Another vote for Braid. “Frame and Canvas” is just an amazing album.
And as a side note, WL, are you sure you aren’t me? Between FF and this music thread, you’re beginning to scare me.
And since Braid is getting more popular consensus, I will mention Mineral, a band that for some reason I always associate with Braid. I think it is mostly because they are both late 90s emo bands that spawned other good bands (Hey Mercedes, The Gloria Record, Pop Unknown) and generally influenced the genre. Mineral is more tranditional rock than Braid. I like “Gloria” and “Parking Lot” the best.
Since I don’t listen to a lot of the hardcore stuff, Sunny Day Real Estate, Braid and Mineral seem to have the biggest influence on the bands I like now. I wish I had known about them in the late 90s instead of after they all broke up. At least they all still exist in various forms.
Oh and “The Middle” aside (I loathe that song now), Jimmy Eat World makes some pretty listenable music. I remember listening to Bleed American (yes when I bought it, the album was still called that) before it hit the mainstream and thinking it was a solid album. I thought “The Middle” was one of the weaker tracks, and then they made it big with it as their first single. Why? Why? Why? As more people talked about how good that song was, I began to hate it more and more. Other than that I’d recommend anything by them as being reasonably good. I have a special respect for Clarity and can’t believe that wasn’t the album that made them famous. Its all well made pop-rock designed to appeal to a broad spectrum without abandoning their indie emo roots.
Oooh, yeah, Mineral are good too. But that’s getting even further off course. Might as well just recommend Fugazi and be done with it, no? 
I was just listening to Clarity again today. Bleed American convinced me that, sadly, Clarity was a one-and-out from them. I absolutely adore it – probably on my top 10 albums ever – but they’ve never come close to achieving its equal before or since.
Here’s one – stripped down partly acoustic folksy screamo (well, only sometimes screamy) – kind of like spitting.
I mentioned them above but they don’t exactly fit the desired genre so I didn’t recommend them, but to anyone looking to expand musical horizons or just to hear stunningly good, complex modern music, give Modest Mouse a listen. I’ll be simple and say they defy categorization and must be heard to be believed.
And finally, my girlfriend would be upset if I didn’t plug her favorite band, Dredg. I don’t know what kind of exposure they get outside of CA, but they are excellent. They seem to have come from hardcore roots to a heavily melodic thick sort of compositional sound, if that makes any sense at all. And their live shows are among the best out there.
Cheers mouthbreather. I didn’t know you were into music. Here’s a test – what am I thinking of right now? 
Yeah, I don’t mind Taking Back Sunday. They grate on me if I listen to them too much, but every few days I feel a need to listen. There’s No I In Team is one of their better tracks, along with Cute Without The E (Cut From The Team) and Timberwolves in New Jersey.
Along those lines, both early Get Up Kids and Jimmy Eat World are great for the screamy/singy thing (they both lost that aspect further into their career, however). And I’ve got to third (?) that recommendation for Cursive. They’re old stuff was a lot more emo, but from what I’ve heard of their new album, it’s just as amazing in its own right.
Why sure, I WOULD love it if you sent me your next paycheck. I’ll fwd my snail mail address.
I just listened to The Fire Theft and Braid and all I can say is, wow. It’s hard for me to believe I found such great bands from asking a simple question. I’m gonna go out tomorrow and get those cd’s (if I can find them). I should also add that I can’t seem to get this Cursive song out of my head :D.
Jimmy Eat World is one of my favorite bands. A friend gave me his copy of Clarity and I’ve been hooked ever since. I don’t see what’s so bad about their new album though. One of my favorite songs ever is A Praise Chorus. In fact, I’m listening to it right now :).
My favorite Jimmy Eat World song is *Get it Faster. * Something about that song just sticks in my head and I have to listen to it whenever I can.
I pulled down Chain by The Fire Theft just after they put it up on their website. LOVE it.
If anyone isn’t FTP savvy, but has AOL IM, feel free to email me and I can give you the other official Fire Theft demos (“It’s Over” and “Sinatra”). The CD isn’t out yet.
I like Bleed American too. I just think “The Middle” is one of the weaker tracks. I’d consider “A Praise Chorus” among the strongest.
Oh and I really like “Get It Faster” too. Especially the guitar part in the middle.
I like “Blister” and “Our New Aesthetic.”
cletus, what Cursive song do you have stuck?
probably goes something like this…“my stomach is like my ego, keep shitting what i feed it”…
The White Octave is a Cursive spin off band formed by Cursive’s old guitarist. They are pretty solid guitar rock. I like “Looking Past Sky” and almost everything from Style No. 6312. I’m not even sure if they still exist now.
I think my favorite Cursive song is “The Radiator Hums,” but I haven’t heard the new album yet, so that may soon change.
My favorite Cursive song is “The Great Decay” and pretty much all the songs from the Burst and Bloom EP, and “Twenty-Two” if The Good Life counts. I also haven’t heard much of the new album.
I pulled out Frame and Canvas and I’ve been listening to it on my way to work since you mentioned it, mouthbreather, and you are so right.
I can’t pick a favorite Braid song, though. I love “The New Nathan Detroits,” “Please Drive Faster,” “I’m Afraid of Everything.” I also like their cover of “This Charming Man.” My favorite Hey Mercedes song by far is “Bells.”
That song, “Fairytales Tell Tales”, was running in my head over and over again White Lighting. I really like this band. Braid is very good too. I’ve been checking some music forums for a band with the “male screaming and female singing” concept. I think that would be cool as hell. Rainer Maria comes close to what I had in mind but I’m looking for more. If I find a good one I’ll post it here.
PS Modest Mouse is weird but strangely appealing…
Hmmm…my suggestion is not emo, and may be stylistically different from what you’re looking for, but if you like singing and screaming female vocals, but with a more straight-ahead punk/rock feel, give Sleater-Kinney a shot. Start with “I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone” and if you like it, continue with the album “Call The Doctor.”
What is it called now? I have it under that name.
For my recommendation, I go for Something Corporate. Solid, good band, and with the occasional flash of utter genius, particularly in a song called Konstantine.
Loneraven after the events of September 11, 2001, they changed it to be a self-titled album. The song name remained the same.
Tertius01: They retitled Bleed American (the song) to Salt Sweat Sugar on all the copies that I’ve seen.
Exactly. And you’ll only get more intrigued as you listen to them more. They’re one of my favorite bands without a doubt.
My recommendations:
At the Drive-In
Finch
Thursday
And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
Jimmy Eat World
Thrice