Jimmy Eat World Revisits Clarity

Their recent cameo on Nick Jr.'s Yo Gabba Gabba seemed to signal that Arizona rock band Jimmy Eat World had finally jumped the shark. After listening to "Dizzy" from Chase This Light a couple times, this notion was quickly dismissed. Still, Chase has failed to match the success of earlier releases. History has shown that J.E.W. is never one to back down when expectations aren't met.

Ten years ago, the band released Clarity, a sweeping epic of an album that sounds as fresh today as it did in 1999. It covers a wide range of emotions, from the forlorn beauty of "Lucky Denver Mint" and "On A Sunday" to the stick-it-to-the-man rage of "Your New Aesthetic" and "Blister", showing that Jim Adkins is never afraid to wear his emotions on his sleeve. The album quickly became a fan favorite, which it remains today, but Capitol Records wasn't impressed enough to keep the group on board and they were unceremoniously dropped. Rather than dragging their guitars home to Mesa in defeat, Jimmy took on a grueling touring schedule and began work on Bleed American. Retitled Jimmy Eat World after September 11, the album is the definative model for an airtight pop rock album, packed with enough melodic euphoria to ensure commercial success while not crossing the line to be relegated to a guilty pleasure.
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Both albums stand as testaments to Jimmy Eat World's appeal and talent and without one, we wouldn't have (or know) about the other. Earlier this year, Bleed American was re released in a double disc deluxe edition, and now, to celebrate the ten year anniversary of Clarity, the band is going on a ten date tour beginning in New York this February and wrapping up in Tempe and will play the album in its entirety. Even the 16 minute and 1 second "Goodbye Sky Harbor"? Oh course. We wouldn't want it any other way.