Issue 507

Jimmy Eat World Invented Interscope / Universal Last year was the tenth anniversary of Jimmy Eat World's emo hallmark 'Clarity', a record that still spins into my ears weekly. To celebrate, the band played the album in full across ten gigs in the States, shortly before bunkering down to record 'Invented', their seventh studio effort. The band also announced they were returning to 'Clarity' producer Mark Trombino. This move, combined with the afore-mentioned recent retrospective led many to surmise that Jimmy Eat World were to return to the prototypical-emo sound of yesteryear. 'Clarity', part deux, was inbound. But no; after spending the interim ten years calcifying themselves into one of the world's premier pop-rock bands through chart-toppers like The Middle, it's pretty hard for the quartet to do an about face. And why should they? They're damn good at what they do. While Trombino's presence is definitely (and thankfully) felt, 'Invented' is still defiantly pop. While 2007's 'Chase This Light' was a bouncy, teenage affair, 'Invented' is a slower, more considered effort. It opens brilliantly with the acoustic tumbler Heart Is Hard To Find, setting the tone of the rest of the disc. Evidence spikes up muted guitars and vocals with a tempered power-chord chorus, while highlights Movielike and brilliant Littlething are spacious, impassioned semi-ballads that recall 2004's brilliant 'Futures'. There are only a couple of rock-and-roll moments throughout - infectious and well-placed single My Best Theory and fairly disposable Action Needs An Audience. Everything else is mid-tempo, reflective, and completely charming. Importantly, it sounds mature - the band are finally acting their age, and it's a welcome step forward. Jimmy Eat World don't how to write a bad album and while there are a couple of missteps (Stop and Cut lay on the melodrama a little to thick), by the time track ten has rolled around, it's clearly the best thing the band has done in a number of years. Then the closing duo steps in - the breathtaking title track, which starts off in a My Sundown whisper before barrelling momentarily into raw, heavy emo, as well as Mixtape, which is pure 'Clarity', all looped piano and sweet melodic hang-ups. For those two songs alone, 'Invented' is unmissable. Matt Vesely