Jimmy Eat World's success has never been about trends. It has never been about the mainstream, and it has certainly never been about being cool. Meticulously building an empire on awkward-geek chic, the Arizona quartet have amassed a flawless catalog of catchy tunes about heartbreak, poppy anthems for the rejected and sing-song stadium jams for individuality.
Their latest, Chase This Light, delivers more familiar melodies but lacks even the meager aggression of previous albums like Bleed American or Clarity.
The album's first song and single, Big Casino,"" feels reminiscent of earlier works. It starts out a teen anthem with singer Jim Adkins' crystal clear voice cutting across distorted guitars and soaring over his layered vocal harmonies with usual selfless lyrics like, ""Fire up the system / Play my little part in something big.""
Similar inspirations shine behind tracks like ""Let It Happen"" and fly over the multi-layered panting of ""Ha ha ha ha"" and ""Hey hey"" while Adkins resorts almost to cheesy singing, ""Even with you close enough to kiss every minute.""
In contrast to thrillingly fast-paced tunes like ""Electable (Give it Up),"" which deliver Adkins' personal brand of optimistic lyrics over catchy power chords and gang vocal harmonies of ""Whoa-ohs,"" Jimmy Eat World slow it down for a few ventures, like the string-driven ""Gotta Be Somebody's Blues."" The song is enough to make a Jimmy Eat World loyalist do a double take, but the orchestration is beautiful. The steady light rock disco of ""Here It Goes"" may be suited for elevator music, but it is still fun and catchy.
Somewhere in the mid-tempo, between the anthems and orchestral numbers, lie a few more solid, if forgettable, tracks like ""Chase This Light,"" ""Dizzy"" and the lazy ballad ""Carry You."" From a lesser band these tracks would gleam, but here they are too safe and are subtle reminders that Jimmy Eat World need to pick up the pace.
What may have worked hardest against the band on Chase This Light was their new super-powered producer Butch Vig (The Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana). Vig's skill behind the board is undeniable, but his brand of shiny production ruins the honest, common-man appeal of Jimmy Eat World's earnest songs. The album's sound is bigger than ever, but its texture, uniquely endearing character and youthful appeal are lost in his glassy smooth production.
For all the catchy hooks, snaps and claps beneath poppy choruses, Jimmy Eat World take a giant step away from the generation-defining sound of Bleed American. Chase This Light sounds like it was written by the same band that delivered Clarity, but takes a clear turn toward the mainstream and the radio-friendly.
Although it's a move that may not sit well with older fans, it is sure to get them noticed in the coming year. The album may not be everything loyal fans had hoped nor anything boldly different, but enough of Jimmy Eat World's successful formulas remain that Chase This Light will not disappoint. Even with the lazy tempos and sugary sweet production, the band proves that they don't need trends. They make them.
