Northeast PA is mostly known for two things (three, if you count that one town with the big underground fire). While West Virginia’s got them beat in one of those things (coal), they remain unmatched in the other– emo music.
The proof: Wilkes-Barre’s If Kansas Had Trees and their debut studio album "Where You Thought You Would Be." The album is a masterclass in emo, taking from some of the best bands the genre has to offer while still sounding unique.
Songs like “Swallow”, one of the best on the album, show a slower, heavier approach to emo akin to bands like Basement or Superheaven while retaining the twinkly, intricate guitar work of midwest emo bands. “Circles” features fast-paced skate punk drumming and an incredibly catchy, bouncy chorus. The title track, “Where You Thought You Would Be”, features more intricate, twinkly guitar lines and a fun breakdown of sorts at the end. Although it doesn’t get too experimental or risky, the album is still far from boring, with most of the songs claiming their own unique identity.
The production is also spot-on– care was obviously put into the mixing and mastering, but it avoids sounding too shiny and produced, a trap other, larger emo bands often fall for. Where You Thought You Would Be shows off one of PA’s best bands right now, and I’m incredibly excited to see what they do next.