Advocates of Emotion: The legacy of Jimmy Eat World
Being a band who acknowledge emotion, who formulate songs tapered around the somber note and tone, Jimmy Eat World are mainstays. We look back at the emotional connection of their music.
Arizona band Jimmy Eat World have been around the block musically. Since their grand inception in 1993, the act have gone on to cultivate a sound of their own, and from this, they’ve become true advocates of emotion. And by priding themselves on designing thought-provoking work, their stake in the emo-rock circuit is deeply rooted. Emotional music has taken its blows, it has come under scrutiny as being too ‘sad’ for the modern pop upstarts, but it’s needed, and it still emerges victorious in a scene rapidly changing.
Being a band who acknowledge emotion, who formulate songs tapered around the somber note and tone, Jimmy Eat World are mainstays, and many class them as being the godfathers of the genre. This accreditation comes from the long list of tracks and albums the band have constructed, from their self-titled debut in 1994 to their 2016 release Integrity Blues. None of these records have been labeled as being lackluster, they’re all different and they all channel emotion.
To make it ‘big’ it takes substantial and grueling work. Jimmy Eat World have been around for a long time, but they had to work their way up platforms. Second album Static Prevails did earn the band some credit, but it never broke the glass ceiling, and it never shaped the unit as ‘ones to watch’.
Although Static Prevails did give this young band a boost, it was 2001 when they flew from the musical nest onto the patch where the major players were staking their claims. Bleed American was the record that made Jimmy Eat World captains of emo. The content was refined and defined the band’s sound. From the smack of "A Praise Chorus" to the cathartic "Hear You Me", the opus granted them immediate access into bigger venues and rooms filled with lovers embrace.
After the brilliance of Bleed American, Jimmy Eat World delivered a more polished sound in 2004’s Futures. Even with the changes, the album did have that punch and emotion we all expect. Lead singer Jim Adkins conveyed through gallant, sober, lyrics, his grievances. Work is a song which gradually exposes the album as a statement of intent. "Kill" is a sadder evaluation. "Drugs Or Me" is an eye-opening assessment of someone cascading into addiction. They’re lost, subdued, hellishly frail, and turning blue. And Futures is Jimmy Eat World’s personal expedition into emotions unnerving core. They bellowed, they struck nerves, but they delivered. And that is all you need from a band that just wanted to rest their heavy heads.
Chase This Light hit the scene in 2007. An album that came to be even more polished, but has become a central element to the band’s catalog. "Big Casino" starts the record off with brazen guitar lines and a massive chorus, taking the listener by the scruff of the neck. Also on this disc, there’s plenty of emotion as songs such as "Chase This Light" and "Dizzy" come to the fore. Chase The Light is a balanced listen, and it surprised many people by its complexity.
Invented drifted in next in 2010. It is a punchy affair, showcasing Adkins’s lyrical dynamism. He’s a true songwriter, taking snippets from his day to day experiences and placing them into a bundle of wonder. Invented didn’t hit ground-breaking proportions, but it is an album of clarity, an opus worthy of being a solid addition. Songs such as "Evidence" and "Coffee And Cigarettes" blended into the fabric well. Those powerful guitar tones and soft vocals intertwined to create an astounding contrast. To be truthful, Invented doesn’t overshadow the records prior to it, but it does display ingenuity. Intelligence is paramount on every release from Jimmy Eat World, and Invented stakes a claim for being their most sophisticated compendium.
Clarity (1999)
Editor's note: Clarity was the first Jimmy Eat World album I bought, off the strength of the single "Lucky Denver Mint", which I had heard on the radio. It was the start to a long and everlasting connection with their music. The album celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, and to this day, it's still my favorite.
Back in 2003, we spoke to Mark Trombino, the album's producer about working with Jimmy Eat World.
The band finished their next addition in 2013. Damage showed that Jimmy Eat World were always stuck to their roots, and its sound is reminiscent of the days of Bleed American and even Futures. Lyrically it is intense, captivating and softer. There’s ballads here, songs of despair. Adkins displays this on tracks including "Lean" and "Book Of Love". On that particular track, Adkins sings with freedom but also there’s bubbling rage overstepping the mark. He describes a lover who is filled up to the skies with lies, and he craves the truth. It is wonderful songwriting.
Jimmy Eat World’s most recent work is Integrity Blues. The album transports the listener into a world where hatred and good fight. The melody is composed well, and the record as a whole presents itself as a genuine record full of brazen guitar work and insightful songwriting. The act dislodges partially from the acoustic sound and shows us that they can play hard-hitting music. Integrity Blues is a statement of intent from a seasoned band who don’t want to be rubbed away. Songs such as "Sure And Certain" and "Get Right" prosper beyond the rest, and are sure winners. The beat, the melody, the bass lines all meld together smoothly.
All of these records have emotion within their interior. They all naturally bloom but none overshadow. They use the same template, but don’t sound completely alike. And judging by the response, many love the diversity of Jimmy Eat World. But many don’t know the band have been around since the early nineties, the same era as Green Day’s Dookie and Nirvana’s Nevermind, as well as The Offspring’s Smash.
As we look forward, Jimmy Eat World have announced they’re working a new full length. The band recently released a two-song EP Love Never / half heart. These songs exhibit a brash direction and a cathartic one. Both compelling additions to the catalog. It takes guts for bands to be making music 25 years on. Not many bands have lasted this long, not many have delivered consistently good albums, but this unit are different. They’re hard workers and their musicianship should be acclaimed. And being the true advocates of emotion is a suitable title for this forward-thinking act.