Jimmy Eat World

"Jimmy Eat World" (formerly "Bleed American") pushes the envelope of popular music today, combining sounds of Static Prevails and Clarity and is full of potential chart-toppers. It has Static Prevails' power as heard in tracks like "Bleed American" and "Get It Faster." The 'sweetness' of Clarity is apparent in tracks like "Hear You Me," "Cautioners," and, "My Sundown."

Also included on the album are tracks like "A Praise Chorus," Jimmy Eat World's current single, and "Authority Song": two uptempo tracks that are so good, they'll have you pushing the repeat button on your CD player.

If the above information just isn't working for you, I've included a brief track synopsis below. Enjoy!

01. "Bleed American" - This is a powerful rock track with heavy guitars and powerful vocals. The lyrics may seem a little confusing but it was intended that way. Jim Adkins wrote this song out of pure emotional frustration and it just came out this way. The lyrics ARE very interesting, though, so check 'em out. This was J.E.W.'s first single from "Bleed American" in the summer of 2001.

02. "A Praise Chorus" - A great upbeat track with a great message. The lyrics tell you not to let life pass you by and to get out there and make something out of yourself, depicted in the verse "Are you gonna live your life standing in the back, looking around? Are you gonna waste your time? Gonna make a move, or you'll miss out." This song has great harmonies and a reference to the classic tune, "Crimson and Clover." This is Jimmy Eat World's current single.

03. "The Middle" - A very catchy and radio friendly song you had to have heard by now, so I'm not going to say much about this one other than it has a good uplifting message, an upbeat tempo and an amazing guitar solo. This is Jimmy Eat World's most popular single, released in late 2001.

04. "Your House" - This one's a little different than anything on the album. Its message speaks about a past relationship that ended in heartbreak for Jim. He's in the process of healing and doesn't want to revert back to his old feeling; hence the line, "If you still care at all, don't go tell me now."

05. "Sweetness" - A strong rock track with amazing vocals by lead singer Jim Adkins. The lyrics refer to a potential relationship that's a little confusing and a little elusive but seemingly anxious is Adkins of an outcome. "Sweetness" was released as a single in 2002.

06. "Hear You Me" - Easily the sweetest song on the album. This song was written for Weezer fan club proprietors, and friends of Jimmy Eat World as well as Weezer, Mykel and Carli who were tragically killed in a school bus accident. Their favorite saying, "Hear You Me," is also written in Weezer B-Side, "Mykel and Carli." Despite the tragic inspiration to this song, "Hear You Me" is a heartwarming song that can bring a tear to your eye as well as my personal favorite.

07. "If You Don't, Don't" - This song is an uptempo emotional song with cool guitar effects and sweet harmonies. It's likely to have been written about being afraid to tell someone how he really feels for fear of change to the current situation and the dissatisfaction with his lack of courage. She also may be leading him on a little. The possibility exists in lines like, "If you don't, then honey would you just say so cause I need this now more than I ever did."

08. "Get It Faster" - This is a great rock song that starts out a little dark but later opens up and rocks till the end. This song seems to be about walking out on a relationship due to confusion and argument and settling for something easier and more pleasing. Included in this song are thick guitars, nice harmonies and an awesome dueling guitar solo.

09. "Cautioners" - A dark ballad that starts with choppy bass and drums and leads into more melodious Jimmy Eat World style chops. Overall, a different sounding, but good song. The lyrics suggest a nervous expectancy for rejection although things are probably fine. Maybe even too good to be true.

10. "Authority Song" - This is a very upbeat and happy song with strong harmonies throughout. There doesn't seem to be a real lyric sructure to this song other than a basic rhyme pattern but that doesn't take away from it's catchy feel and sound. Overall, a great song.

11. "My Sundown" - This is a nice sweet slow one to finish out the CD. Its sweet harmonies and snapping are unique to this song. The lyrics speak of a willingness to make himself a better person although his efforts go unnoticed. He's also asking someone for help in his personal reform.

Overall, I feel Jimmy Eat World's self titled effort is the best release of 2001, as well as the band's best release to date. Released in the summer of 2001, "Jimmy Eat World" is still releasing singles, including its current, "A Praise Chorus." This is an album you can put into your CD player and let play through without skipping a track. Although some tracks are better than others, there isn't a track on the album you should skip.

So whether it's heavy guitars, emotional lyrics, pop hooks, or sweet slow songs you're looking for in an album, "Jimmy Eat World" will not disappoint.


Incredible   July 26, 2001
Chris (Easton/Kutztown PA)
16 out of 18 found this review helpful

