Sunny Day Real Estate formed in Seattle, and the band’s 1994 debut, Diary, is an influential emo album that cemented early tropes of the genre. After the second, loosely titled LP2, often referred to as “The Pink Album,” the group disbanded, with Nate Mendel and William Goldsmith leaving to join the Foo Fighters (Mendel remains with Dave Grohl, Goldsmith left after the first album). In 1997, Sub Pop enlisted the help of remaining members of Sunny Day Real Estate, founders Jeremy Enigk & Dan Hoerner, to compile a b-side/rare takes album, which somehow lead to the “reunion” of the band—Goldsmith was in, Mendel stayed with the Foo Fighters. How It Feels To Be Something On was released the next year, 1998, and the album represents a middle ground between Diary and The Rising Tide, which would come later and feature a more progressive rock sound. Some standouts include: “Pillars,” “Guitar And Video Games,” “Every Shining Moment You Arrive,” “100 Million,” and “How It Feels To Be Something On.”

• black vinyl pressing
  
• includes mini foldout lyric insert
• original release year: 1998
• music label: Sub Pop 2022

reviewed by donut savage 08/2016

ALSO AVAILABLE

• Sunny Day Real Estate: Diary Vinyl 2LP