Review Summary: Now who would agree with me that this band brought "emo music" to a much higher level?
Emotive hardcore, more commonly known as "emo", is a genre of music which is characterized by...whiny vocals? No. (Or yeah, whatever you like.) It is characterized by...suicide aftermath? Uh...no. It is basically a genre of music characterized by lyrics which are expressive and highly confessional, and of course, a musical style that could be categorized as melodic. It broke into mainstream media during the early 2000s, with the popularity of emo bands like Dashboard Confessional and, well...Jimmy Eat World.
Jimmy Eat World.
Now who would agree with me that this band brought "emo music" to a much higher level? Okay, thank you for your show of hands.
Well, some might argue that Jimmy Eat World is NOT EMO, but alternative rock. Some might stomp their feet and say that they are NEITHER, because they are pop punk. But other people, who prefer using all three of those genres of music to describe the band, and might add more sub-genres to their list of descriptions, would probably get an A+ for that, obviously because Bleed American, the band's fourth album, has it all. In my opinion, at least.
The thing here is, Bleed American is probably one of the most influential albums of 2001. Or 2002. The album has been liked and loved and hated and even despised by a lot of people that its impact is definitely widespread. Like a virus. And when I say "like a virus", I mean "infectious." Singles like "The Middle" and "Sweetness" are...akjhwqjkvnksqmvcqhfqgnboaerqurtvnj. Indescribable. I mean, they are what I would consider as classics. The songwriting is absolutely amazing all throughout. The songwriting is what I consider as the album's greatest strength. The whole album is brimming with fantastic lyrics that could just be considered as nothing but pure talent. In all places, the musicianship is excellent. It has everything of what a good album needs: catchy, memorable melodies that never failed to diminish from the moment the first track starts playing up to the time when the last track tricks its final seconds off. Besides, the music is highly original, as well.
All songs in this album are awesome, but there are still what I would consider as standouts. One of the highlights in this album is "Hear You Me", a slow ballad which delivers its emotional message through wonderful lyrics, combined with touches of female background vocals. "The Authority Song" dwells a bit more closer to dance-pop category, but Jim Atkins, the band vocalist, delivers a superb vocal performance. "Bleed American" and "Get it Faster" are also strong tracks, with the former establishing the mood of the album with its opening lyrics: "I'm not alone cause the TV's on yeah. I'm not crazy cause I take the right pills everyday."
Now, those lyrics are wow.
If you have listened to it already, then good for you(whether you liked it or not, I'm just checking). If you haven't yet, then I recommend that you spare some time to listen to Bleed American. If you think I'm exaggerating...well, I am. But I just want to point out how this album deserves a 5.0, all because it's constantly impressive in all departments: songwriting, production, vocals, etc. Everything just blends in smoothloy. The guitars, the drums, the vocals, even the handclaps. Imagine its influence during the year this album is on its peak. People singing along pop-punk anthems "The Middle" and "Sweetness", and that's not all, this band brought "emo music" to a much higher level. It brought "emo" to mainstream media.
Now who would agree with me?
