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Album Details

• Artist: Jimmy Eat World
• Album: Futures
• Label: Universal
• Year of Release: 2004
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2004-12-01

Damn, it's hard to follow up your career topping record. That's what Jimmy Eat World is trying to do with Futures. After the international success of Bleed American/Jimmy Eat World (whatever you know the album as) the Arizona group had big shoes to fill. All this on an album that was done on indie dollars. So needless to say, expectations are high for Futures. I do have to admit, if you look at my review of Bleed American, you will see that I pretty much called that album being a huge success. I loved the album and in the haze of love I went back to check out some of their back catalog. I didn't find anything near as immediate and promising as Bleed American, so I was eagerly anticipating this one. I think I pretty much set myself up for disappointment. In order to get the sound they were looking for, the band hired Gil Norton. This proves to be a good idea because the production is phenomenal. Unfortunately the immediacy of songs like "The Middle", "Sweetness", and "If you Don't, Don't" are pretty much completely lacking. The title track opens fairly strongly but then we get a dud on "Just Tonight". It just feels repetitive and is lacking any decent hook or lyric. But then we hit on Matchbox 20 material (ouch) on "Work" that really floored me and not in a good way. Who invited the girl? "Kill" sounds like an outtake from Bleed American. "The World You Love" has a driving guitar and is probably my favorite track on Futures. And honestly what the hell was Jim Adkins thinking on "Drugs or Me"? If I had the choice, I would choose drugs every time. The closer "23" sounds more like the Cure than anything ever done by the band previously. Even after about 4 listens I still don't have a song stuck in my head. That was the joy of the previous album. It was so instant and it had staying power. It still gets me excited when I hear one of those songs on the radio.

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