>> Braid

One of the premeir Midwestern post-rock outfits, Braid helped popularize the straight-up emo style. Neither relying on pop phrasology nor hardcore-descended hoopla, the band's mid-tempo fare would set the stage for many emo acts following in its wake. Personal, yet not clausterphobic themes, dynamic tempo shifts and a cunning use of space in arrangments mark Braid's work.

After the band played its final show in August 1999, drummer Damon Atkinson, guitarist Bob Nanna and singer/guitarist Todd Bell regrouped in Hey Mercedes.