American Football formed in Urbana, Illinois in 1997 and lasted just long enough to record the self-titled 1999 Polyvinyl LP that became the foundational Midwest emo document — finger-picked guitars, odd time signatures, trumpet and all. Their 2014 reunion brought two more self-titled albums. Dig into American Football vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
American Football formed in Urbana, Illinois in 1997, comprising Mike Kinsella (then known for his work in Cap'n Jazz and Joan of Arc), Steve Lamos, and Steve Holmes. The band released one self-titled EP and one self-titled LP on Polyvinyl Records before disbanding in 2000 as the members pursued other projects. The 1999 album gradually attained legendary status in emo and indie rock circles, eventually leading to the band reuniting in 2014. They have since released two additional self-titled albums (commonly distinguished as American Football LP2 and LP3).
American Football's sound combines emo, math rock, indie rock, and post-rock with intricate finger-picked guitar interplay, unusual time signatures, jazz-influenced rhythms, and trumpet (Steve Lamos plays both drums and trumpet). The 1999 debut is widely cited as a defining Midwest emo record, influential on subsequent generations of emo and math rock bands.
Polyvinyl's anniversary pressings of the 1999 self-titled album (including the iconic house cover photo) have appeared in numerous deluxe and color variant editions. The 2014 deluxe edition adds outtakes and demos. LP2 and LP3 have also appeared in multiple variants.
Listeners new to American Football typically start with the 1999 self-titled album (LP1).
