At the turn of the millennium, Jimmy Eat World crafted their version of the pop-emo genre into a radio-friendly gem that would prove to be extremely well received by the masses. Once they released their hit single “The Middle” their name was etched permanently into a plethora of newly found fan’s memories, their numerous singles after “the middle” only made Jimmy Eat World’s name bolder in their minds. But once their latest release, Futures was released, the bold turned to italics, as Jimmy Eat World ventured to try and identify a new style, but fell short, coming up with something much more questionable and confused, then mature.
However, with Chase This Light, Jimmy Eat World refines its style off Futures, but the refinement process takes them back to a style much similar to their more popular releases during the early part of the century. Chase This Light features many pop-emo anthems with the usual Jimmy Eat World heart-felt lyrics that intertwine the melodic guitar riffs smoothly, coexisting with the overall mood. But something is much different then the Jimmy Eat World we grew accustomed to loving in the past. Chase This Light sounds muffled and shiny from beginning to end, with their first single, “Big Casino” being an exception. This can mainly be attributed to two things, frontman Jim Adkins uninterested, apathetic vocal expression, and producer Butch Vig, who was last heard of when he was accused by Kurt Cobain for viciously toning down Nirvana’s release Nevermind solely for commercial value. With a better producer and more motive, Chase This Light could have weighed more.
release date: Tuesday, October 16, 2007
