Issue #93: Jimmy Eat World – Clarity

Released:  February 23rd, 1999

Recorded:  1998 – 1999

Genre:  Emo, Power Pop

Record Label:  Capitol

Duration:  64:08

Producer:  Mark Trombino

Personnel

Track Listing

Singles

Why Clarity is One of My Favorites

Where do I start?  It’s not easy to begin a conversation about emo.  It became a huge object of derision during the early 2000s, scorned by those of us who grew up on nu-metal, industrial metal, and the tail-end of grunge, but it was being widely embraced by those just a few years younger, especially those that got into the lighter side of the alternative spectrum, namely  the sort of sugary pop punk that evolved from the 1994 punk revival.

Emo kids themselves were a weird hybrid of punks and goths.  They took the punk look and subdued it a notch or two, and added all the mopey, introspection of goths without any of the intelligence or romanticism or edginess of it all; they dumbed it down into a form of lighthearted yet all-consuming self deprecation.  But all this was manageable.  After all, goth attire might’ve looked cool (I always thought it did) but they were extremely difficult people to get along with and horribly maladjusted.  The worst part of it all is what emo led to.

Emos evolved into “scene kids,” which in turn led to the more generalized “hipster” (which, if we’re being honest, was just the term for college-aged scene kids), and from there we saw the complete usurpation of all things hard, edgy, offensive, and angry with the indie rock explosion that has dominated popular rock music for the last several years.  Now it’s like the 60’s Part 2.  Everyone is about peace, love, and understanding.  No one is angry or dissatisfied, they’re just sad.  Everything is a watery pastiche of something from the past, and new artists seem more concerned with making an artistic product rather than creating something with feeling, or more specifically, passion.  There’s more to harp on about, but suffice to say, modern rock is a fairly bland place right now and it’s no wonder we’ve seen such a dramatic rise in the popularity of hip-hop and even country – rock is losing its audience, and they’re going to have to inject some serious badassery back into their ranks to get it back.

But before all of this happened, emo had every right to exist.  It was a logical extension of the pop punk of bands like Blink-182 and Green Day that gained so much traction during the mid to late 90s.  Pop punk slowed down the rhythms of “original punk,” brightened up the guitars, and crafted more lighthearted and everyday lyrics for their audience.  Emo then took pop punk and turned those songs into mid-tempo numbers, and began reflecting on the seemingly commonplace tales, generally leading to a feeling of sadness or longing.  When approached with a more positive perspective, it led toward our modern notions of power pop.  It makes sense, and some of the music wasn’t half bad before it become such a formulaic cash cow.

Like a lot of younger folks who got into Jimmy Eat World, I discovered them via their 2001 breakthrough, Bleed American.  Specifically I latched onto “The Middle,” but I quickly grew to love the entire album.  In fact I prefer the upbeat nature of Bleed American to Clarity, though Clarity is still an exceptional album, especially when one considers that this type of music was a lot rarer in 1999 amid a climate of angry, hyperactive nu-metal.  I first got into Clarity after hearing “A Sunday” a few months after getting into Bleed American, so I was listening to both of these albums a lot at around the same time.

One of the most attractive things about Clarity is the vocals.  Adkins has such an honest voice; I wouldn’t say it evokes pain necessarily, just the sense that whatever he may be singing about his coming straight from his soul.  Soft spoken but also grand and soaring at times, it’s a sound we’ve all heard since but never done as well.  The instrumentation is fairly simple.  Ultimately born of punk, Jimmy Eat World both soften and diversified the sound by adding brighter, jangly guitars, more complex chord progressions, and catchier beats.  The energy here is grounded and focused.  I have the feeling that each of these songs speak to a specific event, probably an everyday event, yet expressed in a sincere language that nearly everyone can understand but that only a few can effectively articulate.

Although most of these songs are obviously written for teenagers, I still love listening to them even today because of that magical bittersweet ground that the music conveys somewhere between elation and despair.  Some songs even endeavor to send out a positive message, particularly “Believe in What You Want” and the punky “Your New Aesthetic.”  These are great pieces about being true to yourself, standing up to peer pressure, and other ways to maintain high self-esteem without using the hokey language that teenagers are immune to.

“A Sunday” is one of the most beautiful songs ever.  I love the tiny chimes and Adkins’ emotive vocals, not to mention how smoothly the melody flows.  It’s a tough song to describe, but for anyone dismissive of emo (especially the early stuff), this is the song to hear.  “Table for Glasses” has a similar feel to it, complete with chimes and more ultra smooth vocals.

The album picks up steam with the sixth track “Crush,” a loud, pulsating piece full of palm-muting waves of power chords.  Simpler and more punk-oriented that the previous tracks, it gives the album a nice boost.  “12.23.95” makes liberal use of electronic elements alongside a simple guitar lick.  Even with the completely different instrumentation, it makes to perfectly retain the feel and sound of the album thus far and again shows off the band’s impeccable penchant for banging out sweet and lullaby-like melodies.

“Ten” continues with the easy-going tunes and Adkins’ vulnerable and genuine delivery.  The unique rhythm sounds like a precursor to the next album’s “Cautioners.”  “Just Watch the Fireworks is the most heartfelt track on the album next to “A Sunday” and consequently my second favorite.  The verses come across as a desperate play, the violin adds a touch of both melancholy and hope, and the frantic drumming during the chorus is immediately evocative of flowering fireworks.

“Clarity” is a churning piece that shows that these guys are capable of more than just; it’s the most complex and layered cut from the record.  A fun lead guitar part bounces around Adkins’ subtle melody.  The bass fires on all cylinders and speeds its way through the quieter portions.  Adkins’ voice shines through the dense composition.

I left out a few tracks, but they’re all worth a listen.  I’m not sure that I can get behind “Goodbye Sky Harbor’s” 13 minute run-time, though it is a pretty song.  Clarity is one of those albums that may not be as impressive to first-time listeners today as it woiuld’ve been even 10 years ago, but even though the emo formula has been repeated ad nauseum since then, Jimmy Eat World has always been on of the best.  The sincerity is an instant draw, and the simple yet clever music continues to sound better with each listen.

I don’t and never have listened to much music in this vein.  Near the end of highschool and throughout college I was exposed to enough of it by proxy to know that I’d heard enough.  But sometimes these sappy, indulgent lyrics hit the spot, and the band has a way of presenting these lyrics as genuine rather than corny or contrived.  They guys also have a wonderful ear for music and deftly express it through a familiar yet (at the time) unique style.  Clarity is touching, beautiful, and even a tiny bit magical.

Written by The Cubist

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Written by The Cubist

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I collect as much video gaming paraphernalia as I can get my hands on, especially when it comes to hardware. With over 40 systems including oldies like the ColecoVision and Intellivision, obscurities like the CD-i and 3DO, and the latest and greatest including the Wii U, PS4, Xbox One, 3DS, and PS Vita, I get easily overwhelmed. Most of the time you can find me firmly nestled sometime between 1985 and 1995 when it comes to my games of choice, but I’m also having a great time seeing what the 8th generation has to offer.

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