Review → Jimmy Eat World – Clarity (1999)
Jimmy Eat World - Clarity
It’s been nearly 10 years since Jimmy Eat World released their second album. Also, it’s taken me nearly 10 years to listen to it without being overly influenced by how much I disliked the melodramatic kids who did (and probably continue to) swoon and praise the hell out of this album. I was compelled to give it another chance when the band announced it was playing a series of 10 shows, in which they would perform Clarity in its entirety. I should note that I utterly failed at getting a ticket to the Boston date.
So what did I find when I finally opened myself to Jimmy Eat World’s lauded sophomore effort?
Well, I found that the album is damned impressive effort. It’s not a punk album, and it’s not quite a rock album. Alternative rock? I guess technically, but not what you think of when you hear the term “alt rock.” But whatever, it’s some good music, and there’s no sense in spending too much time trying to classify it endlessly.
The album opens with the quiet opener “Table for Glasses,” which is a pleasant opener, beginning with sparse instrumentation and building into a slow, full-band number. The second song, “Lucky Denver Mint,” is the song that the casual listener has a chance of knowing. It’s a poppy song, indicative of what was to come with the band (later hits like “The Middle”). It was featured, apparently, in the movie Never Been Kissed. Not sure how I missed that one.
The album’s vibe tends to be kind of dark; despite bright, poppy songs like “Lucky Denver Mint,” things are minor key for much of the album. This is, perhaps, what caused to to appeal to melodramatic teens across the nation. The songs are concise and catchy, and generally don’t mess around; they spend their 3-4 minutes effectively. I say “generally” because this album, with 13 songs, spans over an hour, due primarily to two songs: the 7-minute “Just Watch the Fireworks,” and the 16-minute closer “Goodbye Sky Harbor.” The former is kind of a weak point; it takes a while to kick in, and goes on for a really long time. Musically, it’s fine and works with the rest of the album, but it could have been shortened. “Goodbye Sky Harbor,” when I saw the track length, I assumed there had to be a hidden track (dear AFI- stop doing that.) but no, the song just continues on. Like “Fireworks,” the music is pleasant and all, but unnecessary.
Overall, the album is solid, except for the excessive songs mentioned above. Rightfully, it’s hailed by many as the single best part of Jimmy Eat World’s catalog. It’s not quite a pop-oriented as their follow-up, Bleed American, would be, but it definitely has the pop leaning that would come to a head on that album, and has an emotional depth that continues to speak to listeners. This album sounds like high school.
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