Braid were an
emo/
indie rock band from
Champaign,
Illinois. They were active from
1993-
1999. They produced three
LPs in this time, as well as numerous
EPs and
split 7"s. After they broke up in 1999, they issued a
live album and two compilations of rarities.
They play emo-pop in the vein of The Promise Ring and The Get Up Kids but have a tendency to rock just a little harder. Odd time changes, an emo trademark are common. Also, typical emo vocals, screamed and sung, strained to the point of breaking are here. Some like them, some hate them. I love them.
Something that may be interesting to note is that they recorded one song, their first, with a female lead singer. It's called Circus Of The Stars and is very... different from the rest of their catalog. I sometimes wonder what would've happened to Braid if she had stayed on as vocalist. It seems that a lot of the lyrics are about male angst, and would've sounded odd flowing from her lips.
It's also sort of interesting to note that their first record, Frankie Welfare Boy, Age 5 contains twenty-six songs. One for each letter of the alphabet.
Studio Albums Are:
Posthumous Material Includes:
The line up was fairly stable by 1995, and at the time of their breakup they were:
- Damon Atkinson
- Todd Bell
- Chris Broach
- Bob Nanna