Promise Ring is a Milwaukee (Wisconsin) punk-rock quartet led by singer and guitarist Davey VonBohlen. 30 Degrees Everywhere (Jade Tree, 1996) introduced their aggressive and twisted melodies in a style halfway between emocore and punk-pop. Everywhere in Denver, Red Paint, A Picture Postcard, We Don't Like Romance galvanized their audience of middleclass, suburban kids. Jason Gnewikow on guitar and Dan Didier on drums offered electrifying performances that supported VonBohlen's passionate screaming and crooning.

Horse Latitude (Jade Tree, 1997) collects the early singles.

Nothing Feels Good (Jade Tree, 1997) showed the band maturing both as a whole and as individual musicians. The more cohesive collection displayed the grip on emotions of Replacements' populist rock and roll (Why Did We Ever Meet, Is This Thing On) and a melancholy, evocative quality that did not belong to hardcore (Red & Blue Jenas, How Nothing Feels). Intensity was still the key assett.

The EP Boys + Girls (Jade Tree, 1998) veered suddenly towards catchy power-pop (Tell Everyone We're Dead, Best Looking Boys) and even radio-friendly power-ballads (American Girl).

Completing the progression towards mass acceptance, Very Emergency (Jade Tree, 1999) is a collection of rousing singalongs (Happiness Is All the Rage, Deep South, Skips A Beat, Happy Hour, Emergency Emergency) that have been heard countless times before in the annals of punk-pop. The production is impeccable and the refrains easily hummable.

The single Electric Pink (Jade Tree, 2000) does not fare any better, despite the catchy Make Me A Mixtape.

On Wood/ Water (Epitaph, 2002) the Promise Ring attempt to leave behind the emo stereotype with Say Goodbye Good (violins, choir, keyboards), Size of Your Life (reminiscent of REM's What's the Frequency Kenneth) and Suffer Never, but, ultimately, this is simply good, old, power-pop. This album completes their transition out of emo and into plain shameless pop.

Maritime was the supergroup of the Dismemberment Plan's bassist Eric Axelson, Promise Ring's vocalist Davey von Bohlen and Promise Ring's drummer Dan Didier that released the EP Adios (Foreign Leisure, 2003), Glass Floor (2004), We The Vehicles (2006), Heresy and the Hotel Choir (2007), with Axelson replaced by Justin Klug.