The Loop: Jimmy Eat World - Futures

Jimmy Eat World - Futures (2004)

In starting this new month and new era (2004-2006), I figured it was only appropriate to begin with three albums that all dropped on the same day : October 19, 2004. I remember thinking "DUDE, BEST DAY EVER" when hearing that these three were coming out at the same time : Jimmy Eat World, Elliott Smith and Ted Leo. Three of my favorite dudes. :)

And it's only appropriate within those three bands, that we start with Jimmy Eat World. Despite my fan-girl gushing on Five Iron Frenzy last night, over the last few years, Jimmy Eat World has made it's way to the coveted category of "Ashley's Favorite Band." I often have this conversation with people when I first meet them, and so many people have such trouble saying who their favorite band is. But for me, there is never any question. It's Jimmy Eat World.

I also have no problem saying that their album Clarity is my favorite record, but for our purposes here, I couldn't use that album because it dropped in 1999. While Bleed American came out between there and was arguably the album that introduced me to JEW, Futures holds a special spot in my heart.

This album came out during my first semester of college at Arizona State University, definitely a poignant time for me to have a record titled Futures. I managed to snag an advance copy (although I did end up buying the record . . .TWICE! I promise!) and had it on hand from the first week of school on. Obviously I had my doubts about college, because for so long it was just understood that I would go. I wasn't a dumb kid but I wasn't a very good student either (3.2 was my final GPA, I feel good about that!) I knew I wanted to do journalism, which was more than most of the freshmen I met knew at that point, but I was 18 and still living at home and not fully adjusted to what this "real world" was.

That's not to say that that was what Futures was about, but for every morning I sat outside the Memorial Union between classes, I had this playing. I carried it with me as I explored the campus that I would eventually be able to walk through blindfolded (although I never tried), while I started to get involved in The Blaze 1260 AM and making new "college" friends. I distinctly remember the walk from Lot 59 blasting "Futures" and listening to "Drugs or Me" between classes. This album was so sonically weaved that it became such a flawless soundtrack to my every day. To this day when I listen to this album, I find myself flashing back.

I spent much of my first few months at school at Hoodlums music, our on campus record store (how spoiled were we?!) They announced a "huge local act" would be doing an in-store on October 19th, and of course I knew who it was. Eventually it was announced that it was Jimmy Eat World coming in to sign their new album at 1PM, but I had class until 12:30, so i was paranoid that the line would be huge and I wouldn't get a chance to get mine signed. I got there earlier in the day and bought the album that came with a 7" record on blue vinyl. It was pouring rain that day so I tucked it safely into my bag and went to class.

My brother's class got out earlier than mine, so he went immediately after and stood in line for me (well, and for himself, but mostly because I was fan-girl spazzing) I got there as soon as I could after class and we were part of the first five people in line. Because I was awkward and I didn't know what to do, I made a sign for my friend Zach Toporek who shared a mutual love for JEW, but was still in high school so couldn't come. I drew on the back of one of my worksheets, "I LOVE ZACH TOPOREK" and had them hold it up to take a picture to send to him. Sadly those pictures are buried somewhere in one of my hard drives, but it was a nice ice-breaker for a typically awkward kind of event. When I got to Jim I handed him my 7" album and was only able to say something to the effect of "It's the best I've ever heard!". I have no idea what that meant, if it was the best of THEIR music or the best of ALL music, who knows, it was all a blur. We finished up and made our way out of the store and I started crying. It's strange because I'm definitely not the kind of person to get worked up about meeting bands, especially now. I was just so happy that an album like this existed and came from these guys who were so down-to-earth and giving back by spending their release day in Arizona with the community that helped foster them. I saw them play later on that weekend at Tempe Beach Park where they had a KILLER set-list, including new tracks and songs like "No Sensitivity" and "Goodbye Sky Harbor". I still have the ticket stub to that show and my signed 7" on my wall as we speak.

As far as the album was concerned, it came with a lot of pressure. They acheived huge mainstream success with Bleed American after enjoying cult favorite status with Clarity. Both albums had a much different sound, so how do you marry the two? You get Futures. Even when I pop all my JEW songs on shuffle, it's clear which of those songs are from Futures. The tone is dark and "ambient", while some of the choruses were heavy and melodic. It was as haunting as the album cover. The more mainstream songs like "Pain" did well on TV and radio while songs like "Polaris" are screamed out from fans at shows. It was a strange record for JEW in that it almost felt like their "sophomore" effort, the time when they had to really prove themselves, even though they were three albums deep. The amazing thing about this being an Arizona "local" band though is that I felt the community really rally for JEW. We wanted to be there for them as they were there for us, and you can't really deny the kind of buzz that is maintained in a band's hometown. They were ours.

Over the next few years, I ended up working with Jim several times through The Blaze and keep in touch to this day, with much more to say than the first time I met him at that signing. But in the back of my mind, my 18-year-old self is still saying "It's the best I've ever heard!!!!" everytime I listen to Futures.