Reviews

We are happy to feature this guest review by none other than Beartrap PR (Look Mexico, Polar Bear Club, etc.) mastermind, Chuck Daley. Enjoy!

By: Chuck Daley

If there’s one single, shining truth that can be garnered from the Jimmy Eat World bible, it’s that the Arizona four-piece has managed to stay pretty damn consistent over the past decade. While no one is handing out awards for innovation or experimentation, the band has cranked out what is arguably some of the best guitar-driven, emotionally resonant emo-ish pop rock in the world. In the grand scheme of things, there really isn’t much of a discernable difference in, say, Clarity (their best, most vibrant and resounding work) and Bleed American, which was certainly Jimmy Eat World’s most commercially viable and perhaps most panned by critics and true-blue fans. I mean, Clarity was awesome and Bleed American was…not. But for all sugary-sweet pop nuggets on that album, there were still a fair share of soaring, slow-burning gems…always a good thing in my book.

So how does Chase This Light stack up to the rest of the Jimmy Eat World cannon? It’s pretty much what you’d expect: solid, mid-tempo rock played with conviction and just enough vigor to make it better than 99 percent of the band’s followers and imitators. However, it’s not without its faults – namely in the production - which unfortunately puts it on par with Bleed American.

Here’s the thing about Jimmy Eat World: I’ve always felt their songwriting was impeccable. When songs needed a moment to breathe, it was handled with perfect restraint. When there was a call for surging, emotive crescendos…not a problem. And if you wanted huge choruses and utterly unforgettable melodies, the band seemed to have more than they knew what to do with. More importantly, JEW scored big on production, especially on Clarity and Futures, which I thought was a real return to form for the boys. No matter how slick and devoid of any rough edges, producers Mark Trombino and Gil Norton allowed the band’s music to shine brightest. There was no doubt that even though Jimmy Eat World were shooting for a big rock sound, they still had heart and soul to spare. Any additional “flourishes” were used only when they actually added something to the songs.

To me, Chase This Light is all production and very little of that signature Jimmy Eat World spirit and resolve. Upon hearing the opener and first single, “Big Casino,” I found myself thinking that it transmitted very much like classic JEW…if it were played by robots and a chorus of androids. Even the finger snaps on “Always Be” sound overproduced. In contrast, Bleed American – despite reaching for that semi-cheesy knockout pop hook a majority of the time – had some real gusto in spots. Chase This Light has been completely robbed of that.

What’s more is that in the past, listeners have always counted on Jimmy Eat World for some real variation: maybe a few rock anthems, a couple heartwarming ballads, some epic, spiraling barnburners and one or two pure pop numbers. Chase This Light has some of that, but it mostly keeps the same tempo and tone throughout. Even when the band mixes it up a bit, it ends up coming off a tad…weird. “Gotta Be Somebody’s Blues” is just downright sinister sounding, and it’s a huge misstep.

I feel like I’m being really hard on the band, but maybe it’s because I’ve been trained to expect so much. Perhaps it’s because the songwriting has slipped just a smidge over the years. Or maybe it’s because I know that with less-suffocating production, I might have enjoyed Chase This Light that much more. Without a doubt, there are decent riffs, a solid rhythm section, substantial melodies and, yes…some heart and soul coursing through the album’s eleven tracks. Unfortunately, it’s buried underneath the layers and layers of backup vocals, strings, keys and other unnecessary embellishments. If you can look past that - or if you have a colorful imagination - pick up Chase This Light. Otherwise, revisit Clarity or Futures. Hell, throw some Static Prevails in for good measure. You’ll feel much more satisfied.