Photo by me, July 2001, 99X Studios, Atlanta, Georgia
While I haven't written any top 25 lists in quite some time, I've had them on the brain--it is more of just the reality that I am not blogging much at all. I have brainstormed lists for Stavesacre, Manchester Orchestra, Patty Griffin, and Middle Kids in recently years, but it was a Twitter discussion that prompted me to finally put my top 25 Jimmy Eat World songs down on paper. I often post top 25 lists to refute other lists I read online (especially in the case of Death Cab and Thrice). This one is not that--it is just my favs.
I narrowed it to 25 songs and created a YouTube playlist months ago, but didn't get around to actually sorting the 25 songs "in order" until today. (I can already tell you Manchester Orchestra is coming next, because there are few artists I listen to as much these days, my whole family likes them, and my 13-year-old son continues to ask and prompt me on what my favorite Manchester Orchestra songs are.)
First of all, to recap, here are the top 25 lists I have published previously:
Please Don't Kiss Me Top 25 Sixpence None the Richer Songs (2017)
For the Love of Guitar Top 25 Aaron Sprinkle Songs (2017)
Don't Be Defeatist Top 25 Eisley Songs (2017)
Farther Than I Can See Top 25 Thrice Songs (2016)
Farewell Walla Top 25 Death Cab for Cutie Songs (2014)
Selection breathes on its own
Till we crash I'll write it out
Selection breathes on its own
Make them open the request line
Let selection kill the old
Turn off the radio"
Does this album count? I usually don't include it as I think of it more as rough demos, and the band rarely acknowledges its existence. I only have MP3s I downloaded off Napster back in 2000 or so and can't remember the last time I have listened to it.
Really despise this album; I can't even pick a single song on it I like. Felt so lifeless and forced to me at the time. A strange blip in a consistent career.
Despite how low I have it ranked, I do enjoy this album, but I feel it was sequenced incorrectly and some non-album tracks should replace some songs that were included.
Was a big return to form for me; was concerned the band was done after Damage.
Was impressed by this album at the time, but rarely revisit it as a whole.
I discovered Jimmy Eat World with Clarity, and then immediately went out and bought this CD. Love the aggression that understandably passed with time.
I had the unique experience due to file-sharing services of hearing all the demos for this album before it finally dropped. I was actually putting the demo of "The Middle" on mix tapes/CDs in early 2001. Won tickets and saw Jimmy Eat World do a live studio performance for 99X in Atlanta the day this album was released.
I was blown away by this album when it dropped, and that feeling has never gone away. I totally understand anyone that has this as their fav Jimmy Eat World album.
No other Jimmy Eat World album comes close for me, and this is a top-10 album of all-time for me. I discovered the album and band a couple months after it was released, and I've never stopped listening to it frequently. I have taken a bunch of notes with the intention of writing an essay about it, but still haven't gotten a draft finished. Someday!
24. "Movielike" (3:48) from the 2010 album Invented
23. "Anderson Mesa" (5:15) from the 1996 album Static Prevails
22. "Delivery" (3:13) from the 2019 album Surviving
21. "World Is Static" (3:57) from the 1996 album Static Prevails
20. "555" (3:41) from the 2019 album Surviving
19. "Gotta Be Somebody's Blues" (4:46) from the 2007 album Chase This Light
18. "The End Is Beautiful" (4:25) from the 2016 album Integrity Blues
17. "Disintegration" (7:44) from the 2005 EP Stay On My Side Tonight
16. "Sure and Certain" 3:36 from the 2016 album Integrity Blues
15. "Your New Aesthetic" (2:41) from the 1999 album Clarity
14. "Coffee And Cigarettes" (3:46) from the 2010 album Invented
13. "Jen"(3:00) Officially unreleased, but was on the original version of the 2004 album Futures. I wrote an entire blog post about it back in 2013.
12. "The Most Beautiful Things" (3:52) from the 2000 Jebediah Split EP
11. "Here It Goes" (3:23) from the 2007 album Chase This Light
10. "Futures" (3:58) from the 2004 album Futures
9. "Polaris" (4:51) from the 2004 album Futures
8. "Goodbye Sky Harbor" (16:11) from the 1999 album Clarity
7. "Hear You Me" (4:45) from the 2001 album Bleed American
6. "If You Don't, Don't" (4:33) from the 2001 album Bleed American
5. "Lucky Denver Mint" (3:50) from the 1999 album Clarity
4. "The World You Love" (5:01) from the 2004 album Futures
3. "Sweetness" (3:40) from the 2001 album Bleed American
2. "23" (7:24) from the 2004 album Futures
1. "For Me This Is Heaven" (4:06) from the 1999 album Clarity
YouTube playlist; selected the best live video performance I could find for each song when possible:
