Jimmy Eat World Album: “Futures”

Ah,yes. Hello... If you are reading this review you chances are you already know how great this album is. If you've read my previous reviews you know I'm a bit long-winded so for those in a hurry, I give you this:

This IS the best album of the year. Hands down.

For everyone else: This record has a bit of something for everyone. The only CDs that even come close are How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb by U2, The Used's In Love and Death and My Chemical Romance's Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. Now if you are a "Oohh, I absolutely love The Middle and Sweetness was sooo good" you should enjoy half of this album. Most notably: Pain (cuz MTV tells you to) and Futures. The harder-edged fans should also enjoy Pain, Just Tonight and Nothingwrong. The REAL JEW fans (you know who I'm talking about...) would never say they sold out for doing a "techno-pop" cover of Wham's "Last Christmas" and any and all nay-sayers should be tied up and forced to listen to Ashlee Simpson sans vocal track for the rest of eternity. Everything Jimmy & Co. have done they have done for a reason. Static Prevails showed frightening talent for a debut album, and Clarity showed the kind of growth and maturity you'd expect for them after they had conquered MTV not being ignored by them. Bleed American was of course their breakthrough album, probably because it showed they could be precise, intelligent pop with the same lyrical maturity as Clarity albeit not as "deep".

Futures however is essentially a bridge between their last two records. Taking the radio-friendly pop and turning up the (almost Tim Burton-like) darkness along with the most meaningful and important lyrics this side of the new millenium makes for the album of the year.

1.) FUTURES: The title track begins with a bang. Dear Lord, JEW has found THE guitar riff, arguably the best rock hook since Bleed American. The verses drive and the chorus soars (believe me a recurring theme throughout...), making this punchy anthem perfect for a generation stuck in a state of apathy. I'd also like to note here that by tuning down a half step they have made the guitars the perfect complement to Jim Adkins' voice.

2.) JUST TONIGHT: Fans of Get It Faster will enjoy the frenetic energy of this tight, little ditty. A song about lying to yourself in the name of lust features a guitar solo that rivals Faster's along with a jumpy piano piece playing behind. A very cool effect.

3.) WORK: Arguably the best song on the album, and probably the best single you'll ever hear this year features a boy-meets-girl premise with the all too familiar lets ditch the prom theme that effectively delivers so much you'd think they came up for the blueprint. Liz Phair's backing vocals complement Jim's nicely and also helps the song take an ethereal feel, also noticeable on the first opening bars of the song.

4.) KILL: Work and Kill are just effective a duo as Just Watch the Fireworks and For Me This is Heaven. The rolling bassline and interplaying guitar mesh nicely and the heartbreak pours out of Mr. Adkins in what may be their most personal song.

5.) THE WORLD YOU LOVE: In this song JEW has a story thats almost finished and all he needs is someone to tell it to. This is an incredibly uplifitng song with nothing special musically excceept that it will get inside your heart. Good song with a great message.

6.) PAIN: JEW fans around the world rejoiced as this song began to flood airwaves and MTV2 and for good reason. It's rare a song this hard is this catchy and they incorporate a kind of off the wall guitar solo with chugging verses and "hey mom, I kind scream too" (although real JEW fans know this was hardly their first time.) Wearing your heart on your sleeve never rocked so hard.

7.) DRUGS OR ME: This perfect power ballad also happens to be piano-driven and forces the song kind-of-under the radar until it's JEW with their foot on the gas as far as noise goes. Definitely, one of the few ballads ever the crescendos into one hell of a sonic boom.

8.) POLARIS: My personal favorite, this song brings so much to the table as far as lyrics and music are concerned. The bass is kinda creepy, defintely eerie as far as bass patterns go and you can tell Zach Lind (the drummer) had a blast with the rhythm parts. This is also the first time we hear Tom Linton's U2 inspired Edge impression over the chorus. The best lyrics on the album that will speak to anyone who has ever felt the joy and pain of love.

9.) Night Drive: Another epic ballad this time incorporating the eerie hook from Get It Faster this time talking about perhaps what happens at the end of Work. A great creepy epic song featuring na-na-na-nas and lush arrangements and a dark, sinister side of Adkins' voice seldom heard.

10.) Nothingwrong: A nice statement about the state of music and society that happens to be the hardest song on the album. Playing with the old-school call and response guitar system Linton & Adkins, armed with a nice delay pedal, send this song into overdrive doing their best Tom Morello and a badass breakdown.

11.) 23: Another seemingly U2 inspired track that talks about life after adolescence. They never condescending and never preach but let you know that there are things we should never take for granted . Also featuring a guitar riff that would make Eric Clapton proud, this is the perfect finish to a perfect album.

