Maybe not always 'emo-ness', but there is a wonderfully sappy sentimentality that pervades C&C, which is a cool trick to pull off considering that most of the lyrics are part of one giant science fiction epic saga. And yet, even though each song is part of a bigger story, they feel complete within themselves, not like fragments of a whole that you sometimes get with bands that do grand concept albums. Each song stands alone without feeling like it needs another to complete the picture.
I get the sense that C&C appeals to a younger crowd, and no less to females as males. One time, I was blasting a C&C album in my car as I pulled up to the entrance of a Long Island State Park, and the young girl inside the fee booth immediately started singing, snapping her fingers and bopping to the music. It kinda made me feel cool ... at least for a couple of minutes.
But underneath the indie-punk trappings, they've managed to sneak in a ton of classic rock. I think it's great that this band bears the torch for Pink Floyd, Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, Rush, etc., keeping these sounds alive for the younger set. Their music is almost chameleon-like in the way they've adopted all these sounds, but somehow turned it into their own.