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Since me and Tom both love this album to bits I thought maybe we could both chip in for the review. I bought this after hearing some of the (then) forthcoming Bleed American album (now self-titled) and being fairly impressed. I was expecting a punk opus of sorts but felt a bit let down when the quiet Table For Glasses opened the album. Lucky Denver Mint, on the other hand was more like the Jimmy Eat World I'd heard and liked, but the rest of the album was full of melodic but quiet tracks with annoying big instrumental bits, or tracks with un-punk drumming.
However, after a month or two of occasional playing the album grew on me and I began to consider half a dozen or so tracks as "good shit". Table For Glasses, A Sunday, and For Me This Is Heaven may be quiet but they're great - they really show the emo side of Jimmy Eat World (check out the lyrics of For Me This Is Heaven - "Can you still feel the butterflies? Can you still hear the last goodnights?). Blister is a fairly upbeat punky number in contrast which is great live but loses a little of its energy on the album. Goodbye Sky Harbor finishes the album in style, being a 16 minute plus instrumental indulgence, but like Tom says "It's good to fall asleep to".
My personal favourite track has got to be Believe In What You Want with it's rhythmical guitars and all those lyrics about "Dancing in plastic shake-up snow". Pure escapist emo. I definately recommend this for fans who want to hear a different side of Jimmy Eat World to the punk-pop-emo of (the some would say more commercial) Bleed American. Over to Tom . . .
Jamie
Right on brother!
While it is true that this album is a lot less obvious than Bleed American, it is no less brilliant.
As Jamie has already scrawled above it's generally fairly relaxed, cinematic stuff. It really is surfing the edge of what can be defined as punk, but if that doesn't bother you, then it's all good. The first time you hear it, it will not blow your socks off, but give it time. Some people may not like the fact that it lacks the immediacy of Bleed American, but I think it sounds a little more mature. Which is kinda surreal, bearing in mind it came before Bleed.
Jimmy Eat World also show their versatility more on this album, from the hypnotic 'A Sunday' to the angry punk of 'Your New Aesthetic'. But it is all unashamedly emo, and although the range is good, you are never left thinking "that sounds like XXX". All of the songs have a certain sense of Jimminess. Or Jimminity, if you prefer.
On the down side, the video that comes on the Enhanced CD bit is crap, and the bass player has an easier job that David Blunkett's decorator.
All in all, this has all of the elements of a great album. It's great, and it's an album.
Tom
N.B. For those in the UK who bought the 'Bleed American' album late (and shame on you) then you know it as Blood Sugar Sweat Chilli Peppers Rip Off. Because it was decided that the original title was too reminisant of 9/11. What the fuck? This is getting stupid . . .
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