I've read some of the dare I say "ignorant" customer reviews calling Futures a mess and that is simply false. If you are tired of Good Charlotte and Simple Plan ruling the airwaves, do yourself a favor and pick up this CD. JEW doesn't get the respect they deserve so the least the music going public could do is treat themselves to a great album by the most under-rated band in America and perhaps the world(?).

Im not 13 just didnt want to make an account...im 21 and very much into music.

1. Futures- *Single* more of the pop side to J.E.W. It just has a great opener and lyrics are sweet. Very catchy song. This song will draw people to this cd. 10/10

2. Just Tonight . . .- Total change from "Futures" with a faster pace song. I love listening to this song when driving or working out. The middle guitar riff is sweet. Great Song 10/10

3. Work- *Single* hmm I liked the song when I first heard it but just kinda got bored with it. Its not a bad song but just no alot to it. 7/10

4. Kill- Kinda have the same feeling as I do with "Work" but not as bad. Good song and love the lyrics. 8/10

5. The World You Love- Think this was kinda a filler song. I still love it though. Catchy song...cant say anything bad about it. 8/10

6. Pain- *Single* Tied for the best song on the album. Fast paced and just rocking. I love it. Lyrics are written very well and chorus is awesome. You will love this song. Guitar riff is really good. 10/10

7. Drugs or Me- What a change from "Pain"....nice slow song that fits good in the middle-bottom of this cd. Kinda a sad song when you listen to it. 9/10

8. Polaris- This is a yummy song. Its a hidden gem. If you just lay back and want to listen to some music play this song. Makes this cd very strong. 10/10

9. Nothingwrong- Back to rock!! Love the opener. very very catchy. 9/10

10. Night Drive- Lyrics are very well done. This song fits the album very well. 9/10

11. 23- BEST SONG FROM JIMMY EAT WORLD!!! I love this song. I listen to it everyday and never gets old. Its long but thats what makes it so good. 11/10

I thought they were going to suck this time around but the music is solid. How many times have we all acted like "nothing wrong", I love lyrics with a minor philosophical tint. The chorus in "night drive" is cool. I'm sure they'll be some purists out there complaing, as always, but this is good stuff and a great effort.

Jimmy Eat World keeps getting better and better. The thing I love about this band is that most of its songs are two (or even three )songs within one. Generally, a song starts out with a certain beat and melody. There is a bridge in the middle, and then it ends with a completely different melody and beat! As a result, none of the songs that JEW puts out sound alike. They are unique and refreshing to listen to. In addition, all of the songs seem to have a message to them.

I especially like this album. It has been in my changer for a good year. The unforunate thing (if you could call it that) is that I have trouble naming the individual songs, because I usually listen to the entire album even after all this time. Usually, by now, with most cds I have my one or two favorite songs and I go straight to them when I pop the cd in. Not JEW. Each and every song is a great one. I strongly suggest that you get this cd as soon as you can.

I'd never been a Jimmy Eat World before this album hit. Songs like the middle and bleed american just seemed kind of repetetive, and i got so sick of the middle that I don't think I'll ever want to hear it again. However, Jimmy Eat World made a wise decision not to rip themselves off on this album, and it pays off. Don't get me wrong, "Futures" is far from a huge departure, but most of the time, the band trades in its harder, two and a half minute songs for a batch of softer, far more melodic songs. The sound is crisper than on previous albums, the vocals improved, and the songwriting exemplified. Spearheaded by its two singles "Pain" and "Work", the former especially giving an impression that the band hasn't changed at all, are just pieces of a chain of excellent rock songs. Upbeat rockers like "Futures", and the irresistible "Kill", perhaps the best and most addicting song on the album, will satisfy the fans of the hard edged "Bleed American", and ballads like "Polaris" and "Night Drive" will certainly be hits with the fans of the softer "Clarity", so all fans of the band should be pleased with this eleven song tour de force.

What amazes me about this release is that the band links great song after great song. Even the weakest tracks on the CD, "Nothingwrong" which is hard but not as catchy as "Pain" or "Just Tonight", and the incredibly slow moving "Drugs Or Me", which actually goes too slow, are better than most of the music played frequently on the radio, and many will find themselves loving these tracks almost as much as the others (I became very fond of "Drugs or Me" despite the fact that it might be my least favorite song on the album). However, all complaints are pointless, for Jimmy Eat World have saved the best for last with the epic and heartwrenching "23", a perfect ballad, and a perfect finale.

Another thing was that "Futures" never wore on me. If anything it got better everytime I listened to it. Nearly three quarters of a year after it's release, I still listen to it regularly, and even after so many listens, still find new bits to love. Jimmy Eat World's "Futures" is a flawless pop/rock record, and one that I will remember in ten years as one of the best of 2004, and one of the best of the decade. Five stars and my highest recommendations.