American Football (25th Anniversary Edition)

You know, you're never too old to be a young emo, and we're revelling in our middle aged teenage angst at the news that the essential Midwest emo debut from American Football has been announced for a 25th anniversary reissue. Topping off this very special reissue news is the announcement of an accompanying covers album featuring the likes of Iron & Wine, Blondshell, Tortoise's John McEntire, and plenty more. Maybe we never went to college in Illinois, but we sure as heck felt those feels, and gladly admit we still do. - Flying Out

American Football cut its first—and, for a long time, only—LP in four days, as the spring of 1999 slid into summer. Steve Holmes, Steve Lamos, and Mike Kinsella were college kids who knew that as soon as their album of spacious and tenderly sad songs was done they likely would be, too. Aside from a few shows, they would break up at the end of the school year and perhaps go on to other bands, jobs, and lives. And for a long while, of course, that is exactly what happened: American Football’s sole album was a twinkling and circuitous entry in the annals of Midwest emo, remarkable for its musical tenderness and lyrical ellipses but largely unremarked upon, too.

Tracklisting 

1. Never Meant
2. The Summer Ends
3. Honestly?
4. For Sure
5. You Know I Should Be Leaving Soon
6. But The Regrets Are Killing Me
7. I'll See You When We're Both Not So Emotional
8. Stay Home
9. The One With The Wurlitzer