For my inaugural review, I thought there'd be nothing more appropriate than to review the new album from Jimmy Eat World, "Damage". (I'm still tinkering with formatting, so please bear with me....)
ARTIST: Jimmy Eat World
ALBUM: Damage
RELEASE DATE: 6/11/13
Jimmy Eat World (JEW) is my favorite band of all-time, and probably the most important one as well (their 2001 album "Bleed American" being a huge inspiration on my own musical endeavors). With that said, each new album they release receives equal parts heavy scrutiny and adulation from yours truly. Having been together for 20 yrs now (forming in 1993), it's tempting to think that JEW has grown stale, and that, like many relationships, perhaps their spark is gone, the band-crush romance has faded and perhaps it's time to move on.
After listening to their latest record, "Damage", it's apparent that, just like the themes and lyrics of the songs, every relationship goes through change. I can't expect the same reaction to "Damage" as I had to "Clarity", "Bleed American", or "Futures" (or any of their other albums). It took me several listens of the entire album before "Damage" grew on me, which is unlike their previous albums. This is the first JEW album where after listening to it the first time, I wasn't immediately hooked. That's not necessarily a bad thing; it's more symptomatic of the high expectations the band has built up after releasing amazing albums over the years. To the casual listener, this may come across as just another album. "Damage" probably resonates more deeply with fans of the band, who can be notoriously obsessive about each new album.
"Damage" has been described by the band as an "adult breakup album", written from the perspective of late 30-somethings; it captures JEW where they are right now. And the same could be said of all of the other band's previous efforts. JEW has always been known for their honest, earnest lyrics married to music that can be both angst-filled, melancholic, and of course, catchy.
"Damage" is perhaps JEW's most consistent album to date. Sonically it reminded me a lot of 2007's "Chase This Light", but with an overall tighter sound and production as well as a more organic feel. There's more acoustic guitar this time around. Sounds of Americana are more prevalent then before. Most of the songs are in the 3-4 minute range, and are designed to be easy on the musical stomach. And while there's no one song that stood out as an instant anthem (like "Sweetness" or "The Middle") this album actually sounds much better, and makes more sense, when listened to as a whole, vs. individual songs.
Standout songs are "No, Never" (which could be used as a template for crafting an awesome pop-rock song) and "Please Say No" ("delicately beautiful" is how I'd describe it). The lead single "I Will Steal You Back" brings some edge to the album, but compared to previous efforts, it's more of a muted edge. That doesn't mean "Damage" has no punch to it, but it's impact is more of the slightly numbing pain when you realize that the relationship is over: it takes time for your heart to catch up to your head (or is it the other way around?).
HITS: "No, Never", "Please Say No", "I Will Steal You Back"
MISSES: "How'd You Have Me?", "Book of Love", "You Were Good"
GRADE: B-
FANBOY CURVE: B
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