutely NOTHING. the promise ring? not an 'emo' band. 'very emergency?' not an 'emo' record.

but you won't. you'll keep labeling sum41 'hardcore' and saves the day 'emo' and blah blah blah.

i don't know why i even bother.

evildeadalive (February 7, 2002)

I agree. This is my favorite by Promise Ring too. Very poppy. Almost sounds like the Rentals at times.

Anonymous (February 7, 2002)

this is by far the Promise Rings best album to date...

on the old albums (such as 30 degrees everywhere) the vocals are almost completely drowned out (which sucks because Davey's voice is THE key element of the promise ring)....

i thought it would be hard to follow "nothing feels good" but somehow they managed...

this album is MUCH poppier than anything they had ever put out, but it's the kind of album that can cheer you up no matter how sad you are...it must be Davey's voice...he makes everything seem so hopeful...

even when he sings "you dropped a bomb on my bad day..." i just giggle and smile...that Davey makes me so happy...

seriously though, this cd touches me in so many ways, i don't even know how to convey to everyone that it's such a great album...I couldn't possibly live without it...

well, maybe that's an exageration...but it's one of the best albums I've ever owned...

and check out the new one "woodwater" too....if "very emergency" is all you've heard, you're going to be like "what the hell happened?" man, the new one is amazing as well....much more experimental, and definitly slower, it shows a new side of tpr without losing anything that made them so great....

Long live this band...

Jimi

maverick (February 7, 2002)

This is their worst full-length. It's still okay, though. I'd just recommend "30 Degrees Everywhere" or even their singles collection "The Horse Latitudes" over this, that's really good.

-Scott