Thankfully, Damage easily bests the previous two Jimmy Eat World full-lengths, and its high points rival those of Futures and Bleed American.
The relatively insular Damage is not a “blast it in the car” album. It’s a series of vignettes and laments that show a promising, poppier side to Jimmy Eat World, one that still surely doesn’t sacrifice guitars.
Eight albums into their career, Jimmy Eat World still know how to generate and craft some brilliant songs, but most importantly, they continue to demonstrate a keen sense for how to connect with any audience.
There are a couple of duds, (‘Book Of Love’, ‘Please Say No’), but, as forlorn closer ‘You Were Right’ ably demonstrates, few bands do heartache with as much majesty.
Damage is admittedly a lot of the old sprinkled with a little bit of new, resulting in an album that’s comfortably settled in the band’s sonic safe place without stagnantly spinning its alt-pop wheels.
There is a reason Jimmy Eat World are so well respected when it comes to their particular brand of emo music, and Damage is full of catchy-yet-thoughtful songs that make it an incredibly accessible release.
There's flashes of Jimmy Eat World brilliance and even a few classics in there, but this is an album that's also prone to a few fillers and cheesy one liners.
Respectable in execution, but not as recommendable compared as some of their previous works, Damage is nevertheless a serviceable effort from a still very talented band.
Just as the music on Damage is a sophisticated, fully realized version of the urgent, rambunctious rock Jimmy Eat World played early their career, the lyrics are more sophisticated as well.
If you are over 25 and have been in a romantic relationship, Damage will not confront you with the unfamiliar, or make you suddenly realize you've never understood yourself like you do now. Still, some of it will comfort you when you've been depressed or confused by your life.
While the group’s predictability has traditionally been a positive assurance of quality, it’s now more indicative of stasis. Damage doesn’t offend, but it doesn’t offer much that’s memorable, either.
The irony is that perhaps in trying to grow old a little too gracefully Jimmy Eat World have lost some of the youthful exuberance that so endeared them to us in those heady days around the turn of the millennia.
Twenty years later, on their first album since 2010, the Arizona guys still sound sweet. They’re also hall-monitor dull – these meat and potatoes sure could use some fresh gravy.
It's hard to sound mature when you still feel teenager.
They'd better stay cool adults in search of the right and easy tune.
1 | Appreciation 3:15 | 73 |
2 | Damage 3:07 | 72 |
3 | Lean 3:04 | 71 |
4 | Book of Love 3:55 | 68 |
5 | I Will Steal You Back 3:28 | 78 |
6 | Please Say No 4:40 | 72 |
7 | How'd You Have Me 3:42 | 71 |
8 | No, Never 3:50 | 70 |
9 | Byebyelove 4:31 | 66 |
10 | You Were Good 4:13 | 74 |
#10 | / | Alternative Press |