The Promise Ring

The Promise Ring emerged during the 1990s as one of emo’s most prominent acts, embodying its more melodic and radio-friendly strain. Together with Sunny Day Real Estate, the Get Up Kids, Braid, and Jimmy Eat World, the group helped shift emo from its punk origins into broader indie rock awareness in the decade’s second half. Their own sound traced an unpredictable course, opening with dense, aggressive textures before moving into simpler punk-pop forms, then sampling reflective roots rock until their first dissolution in 2002. Supporters have long argued over the strongest period, yet the debut full-length 30° Everywhere continues to rank among the era’s most celebrated emo records.

The band coalesced in Milwaukee early in 1995 from the remains of several regional emo ensembles. While still active in the cult favorite Cap’n Jazz, guitarist and singer Davey vonBohlen began rehearsing with guitarist Jason Gnewikow (late of None Left Standing), drummer Dan Didier (formerly of Ceilishrine), and bassist Scott Beschta. Following Cap’n Jazz’s breakup later that year, vonBohlen committed to the Promise Ring full-time. After issuing the limited single “Watertown Plank”/“Mineral Point” on the small Foresight label, the group signed with Jade Tree. Their first Jade Tree release, the three-song EP Falsetto Keeps Time, featured the emo staple “A Picture Postcard”; shortly afterward they also appeared on a split 7" with Texas Is the Reason that included “E. Texas Ave.”

Through steady touring and grassroots momentum, the Promise Ring issued their debut album, 30° Everywhere, in fall 1996. The record quickly became an underground favorite and drew notice from indie publications. While supporting it on the road in early 1997, the band collected and reissued earlier material as The Horse Latitudes. After that tour they recorded their second album, the somewhat brighter Nothing Feels Good, released later in 1997. The album markedly expanded their indie audience and earned solid reviews, though it marked Beschta’s final recordings with the group; Tim Burton, previously bassist in Gnewikow’s None Left Standing, replaced him for touring.

A serious accident occurred during that run when the band’s van overturned in a snowstorm, sending most members to the hospital and leaving Gnewikow in critical yet stable condition. Burton, already struggling to integrate and now hampered by a broken arm, was dismissed in early 1998; Scott Schoenbeck, who had just formed the post-rock band Pele with Beschta, took the bass chair. The Promise Ring released the brief EP Boys + Girls in 1998 before completing their third album, Very Emergency, in 1999. That record pushed the pop side of their punk-pop sound further than before, prompting some backlash among longtime fans even while it continued to grow their audience and received college-radio airplay. Also in 1999, vonBohlen and Didier launched the acoustic side project Vermont, which released the first of two albums that year.

Following the Electric Pink EP in early 2000, vonBohlen was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The growth was removed and found to be benign, yet a resulting infection kept him hospitalized and offstage for months. In 2001 the Promise Ring left Jade Tree and signed with Anti, an Epitaph subsidiary. The following year they released their fourth album, Wood/Water, whose inward tone and luminous textures reflected the recent roots-pop direction of Wilco. Although the reinvention drew largely favorable criticism, the Promise Ring disbanded in October 2002. Several live reunions have occurred since, yet no new studio recordings have appeared.