Jimmy Eat World has always been known for their energetic music and their emotionally raw lyrics. Frontman Jim Adkins takes it up a notch in their new album Damage, where he belts out heartbreak anthems for every breakup style. The distorted guitar riffs of the initial track “Appreciation” immediately resonate the post-breakup anger and frustration, while the lyrics, “thank you honey for reminding me how long you can stay with someone and never really see,” gush sarcasm and resentment. With the second track and namesake of the album, “Damage,” it is a true testament to the mess that can emerge after years of lost loves and storm-weathered relationships ravage our heads and hearts, leaving us at the very least damaged if not completely broken.
Further down the track list, “I Will Steal You Back” recounts the denial and disillusionment that can sometimes cloud our love-sickened minds, while “No, Never” builds up with a heavy drum beat for what I like to call the confessional song. The second to last song, “Byebyelove” is clearly the acceptance phase of the breakup process, in which Adkins’ repetitive wailing, “bye bye love” might make you break down and cry. The album ends with the lament of the unrequited lover in “You Were Good,” which has an acoustic and homemade-mixtape feel to it.
Overall, the album is a success for Jimmy Eat World, as usual. Even for listeners who are not going through a life-altering breakup, the album is still a lively, nostalgic addition to the Jimmy Eat World discography. Catch them on their US tour throughout the summer and fall months.
