Hayday: Emo Past, Present, and Future
A discussion of the genre and upcoming projects with Hayday frontman Hayden Cook.
What is emo? Most likely not what you expect it to be. It’s My Chemical Romance, except they aren’t emo, depending on who you ask. It’s Machine Gun Kelly, until you get a chorus of irate voices for daring to suggest so. It’s Rites of Passage, or Embrace— supposed godfathers of the genre— except frontman Ian McKaye is deriding the label as “the stupidest fucking thing [he’s] ever heard.” A firm rejection. So… what is emo? The genre has worn so many hats over the years, is it even possible to identify anymore?
These are not the questions that the band Hayday has set out to answer. Arriving on the scene in 2020, frontman Hayden Cook ultimately just wants to make music. But they are the questions that the band has inevitably become swept up in as the genre evolves. With introspective subject matter, shouted vocals, and a subtle overtone of frenetic energy, Hayday’s debut album, Memento Moire, meets all of the qualifications for a second-wave emo hit. But Cook draws inspiration from bands like Title Fight and Ovlov, both of whom are classified simply as ‘rock bands.’ Hayday’s distinct sound is also heavily influenced by shoegaze and indie-rock bands, using the 90’s alternative scene to put a refreshing, yet nostalgic spin on modern emo. This something that would quickly disqualify the band in the eyes of many emo purists. So where do we draw the line?
And yet— Hayday’s music is raw. Cook— who writes many of the songs along with Jake Beales, the drummer— often draws on personal experience for inspiration. The product is a heartfelt album that delves into themes of heartbreak, self-doubt, regret, and betrayal. “A lot of the lyrical content is meant to be determined by the listener” Cook recounts, reclining back in his seat, “You can interpret it however you want, but I know what it means to me.” It is this freedom of interpretation that makes Hayday’s music so emotionally charged, allowing Cook to step into the shoes of the listener, rather than the other way around. This morose relatability is ultimately one of the staples of emo music. When the genre originally branched off from D.C.’s hardcore punk scene, it was the emotionally-heavy lyrical content that cut the cord.
The band’s instrumentals follow suit. Short, heavy, hardcore riffs blast through songs like Mild as May and My Tito, balanced out by the “twinkly” guitar sound that is so classic to second and third wave emo. Other songs, such as Flea Flicker and Sugar Rip, take a gentler approach, sounding more akin to American Football than Texas is the Reason. Cook’s borderline-shouted vocals only serve to enhance the feeling of untethered grief emanating off of the tracks. Under the combination of dark tones and melodic riffs, the music seems to tear itself open, presenting both tender pain and deep love to its audience. “This is what I am,” it tells you, “Take it or leave it.”
Hayday’s variance is testament to how much emo has to offer, but they don’t want to be confined to emo alone. “I think I’d be bummed if [Hayday] was only seen as one genre,” Cook says. With their upcoming album, the band is making moves to ensure that won’t happen. Described as Cook’s “magnum opus,” the album— tentatively titled “Big Well”— will have a softer and more intentional sound. The vocalist explains how: “previous projects have been a lot more built around trying to create an energy,” whereas Big Well is more angled toward bringing up emotion.
For this project, Cook and Beales brought on bassist Cole Baron; on guitar is Gilbert Airbon, who also played on Memento Moire. According to Cook, the subject matter on the new album will be more subliminal and abstract. “I think that’s why I like it more [than Memento Moire],” he adds, “I really like music that doesn’t tell you how you’re supposed to feel.” Although there is no release date currently, the album is in its final stages, hopefully dropping within the next year. This release will usher in a new era for Hayday; as the band continues to grow, so too does their music.
It is important to remember that music is not a static thing. Genres and bands, just like people, are meant to grow and change. As we watch the tides of emo shift once again, resurrecting its second wave, it becomes evident how important bands like Hayday are for the scene. A young band with an old sound; historic, yet fresh and accessible. Emo, but so much more. Hayday is ultimately demonstrative of the rift that exists within the genre as people struggle to decide what qualifies. Hayday may be an emo band now, or not. Or, they may be emo later, who’s to say? What they will always be is an exceptional band, populated by artists who truly care about what they do. Maybe, at the end of the day, that’s all that really matters.
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