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Blame Sunny Day Real Estate for emo’s rise to commercial accessibility. With its 1994 debut Diary, the Seattle foursome gave a pretty boy makeover to a genre that previously resided in the tortured noise and obscurity of hardcore. From the passionate swoon of “Song About an Angel” to the shadowy piano waltz of “Phuerton Skuerto,” SDRE spills its guts in an outpouring of everything but rage, creating a sound where the emotionally victimized could relate with their conflicted sentiments. “Round” and two untitled and previously unreleased tracks show some viscera through Hüsker Dü-like crunching guitar melodies; and it’s the terse, distressed melodies unraveling over vocalist Jeremy Enigk’s high-end wail that create the album’s tension. But Diary is a release for those who would rather commit suicide than homicide. Fifteen years later, it’s still a compelling album, despite the procession of sad sacks for whom it paved the way. (Sub Pop) 4 stars out of 5