awakebutstillinbed at Playback Studios

In Music March 2, 2022 by Jay Edgar

STAY WHO YOU ARE: awakebutstillinbed partners with Star99. Photo Credit: Tommy Ly

Ever since Shannon Taylor’s cinematic take on emo helped give birth to the genre’s much-discussed fifth wave in 2018’s low self-esteem (full album title shortened for space), her project awakebutstillinbed has helped re-establish San Jose as a DIY capital. Taylor is an expert at capturing the audience’s attention; at first listen, any moment in an absib song seems like it could be one where she goes from 0 to 60, going from patient sad chords to nuclear licks and the kind of intense, earnest semi-screamed vocals that emo fans crave.