Jimmy Eat World is not one of the first bands I got into when I got into the whole "emo" thing. When I first heard Clarity, though, I knew I had to hear more. Eventually, I bought Clarity, totally played it out, never got sick of it, then got both Static Prevails and the Singles collection. When I saw them live back around December, they played a song or two from the new album, Bleed American. I was impressed. They also put out 3 new songs on a split EP with Jebediah, and the songs were reassuring that Jimmy Eat World hadn't gone the way that lots of bands have been these days, radically changing their sound just for attention. Then a few months ago, I read that they had signed with DreamWorks, and was thinking "oh great, Papa Roach." Then, a few weeks ago, I began to notice the video for "Bleed American" on MTV2, and very much liked the song. It misled me to think that they were returning to a sound very much like that on Static Prevails. I also assumed that Tom Linton was going to get to sing more, like the J.E.W. of old. Yesterday, after much anticipation, my friends and I went to the local record store and bought this album. At first listen, this album leads you to believe that they have gone poppy and commerical, but when you really delve deep into the album, allow yourself to get lost in the music, you realize that, much like Clarity, it's very well textured and takes you on a journey of moods. With the near-angelic voice of Jim Adkins, the exceptionally melodic guitar work of him and Tom Linton, and the more than adequate playing of Rick Burch and Zach Lind on bass and drums, as well as the masterful production from Mark Trombino (Clarity, Blink-182), it's a musical expediton into the worlds of both pop and emo, without comprimising J.E.W's integrity. Rachel Haden provides back-up vocals on almost half of the tracks, adding the male-female interaction that makes bands like The Anniversary and Bis sound so intriguing. One has to wonder if on the next record, she'll be fully integrated as a member of the band. Guest appearances include Davey from The Promise Ring and Ariel from the Hippos. The only gripe I have with the album is no vocals from Tom Linton, but that's only a minor nuance. This album is incredible and just might pass Clarity in my list of favorite albums. Standout tracks include Bleed American, Your House, Sweetness, and If You Don't, Don't.


Jimmy Sells Out!!!   August 7, 2001
Jesse Christopherson
14 out of 19 found this review helpful

Jimmy Eat World y Bleed American (Dreamworks)

Reviewing an underground bandys first really commercial album is always a tough call. Unavoidable questions pop out: yWill they forget their true fans? Are they still officially cool? Have they maintained their songwriting integrity?y

Jimmy Eat World is a band just emerging from the periphery into the consciousness of the average music consumer. Long-time fans must be mortified to see their indie-emo heroes compared to Third-Eye Blind, Blink-182 and Green Day in high profile reviews. The music ultimately will have to speak for itself. The future of Jimmy Eat World is being determined largely by people whose first contact with them is the yBleed Americany single. These are people who didnyt see them as a high school punk band, a more mature emo-oriented group, or even as the yLucky Denver Minty-era commercial band. Thereys no context, just pop songs.

Speaking of the songs, theyyre catchy. I would say theyyre great, but after seeing Lucinda Williams last night, Iym compelled to use that term sparingly. Theyyre pop-rock. Theyyre alterna-pop, and thatys truly the most accurate category of inclusion for Third-Eye Blindys music, too. Hmmmy

yBleed Americany was an excellent choice for the introductory single. While itys not the best song on the album, it fits in nicely with the current musical climate. Besides that, it includes some timely social commentary: yIym not alone because the t.v.ys ony Well, hello MTV generation! The choice of yBleedy for a first single indicates a new philosophy for J.E.W.: get people to like us! The songwriting is not genius level, but itys not disposable fluff either. It takes a rare talent to create melodies this catchy, and words to match. It has some honest pathos to keep it anchored too. For example, yHear You Me.y

The album debuted in Billboardys charts at number 54, but I predict that this albumys strong single potential will take it far above that mark for a significant stay. yBleed Americany and ySweetnessy appear on radio playlists across the country. There are at least five more songs with some single potential, so look out for: yA Praise Chorus,y yThe Middle,y yIf You Donyt, Donyt,y yGet It Faster,y and yThe Authority Song.y This entire album was written without label support, after Capitol dropped them. They knew theyyd have to make something obviously saleable to get another deal, and they were up to the challenge. Does that make them evil? Nahy Does that make them sellouts? Wellyyes.

yA Praise Chorusy was included on promo copies of the yBleed Americany single, and itys catchier than the A-side. This band is not afraid to reference other pop groups. In yA Praise Chorusy alone, there are traces of Madnessy yOur Housey and Tommy James & the Shondellsy classic yCrimson and Clovery (incidentally, Tommy James also brought us yI Think Weyre Alone Nowy which was a massive pop hit for Tiffany in 1988). yThe Middley is a self-esteem booster for adolescent girls. yYour Housey is a love song with a confused, pathetic narrator: yIf you still care at all donyt go tell me now/If you love me at all please donyt tell me now.y ySweetnessy is the closest in style to yBleed Americany and it got the biggest crowd reaction at the recent Web Theatre show. This might be the next single.

The three slower songs are successful because of their understatement. yHear You Mey is the best of them, with borderline maudlin lyrics that work because of great delivery. yCautionersy has grown on me, but itys the weakest song on the album lyrically. yMy Sundowny follows a Jimmy Eat World tradition of epic closing tracks.

In the Pixies/Nirvana tradition, yGet it Fastery uses the soft/loud dichotomy to maximum effect. Itys the most over-the-top song too, with a demented laugh for a chorus. Itys angry and musically powerful. So far itys my favorite track, recently supplanting yThe Authority Songy which is possibly the most classically poppy selection. It also seems to be a tip of the hat to John Mellencamp, who wrote the original yAuthority Song.y Also mentioned in the history-heavy lyrics is yWhat Goes On,y but I donyt know if the Beatles or Velvet Underground track is the subject. They also mention the Jesus and Mary Chainys influential album Automatic. Interestingly, that release prompted some to accuse the J.A.M.C. of pandering to American radio. It worked, setting the stage for their Lollapalooza participation and putting the classic yHead Ony single on alternative radio.

In the game of pop, no one has all the answers and predictions often come back to haunt. What seems like a new direction in music sometimes is only an abrupt dead end. The best anyone can honestly claim is that they see potential, and Jimmy Eat World has it. This album is their biggest ever, and it will almost certainly get bigger still. A whole world of strange new audiences awaits.

-Jesse Christopherson