The Emo Diaries - Chapter 11

"Deep Elm are one of THE legendary underground record labels from the US, right up there with Dischord, No Idea and Jade Tree. The Emo Diaries stopped in 2004, but three years later, Deep Elm are taking back emo with Chapter 11. If you're familiar with the Deep Elm back catalogue you'll have a pretty good idea what to expect here: emotionally charged indie rock with melodic guitars and harmonies. Above Them are definitely the standout for me, but there's a nice variety of stuff on show here. I'm Fashion, You're Victim sound kinda like Thrice covering Poison the Well, and the female vocals of While You Were Gone make a nice change. If you already know Deep Elm then you probably want a copy of this already. If you don't, but you yearn for something more than Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance then start with The Emo Diaries." - Die Shellsuit, Die!

"With The Emo Diaries No. 11, Deep Elm seek to reclaim the genre which they helped to shape. Assisting them are twelve bands fighting for their own acclaim by giving their very best tracks. Twelve blasts of emotionally charged rock later and the emo pretenders lie broken and bloodied on the floor. Throughout its entirety, Emo 11 barely misses a step, rendering it perhaps one of the greatest compilations of the century. All of the songs pack the requisite punch and Taking Back What's Ours takes the listener on a journey through the musical genres covered by the emo tag. Knockout Kings show that they are aptly monikered with their searing punk fueled offering. Also up for special commendation is Andy Tanner, kicking up an expansive piano-led ballad which isn't afraid to nail you to the wall with bursts of heavy rock. If you are a fan of alternative, hardcore, punk, indie or rock then this album should be marked as a mandatory item. In the end, these bands bring a measure of pride back to the emo name. Mission accomplished." - Strange Glue

"Above Them kick off The Emo Diaries No.11 in true angst ridden style. For a compilation that sets out to celebrate the best unheard emo and subvert the mainstream juggernaut that has hijacked the genre, there is a healthy sense of real emotion and very little added sweetener. The band's blood is up in defense of their chosen genre and what better way to showcase the real emo heroes than on 'the longest running compilation series in the history of indie rock.' Each song is unreleased and highlights include This Drama and the exuberant Young Hearts. The Emo Diaries is a compilation that trades in sugar highs, but rather than the chemical substitute it remains resolutely full." - New-Noise

"While the general thought about emo was sour for quite some time, the true musicians that played it for fuck's sake - not to follow fads - were doing some incredible things with vocal styles, guitar cacophonies and lyrics. Thankfully the good folks at Deep Elm decided that they don't need to worry about the emo tag anymore and put out yet another compelling compilation of emotional hardcore with The Emo Diaries No. 11 'Taking Back What's Ours.' They couldn't have started it any better with the Hot Water Music-esque sound of Above Them. These songs are unreleased material from bands you probably haven't heard of, but should. Also the best band name award goes to England's I'm Fashion, You're Victim. That's brilliance on a thesuperificial.com level." - Smother

"Deep Elm decides to return to the old moniker for its compilation series The Emo Diaries. Twelve bands and all of them solid. Emo is a state of mind, not necessarily a sound...so if you're unfamiliar with this series, expect to hear stuff from all over the map on Chapter 11. The legend returns, and not a moment too soon." - Aiding & Abetting

"These days emo' is in the eye of the beholder, so approach Taking Back What's Ours as the choice mix CD that it is.� While You Were Gone's mesmerizing melodic punch owes a dept to female-fronted groups like Discount and Cruiserweight, Spain's This Drama renovate Fugazi in a new-school coat of paint, and I'm Fashion, You're Victim bring on the aggro in boisterous fashion.� Fort Worth's Knockout Kings, and Brooklyn's Young Hearts gravitate toward emo/pop-punk trend du jour, with hooks to die for I might add, and fans of the departed Sense Field may want to investigate The Decoration. The most intriguing of this bunch, The City Beautiful, weave a glittering latticework of surrealist dream-pop that's entirely appreciated. " - Big Takeover

"Three years after Deep Elm retired the Emo Diaries, it looks like the label is ready to make some well deserved "Taking Back" pot shots and rescue one of the most overused terms in music from Silverstein, make-up and MySpace. Almost every track on Chapter 11 seems to draw influence from Deep Elm's roster, with sonic similarities to Cross My Heart, Camber and the Appleseed Cast popping up everywhere. While You Were Gone's 'Hey Lola', a pop punk gem delivered with all the earnestness of classic Pollen, is easily the strongest selection while Panel's passionate aping of Planes Mistaken For Stars is another stand-out. Taking Back What's Ours serves up some strong examples of non-Victory Records emo." - Exclaim!

"I thought that The Emo Diaries came to an end, but I'm kind of glad it's back. Ten previous chapters, with 135 unreleased emo-core gems from bands scoping the globe. With Chapter 11, Deep Elm has decided to take emo back. Rightfully so too, as the series has helped launch the careers of bands like Jimmy Eat World, The Appleseed Cast, Planes Mistaken For Stars, Sounds Like Violence and Further Seems Forever. This time around they've included bands from the UK as well as from throughout Europe. There's a ton of bands from the United States as well. I hear a Chapter 12 is in the works, and I'm totally looking forward to it." - Feast of Hate and Fear