The ratio of bands that play emo to the ones that have any clue about the genre's rich tradition is pathetically small. But the Forecast serves up more than a history lesson. With its debut album, Late Night Conversations, this coed quartet from Illinois resurrects the taut, melodic urgency of '90s emo icons like Braid and the Get Up Kids -- but the Forecast digs way deeper than that. Channeling the essence of lesser-known greats like Split Lip, Ordination of Aaron and the Dahlia Seed, Late Night recalls that underground era when "emotional hardcore" not only wasn't a joke, but had more to do with community, integrity and raw catharsis than Hawthorne Heights and hundred-dollar jeans. Conversations, however, is no match for the group's live show. With anthemic riffs giving wings to the earnest, entwined vocals of guitarist Dustin Addis and bassist Shannon Burns, the Forecast four erupt on stage in fits of blistering passion that only ensure the band's promising future -- even as it draws strength from the faded glory of emo's past.