Jimmy Eat World’s New Album is Really Good
Consistency and excellence go a long way in 2019
When I was in high school, I listened to a lot of Jimmy Eat World. Specifically, I played Futures and Invented almost constantly when I drove to work or school, enjoying how the simple (but catchy) melodies and poignant, moving lyrics fit together so well. That’s what I’ve always admired the most about Jimmy Eat World — there isn’t any one piece of their music that’s truly brilliant on its own, but the end product is (as the saying goes) much more than the sum of its parts.
Now, I just found out about Surviving, the band’s latest album that came out a few weeks ago. And I’m happy to report that it easily fits the mold that Jimmy Eat World has been fitting for so many years now. Surviving is a really good album, one that continues the band’s tradition of releasing excellent music and one that’s more than worth downloading on your streaming service of choice.
Surviving is a perfect kind of musical comfort food that I didn’t even know I wanted. It’s also possibly the perfect example of how to keep releasing good music without (a) radically changing your formula or (b) sounding stale. Jimmy Eat World has existed since 1993 (!), so the fact that they’re still making music that’s worth listening to is a minor miracle on its own. The album doesn’t take any huge risks, and walks over the same lyrical territory that its predecessors have, but it’s filled with an emotional maturity that would make many other bands jealous.
For an example of how good this album is, look no further than the first song, which is also the title track. It’s jubilant, optimistic, has one of the best guitar riffs in the band’s deep catalog, and is ultimately a brilliant way to remind everyone why Jimmy Eat World is still worth listening to. I’ve even had to force myself to stop playing it on repeat so I don’t ruin the experience.
The rest of the album plays out like you might expect it to. There are soaring choruses, pulsing verses, and catchy (if not always terribly deep) lyrics that form a 10-song set that expands an already-impressive catalog. Jimmy Eat World has never really released a bad album, so it may not be shocking to hear that this one is good, but I’m still impressed that this level of consistency has lasted for so long. “Surviving” (the song) is the best of the bunch in my opinion, but there’s no shortage of good tracks to sift through.
Ultimately though, I think the best way to sum up this album is pretty simple. If you’re listening to Jimmy Eat World in 2019, you probably have some connection with the band and will welcome these new and excellent songs to add to your library or playlists. There’s not much here to draw in new fans, but when you’ve been around since 1993, maybe that doesn’t matter too much.
