Jimmy Eat World- Futures
Wow. Given the fact that I hadn't been too into music till the past several years, I needed some music to listen to so I could catch up. This album was recommended by a friend, and I am so thankful. I hadn't heard Bleed American or Clarity, so I had no idea what to expect. I was amazed at what I heard. This is
Futures: a perfect mixture of emotional lyrics, heavy guitar riffs and steady bass and drums. They mesh together beautifully in this band, making one helluva CD.
Futures- A very poppy guitar riff starts the album, and strong backing vocals are noticeable. An emotional chorus follows, and I mean that by the way it's sung, not the lyrics, they're actually not emo at all. It kinda shifts from a bit of a minor key in the chorus and the track ends with the major opening riff. It's a bit catchy, but it's not a mindblowing opener. Still, it's listenable.
3/5
Just Tonight...- From the first note, you know this is gonna be heavy stuff. The guitar riff lets us make sure of that. The following palm-muted guitar, the dark singing and heavy drums suck us in. The chorus is unbelievable, also dark, amazingly catchy, fantastic background singing. Nice breakdown at the bridge, with just bass and drums, and that builds into a simple guitar solo. Nothing amazing, but it really fits with the tone set by the song. It gets a bit repetitive, which is a letdown, but this song is really good.
4/5
Work- Jimmy Eat World really are pretty smart. They change the way you listen to the album because Futures was really poppy, Just Tonight was heavy and this is back to poppy. Much lighter than the previous track, it lets go of the tension set by Just Tonight. Very catchy intro, it's a love song, which is always welcome. The "Oh ohs" make it even poppier, but it's all good because it sounds nice. There's another guitar solo, and once again it really fits the song and sounds good even though it's not amazing. Not a masterpiece, more than good.
4/5
Kill- Judging by the name of this song, I really expected a heavy song about a death or something. Yeah ok. It's a love song, or so I assume, but the lyrics are really creative ("Well you're just across the street, looks a mile to my feet, I wanna go to you..."). The chorus is catchy, kinda emotional guitars which I can't really describe, but I think you'll like it. I fell in love with this song when I first heard it and I kept singing the backing vocals in my head, which says something.
4/5
The World You Love- I was confused when I listened to the beginning of this. The drums start it, I guess fading in? Soft singing by Jim, it sounds like a dark song. Boy was I wrong. The guitars kick into full gear bridging the two verses and then they back off. They continue softer though, with really good lyrics. [Our time is borrowed and spent too freely, every minute I have needs to be made up/ But how? I'm looking for a nice way to say "I'm out] They really sound good with the soft guitarring, which is why I like this song. You expect it to get real loud, but they keep you in suspense for a while, and it makes you wanna hear more and makes you eager. The chorus is catchy, and changes to minor which is great. The bridge pulls at your heart because of its minor guitars and "Ohs," man it's incredible.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by The World You Love
You should see the canals are freezing
You should see me high
You should just be here
Be with me here
It doesn't seem theres hope for me
I let you down
But I won't give in now
Not for any amount
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That's sung in the bridge, and the song fades away. Best song so far.
4.5/5
Pain- Oh man. This is a single from the album, best choice. Drumming is strange and experimental in the verses, and the guitars are quiet. The track's about drugs ["Anyone can make what I have built/And better now/Anyone can find the same white pills/It takes my pain away"]
Truly heartwrenching lyrics, on top of the backing vocals...just amazing. The solo tugs at your soul as well because of its octave chords, minor and major and back and forth on every other note. Strong track and instrumental everywhere you listen, amazing song and best choice to release. I don't see anything weak about this song.
5/5
Drugs Or Me- Obviously this is about drugs. Very soft piano tells you everything you need to know: emotion. It's a serious song, nothing they want you to think as fun and poppy.["Keep my heart somewhere drugs don't go/ Where the sunshine slows/ Always keep me close/If only you could see the stranger next to me/ You promise, you promise that you're done/But I can't tell you from the drugs"] When I read those lyrics, I got goosebumps. I love good lyrics. There's a bit of a violin here, adding to the pull at your heart. It never gets loud, just the same level with the piano, drums, violin and oh-so faint guitar.
4.5/5
Polaris- After two heavy emo songs, it's good to let off the heaviness, just a little bit. It's not as poppy as Futures or Kill, but it's lighter than Pain or Drugs or Me. A presence of bass is heard in the beginning accompanying a simple guitar riff. It's still on the sad side because of the words sung. I really can't say much about this song except that the guitar is repeated over and over as is the chorus. Pluses are that the singing is strong, specifically the backing vocals, as is the bass and drums. Not as good as the past lot, but still good.
3/5
Nothing Wrong- A nifty drum part starts, and is followed by a simple guitar part. The singing is partly chanted, which is interesting. The chorus gets boring and it's short, and it's the first song in a few that the lyrics don't pull your heart out. There's a mini guitar solo and it sounds simple and kinda catchy, but like the others, nothing special, and I can't say it fits as well with the song as the other two. A meh song.
2/5
Night Drive- This starts off very cheesy and annoying with a high-pitched "Ooo" and is hardly attractive. The verse builds, but flows into a quiet chorus with that "ooo" repeated over and over. Another emtional song, Jim really does good work with his lyrics. It's not the best song, but it's ballad-like, kinda like the last two. The "ooos" can get a little annoying, as well as the chorus which is repeated. However, the good parts take over here.
3.5/5
23- Finally. Very soft to start it with a very quiet guitar and some violin, adding a nice touch. You know what to expect by now. This is the longest song on the CD, clocking in at almost 7 and a half minutes. It's another ballad, but who's complaining?
Quote:
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Originally Posted by 23
I felt for sure last night that once we said goodbye
No one else will know these lonely dreams
No one else will know that part of me
I'm still driving away and I'm sorry every day
I won't always love these selfish things
I won't always live...
Not stopping...
It was my turn to decide
I knew this was our time
No one else will have me like you do
No one else will have me, only you
You'll sit alone forever
If you wait for the right time. what are you hoping for?
I'm here I'm now I'm ready
Holding on tight
Don't give away the end
The one thing that stays mine
Amazing still it seems
I'll be 23
I won't always love what I'll never have
I won't always live in my regrets
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Sorry I had to put those lyrics cause they're a bit long, but they're amazing. I'm a sucker for these kind of lyrics, I really am. The song is very soft with an occasional guitar riff, and a solo is thrown in there too. It fits the song, just they way it's supposed to. An organ makes the song even more beautiful, and the backing vocals are sensational. Incredible way to end the album.
5/5
I know, I know, there are two more songs, but I don't have them :upset:
Maybe I'll download them and put them in the review some other time.
Summary
Pros:
+Great songwriting/lyrics
+Emotion
+Heavy songs
+Yeah I know they're all basically the same thing but that's what makes the album great
Cons:
-Some weak songs, like an attempt to make a real heavy song gone wrong
-Too many ballads at the end
Recommended Tracks
-The World You Love
-Pain
-Drugs or Me
-23
Overall Album Rating- 4/5
