Jimmy Eat World’s “Clarity”

When
October 14, 2023
Where
Down into the streets named after Native Americans
Why
From a reddit thread about “perfect albums”
Rating
8/10
Distance
5 miles
Vibe
A prototypical rendering of every band that would play on Steven's Untitled Rock Show in 2005.

How was the run?

New shoes! I only spent the first mile messing around with my shoelaces and made it back home before it started raining.

How was the album?

Clarity has a radio-unfriendly, heart-on-your-sleeve style of emo songwriting that promises to hold your hand through the worst of times. It doesn’t shy away from sadness or humor, but it never wallows or becomes cynical. It’s just earnestly, sleepily attentive to your feelings.

All I knew about Jimmy Eat World was The Middle; the bubblegum-pop-punk soundtrack to high-school pool-parties that never actually happened (Pitchfork gave that album a 3.5 rating with the cattiest review I’ve read in a while. Just brutal.). I was expecting that, but this isn’t that. Not at all.

I feel so positive about this album that I don't have much to say; I will be listening again.

Where can I listen to it?

From Just Watch the Fireworks

Here, you can be anything And I think that scares you

Be cool, dude.