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The Promise Ring were one of the most popular emo bands of the '90s, epitomizing the poppier, more accessible wing of the style. Along with Sunny Day Real Estate, the Get Up Kids, Braid, and Jimmy Eat World, they helped bring emo from the punk underground to a wider indie rock audience in the latter half of the decade. Like the exact definition of emo itself, the Promise Ring's music evolved in ways that were difficult to pin down completely; starting out as both intricate and visceral, they simplified their sound into more straightforward punk-pop, then dabbled in introspective roots rock before disbanding. Different parts of their fan base often disagreed about which phase was their best, but their debut 30° Everywhere is usually cited as one of the best emo albums of its era. The Promise Ring were formed in Milwaukee in early 1995 from the remnants of several other Midwestern emo outfits. Guitarist/singer Davey vonBohlen was still a member of the acclaimed cult band Cap'n Jazz when ...