Produced by Stephen Trask (Hedwig and the Angry Inch), 2004's . . . Is a Real Boy is simultaneously giddy, self-pitying, and despairing. Bemis' music is more introspective than the "emo" tag can indicate, as it vacillates between his unbridled bravado and sexual insecurities. Due to an ever-shifting lineup, Bemis and his longtime drummer and co-conspirator Coby Linder have toured only sporadically. But when they do take the stage, Bemis' frantic presence is a sight to behold.