Jimmy Eat World - ChaseThis Light

Band: Jimmy Eat World
Album: Chase This Light
Genre: Pop Rock
Label: Interscope

Tracks:
1. Big Casino
2. Let It Happen
3. Always Be
4. Carry you
5. Electable
6. Gotta Be Somebody's Blues
7. Feeling Lucky
8. Here It Goes
9. Chase This Light
10. Firefight
11. Dizzy

I know there are some of you out there who do not read these reviews straight through, but rather jump to see the score and then, if it strikes you as interesting, you may read my ramblings. Well, I'm sure with a band like Jimmy Eat World, whose fans may be some of the most devoted in all of music, might want to strike me down for this score, but I insist I gave this album ample time to impress me. I am not a devoted JEW fan, but rather an adopter since the Bleed American era and it is that release by which all Jimmy Eat World releases are judge. Chase this light, which came out in late 2007, has the band regaining there footing after, what i thought to be their worst album, "Futures." However, I just don't think JEW has gotten completely back into the groove they once had.

Light opens with the pop radio ready, "Big Casino, which, coincidentally, was the first single from the album. It's classic Jimmy Eat World with Jim Adkins crafting lyrics of hope for the hopeless. They've never been a band to brew on the pain in life, but rather accept it and talk about staying positive and achieving your dreams. In this aspect, JEW steadily exceed throughout the album as they have over the course of their career. It's easy to see how with such addictive choruses, like that on, "Let It Happen," one can fall for Adkins and the band. "Always Be," which is the second radio single, to me, is the single best song on the album. It's a classic boy wants girl, but doesn't think he can ever reach her tale, but the music and lyrics hit all the right tones with my system. Instantly, regardless of age, you go back to a time in your life when you saw the girl [or boy for some] that you were close to, but knew it would never be a relationship. O, how unrequited love sells. "Electable," is a straight rock song with Adkins recalling more tales from his youth in classic JEW style [complete with gang vocals that are live setting ready], while, "Gotta Be Somebody's Blues," is a very relaxed track with Adkins trying a more whisper like vocal styling to moderate success. "Here It Goes," could be a solid third single, it's heavy bass line and group vocals are a solid way to get people into any song, but for some reason, it just does nothing for me. As this album has been out for awhile, I asked others their views, and no one, including me, thinks this is a bad album, but rather just nothing to go crazy about. Like I mentioned, "Here It Goes," is a solid track, but I've come to think Jimmy Eat World capable of these kind of songs in their sleep. I was just hoping for some more progression that, unlike, "Gotta Be..," actually showed the band growing in a positive way. "Dizzy," the final song on the album, does show a lot of maturity on the part of not only Adkins, but all of JEW. A very relaxed groove with thick bass accompanies Adkins voice being slightly more forceful than we're use to. It's a great song about love and being honest with one another, which makes it not only the perfect finisher for this album, but, most likely, will be found filling out multiple upcoming mix tapes. I'm a firm believer that closing tracks can make or break an album and, "Dizzy," leaves you with nothing less than the best Jimmy Eat World has to offer.

"Chase This Light," would be an amazing record if it were the debut for some rising pop rock band, but Jimmy Eat World are veterans of the music scene. We, fans of JEW had great expectations for this album, and while it is good, it's nothing we haven't really heard before. You'd think, after this many year,s the style would evolve more and likewise for the songwriting, but it all feels so recycled. Jim Adkins can write a great pop song, but how many times must we hear him tell us about sticking it through the hard times and believing in ourselves. Aside from a few standouts [mainly the singles and the closer], this album just does nothing in terms of grabbing the listener or holding your attention and since that's the key to a great album, I have to say, you might not want to Chase This Light.


*Written By: James Shotwell*
Grade: 5.5/10
MYSPACE