Mineral: Texas Spun Emo

Juniper Wolff

Local Music Journalist

The resurgence of second wave emo through social media has brought thousands of new fans to bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, Cap’n Jazz, and Braid. Seemingly, there are little to no prominent second wave emo bands from the Lone Star State of Texas. However, one hidden gem reigns supreme, Mineral. Originating from the Live Music Capital of the World, Austin, Texas, Mineral is claimed to be a classic staple of the second wave emo genre. Because of this, Mineral’s history is quite extensive and well documented for being an underground emo band from the ‘90s. 

History 

Originally founded in Houston, Mineral’s roots were dug into the Austin emo scene throughout the 1990’s. Forming the band in 1994, they quickly became a local sensation, releasing several singles, EP’s, and a couple full length albums. One of their first major feats was a collaboration album between Mineral, Jimmy Eat World, and Sense Field. However, their spark wouldn’t last forever, leading to hiatus and what seemed to be the end of the band. The band was a major success and now it is completely over, many thought. After their 15-year hiatus, Mineral announced a reunion tour in 2014. They released remastered versions of their original albums, one being The Power of Falling, to major critical acclaim. Since then, they’ve released several singles and have further toured across the United States. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end as they announced their final disbandment towards the end of 2025. As a whole, their music has become a major influence and brought a new light on second wave emo, bringing emo representation to Texas. 

Discography 

Regardless of their length presence in the scene, Mineral only had two full-length albums. The more successful of the two, The Power of Failing, was very well received. Pitchfork described it as “a classic…its raw feel and execution match its emotions”. Technically, The Power of Failing and Mineral as a whole is described as a Christian band because of its themes, tones, and lyrics based around Christianity. Their sophomore and final full length album, EndSerenading, hosts a higher production value than The Power of Falling, a major feat and step forward. This album takes a different path than its predecessor, adding a slowcore, sentimental aspect unseen in any of their previous work. Mineral’s sound is what truly defines them as one of the greatest second wave emo bands of the ‘90s. 

Sound and Recommendations 

Compared to their second wave emo peers, Mineral has a much darker, gritty, and jagged sound. They feature melancholic, raw, melodic tracks like Parking Lot, their most popular track according to its position on their Spotify page. Enjoyers of Mineral in the dark, gritty aspects would love similar second wave emo artists like Sunny Day Real Estate, Braid, The Appleseed Cast, and Jejune. Another band that features the lead singer of Mineral, Chris Simpson, is The Gloria Record. The Gloria Record, despite their low monthly listener count on Spotify, packs a punch through songs such as “A Lull in Traffic” and “The Arctic Cat”.