Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Out of nowhere, January 4, 2000
I had never even heard of them, or the word "emo" or anything like that. All that happened was my friend heard Lucky Denver Mint on the radio once, and bought the CD. Thank God he did. He brought it to school and simply told me to pick a random track and listen, and swore that I would like the song. I did. I went through every track, and loved them all. It has been months since I bought Clarity, and I now have every Jimmy song released in some form. They are the most incredible band that most people will never know. Mark Hoppus of Blink 182 has called this CD his favorite of the millenium. He tells people he wishes they had half the talent of Jimmy Eat World. Not many people probably have their talent for beautiful music that takes you away from the dreary place you may inhabit to somewhere so much better.
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28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ah, the butterflies..., June 9, 2006
Every once in a while, you come across an album that not only impresses you, but just really makes you feel grateful to be alive. Something that just makes the world that much better of a place, knowing that something like this exists. For me, "Clarity" is one of these albums. I enjoy every incarnation of Jimmy Eat World, from the raw, indie punk of the early days, to the more radio-friendly sound they've adopted more recently, but this album is where everything just really came together. "Clarity" is huge, daring, multi-layered, unpredictable, and just mesmerizingly beautiful.
Here, the band really pull out all the stops. As compared their later work, there are far few catchy hooks, instead opting for massive soundscapes, and sweeping melodies. However, that's not to say that there's no hook power to be found here, as the elegant power ballad "Lucky Denver Mint" (which was sort of a minor hit) boasts a strong, driving melody, and one of the band's best choruses. "Your New Aesthetic", the band's rousing protest against commercialism in music, toggles wildly between power pop hooks and crashing Fugazi-like riffs. "Blister" and "Crush" are fast, hard, punk rock anthems, adding a nice sense of variety to an otherwise melodic album.
But the real brilliance here lies foremost in the epic, sweeping ballads. "Table for Glasses" opens the album, with its achingly beautiful buildup, and jaw-dropping vocal harmonies. "Ten", "Just Watch the Fireworks", and "For Me This Is Heaven" (which are all in a row) are just about the most beautiful and heart-wrenching ballads you can hope to hear, and all three of them put together are nearly overwhelming. It really is just beyond words.
Elsewhere, there's plenty of other goodness as well. "Believe in What You Want" combines lurching, offbeat rhythms with a sweeping melodic chorus. "12-23-95" is an odd, electronic-tinged track, with sparse vocals, and a tastefully done minimalist arrangement, and the title track is fluffy and multi-layered.
Now, having gotten 12 tracks into this album, you may think, at this point, that it can't possibly get any better. But guess what? IT DOES! The closing track, "Goodbye Sky Harbor", is a massive, 16+ minute epic of pure freaking divinity. It starts off seemingly conventional, your typical indie rock type song, but soon, it moves into a gargantuan instrumental section that's nothing short of magical. Centered around a simple but entrancing guitar melody, the song slowly and gradually builds an incredible atmosphere. About halfway through, the band members start doing these amazing wordless vocal harmonies, slowly layering them more and more, finally leading into a cool electronic drum bit, and culminating in a dynamite ending. While not everyone might have the attention span for something like this (if you've only heard the newer stuff, you probably can't even imagine them doing such a song), I can't get enough of it. The most experimental, and amazing thing these guys have ever done.
You know, I sort of hate writing more detailed reviews for albums I like this much, because I know that whatever crap I rattle off won't even come close to doing the experience justice. If you really love beauty in music, you really need to hear this. In the final moments before my death, I want this to be the last album I ever hear, because the way this album makes me feel is exactly how I want to feel when I leave this world. Jimmy Eat World have that rare quality of being both poignant and uplifting at the same time, like a happy memory of a time in your life you wish would never end. I don't know how they did this, but I'm forever grateful that they did.
Highly recommended.
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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Near Perfection, April 17, 2002
Currently covering the billboard charts with their radiofriendly hit, "The Middle", Jimmy Eat World's true brilliance was obviously in the past. The harder sounds of Static (although lacking maturity) still beats their now self-titled album, focused on pop and well...more pop. I love Bleed American/Jimmy Eat World, don't get me wrong. The entire CD is amazing. But after cultivating myself to the stunning emotion and beauty of Clarity...things were just not the same. Their lyrics are emotional, deep, and the melodic soothing or the faster rhythmic songs evoke paralled emotion in me. I'm pretty apathetic usually, but when I listen to Clarity I'm as impressionable as a pre-teen girl. My personal favorites of the album are Table for Glasses, A Sunday, For me this is heaven, Just Watch the Fireworks, Clarity, and yes, the 16 minute Goodbye Sky Harbor. (I'd list more but I feel stupid writing down all of the songs). If you want to get a Jimmy Eat World album, I suggest starting with Bleed American/self-titled (especially if you're a big fan of sweetness, bleed american, and the middle). Then buy Clarity and don't give up! It's difficult to get into, to understand or to even like, but like all masterpieces it's worth the wait. Clarity is breathtaking, smart, and just simply amazing. It's pretty much perfect...my only qualm...where did the demo/original version of your new aesthetic go? oh well...I can't complain. Plainly, just get the Cd, it's really really good, you're not gonna regret it.
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