Search - Jimmy Eat World :: Static Prevails (Expanded Edition)

My favorite Jimmy Eat World album

R. Gorham | 11/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"THE BAND: Tom Linton (vocals, guitars), Jim Adkins (vocals, guitars), Rick Burch (bass), Zach Lind (drums & percussion). Origin - Mesa, AZ.



THE DISC: (1996) Originally 12 tracks clocking in at approximately 52 minutes. The remastered 2007 version adds 2 bonus tracks bringing the total listen to approximately 57 minutes. Included with the disc is a 6-page booklet containing song titles/credits (no song lyrics), band photos, and thank you's. This is Burch's first album on bass (he replaces Mitch Porter). Recorded at Sound City (Los Angeles) and Big Fish (Encinitas, CA). This is the band's 2nd release. Label - Capital Records.



COMMENTS: Back before Jimmy Eat World's commercial breakthrough (check out 2001's "Bleed American" for that), was and perhaps still is, my favorite album of theirs... "Static Prevails". The album is tucked somewhere nicely between rock, alternative, and a newer softer punk. Heavy on fast guitar licks and emotion, this albums flat out rocks. It also features pretty close to a 50/50 split on singing duties between Linton and Adkins (future albums would showcase Adkins much more so). This was a nice trade off vocally - between Linton's deeper voice and Adkins poppy higher tone. Highlights for me have always been the fast and slow, soft and heavy "Rockstar" with the highlight being Lind's drumming; the fast paced "Call It In The Air" with layers upon layers of guitars and vocals; the melodic "Seventeen"; the dreamy and calming "Episode IV"; "Digits" with it's soothing intro and powerful ending; and finally the original album closer "Anderson Mesa" - another up and down song with gentle moments side by side with heavier emotional ones - complete with violin strings. The bonus tracks are decent... both upbeat faster tracks that fit nicely on the disc. Years later "Static Prevails" is still my favorite album cover of theirs. I always though it look like knobs on a piece of stereo or recording equipment. However, if you turn the cover on it's side it looks like snow capped bar stools. For me, "Static Prevails" was always about a talented young band that hadn't truly made it yet. The sound was fresh and original... JEW had something to prove. Great tunes here - no filler - a complete album that I can listen to anytime (5 stars)."

There hasn't been a review for this album in 7 years, SO...

BrittanyAL | The Garden of Infinite Pleasantries | 04/03/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is my favorite Jimmy Eat World album. Not as "perfect" as Clarity, but that's one of its most attractive qualities. The vocals are harsher (and shared with Tom, who is a great singer), the songs less perfectly structured. But there is something about a band's first recordings, when the only thing fueling the music was passion.



Static Prevails rocks hard when it rocks, but at at the same time manages to put you in a dreamlike stupor. That is one of the best things about Jimmy Eat World. No matter how aggressive the song, they always have a warm quality. Listening to this band is like being wrapped in a big musical blanket.



Highlights of this album are Episode IV, World Is Static, Robot Factory, and the closer Anderson Mesa. This is probably my favorite album closer of all time, and is a song I could listen to on repeat for hours- subtle at the start and it builds up to an extremely powerful end."

Greatest Band Of ALL TIME!

06/28/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If your reading this review, most likely you've already heard of Jimmy Eat World, and already know that they wont let you down with anything less than amazing music. So you are reading this reviews because you love JEW and you like to see when other people agree. JEW RULES!!!



This Cd is amazing, if you have not heard it, then i suggest you buy it without a second thought, because you know you wont regret it. In my oppinion the greatest song on this album is the emotion filled "Anderson Mesa" In this phenominal track you feel the Emotion Jim Adkins portrays the extrem happiness Like your in a dream, in which your floating and wind is carrying you out into a field of sweet sweet rock. This is a great cd go buy it and love it as much as i do!"