Genre Directory
Midwest Emo
Browse Dork's album & ep review coverage for Midwest Emo, plus artists and albums connected to the genre.
Recent Reviews
Lost On You
Tigers Jaw
'Lost On You' sounds like a record made by people who know exactly what they do well.
I Used To Go To This Bar
Joyce Manor
Few bands are quite so skilled at telling such wonderful stories in less than two minutes.
No-One Was Driving The Car
La Dispute
La Dispute are one of the best bands of all time.
Easier Said Than Done
Pool Kids
Sometimes sincerity is punk too.
WHO WILL LOOK AFTER THE DOGS?
PUP
The crowning glory of their peerless five-album run.
The Scholars
Car Seat Headrest
Car Seat Headrest truly embraced the epic here; and it’s paid off in spades.
We Could Be Brave
Michael Cera Palin
The first great emo record of 2025.
Bambi
Anxious
A real statement from one of the hottest emo/punk/hardcore bands around.
Spiral in a Straight Line
Touché Amoré
Another step forward in the band’s evolution.
The Falls Of Sioux
Owen
A masterclass in restraint, storytelling and embracing ennui.
Losing What We Love
Knuckle Puck
Knuckle Puck have rediscovered themselves.
Cheap Grills
Sincere Engineer
'Cheap Grills' has a huge amount of heart.
Why Would I Watch
Hot Mulligan
With this record, they've raised the bar for the newest generation of emo bands.
Doom & Gloom Sessions
Spanish Love Songs
A suitably enjoyable stopgap as we await another twelve rounds of existential dread from the Californian punks
Artisans & Merchants
The Van Pelt
A fine return from one of the more interesting acts from a bygone era.
The Hum Goes On Forever
The Wonder Years
Dealing with the world and all that comes with it has been an integral part of The Wonder Years’ draw.
40 oz. to Fresno
Joyce Manor
Remarkably – despite being six albums deep into their career – it proves that Joyce Manor’s purple patch shows little signs of fading.
The Unraveling of PUP the Band
PUP
Ridiculous? Unquestionably. Genius? Quite possibly.
Bless My Psyche
Sincere Engineer
Never have such small wins sounded so celebratory.
Piecing It Together
Free Throw
The sound of a band who have it all worked out.
