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Jimmy Eat World

Stay on My Side Tonight
2005
Interscope

Jimmy Eat World - Stay on My Side Tonight (Cover Artwork)

Review by: colin
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Published on November 25th 2005

Jimmy Eat World is one of my favorite bands ever. The infamous Clarity is my favorite record. While I was fine with the releases of Bleed American and Futures, I always secretly just wanted more Clarity. So, when I heard this EP was coming out and had more of a feel of their older days, I got pretty excited. Plus, covering Heatmiser's "Half Right" could really be amazing. Unfortunately, this EP only partially delivers.

"Disintigration" starts off the disc, and is easily one of my favorite Jimmy songs ever. I had the demo of this -- originally called "Coming Home" from the Futures sessions -- and was always hoping it would be properly recorded and released. I think it's their best song recorded since "Goodbye Sky Harbor," and keeps in touch with the repetitive harmonies and looped melodies that this band somehow manages to make interesting and involving. So far, so good.

"Over" is an outtake from Clarity, as it should have been. It's got the poppy elements that the band is great at, but something about the vocals is just awkward and confusing. The lyrics are incredibly simple, even for Jim Adkins, and usually his lyrical 'whoaaa' is much better than his hums he seemingly half-asses in this song. The layering of the vocals at the end of this track don't work nearly as well as they did in "Disintigration," probably because the bridge offers more of a punch than the final chorus. It's a good song, but good at best.

"Closer" is a song that is really hard to grade. It starts off sort of boring, easy, and again, disconnected from the full and harmonious sound Jimmy usually produces. However, as it nears halfway through the 5:50 it takes up, the song basically explodes into one of those tunes you imagine a car commercial for a Volkswagen would feature: A few teenagers driving with the top down on a sunny day on some cliffs overlooking the Pacific coast. It suddenly goes from mediocre pop riff to really entertaining, fun driving music. Everything about the song improves halfway through, and it's a shame this energy wasn't put into the first part. Unfortunately, the song ends in the style it began, sort of iffy and left off of a full-length for a reason.

"Half Right" was supposed to be better. Jimmy Eat World is one of those bands that I think just does phenomenal covers. "Firestarter" and "New Religion" are just incredible and I was hoping to see the band take a whole new look at Elliott Smith's beautiful track. But they don't. They stay the course, providing a simple cover song with some ambient sounds in the background. And I must say, it's always weird listening to Jim say "motherfucker," just because I've gotten accustomed to the band never swearing.

I won't comment on the last song because, as remixes usually are, it's bad. It's disconnected, loses meaning of the original, and seems thrown together for the release.

If you liked Clarity as much as I did, you'll probably enjoy this EP. It's not a huge success, and I'd recommend just picking and choosing a track or two to get from iTunes (or whatever means you have of getting music) and forget the rest. The Heatmiser cover is worth a listen, just don't expect a radical new direction. This does, however, leave me hoping that the band hasn't closed all their doors to creating another masterpiece like Clarity, perhaps leaving the pressures of a major label and radio demands behind.

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Posted by aorta on 2007-09-26 13:14:59

I know no one is reading this anymore, but this is an excellent EP. My favorite release from JEW after Clarity. If you got into JEW after Bleed American or Futures, then chances are you won't like it. But if you remember how good Clarity was when it first came out, then this is JEW like you remember them.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 5, 2006 at 4:46 PM (EDT)
My Score:

i like my chemical romance and jimmy eat world... GO MCR AND JEW!!!!(jimmy eat world)

Posted by tylerdurden8136 on 2006-03-31 13:30:52

go kill yourself, colin.

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, December 12, 2005 at 8:48 PM (EST)

omg ur CD is so freakin amazing ur the best band ever and ur song disenegration is the best ever it should be realeased and played all the time lol i fell in love with it when i heard it on one tree hill (tv show) and i cannot wait till christamas cause i am dying for ur CD stay on my side tonight all ur songs are amazing and i honestly think that ur the only band that has never had one bad song and thats no lie omg i really want to seee u guys live u should come to philedelphia oneday cause i live like and hour away from it I LOVE U GUYS SO FREAKIN MUCH!!!

from ur number 1 fan
tess

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, December 5, 2005 at 10:56 PM (EST)

I like the EP a lot.
It shows that JEW isn't afraid to try new things.
They don't limit themselvs in their music.
The whole album flows smoothly like all of their albums do.
Because I liked Tom's version of Over better than Jim's and I didn't like how Jim wanted to have a cuss word in a song I give it an 8.
Still an awsome EP.

Posted by SilentStorms on 2005-12-01 16:24:59
My Score:

Enjoy the cancer. Need I say more? Oh, I guess I should. Yeah the first thing I noticed after reading SUPERDUDE's comment was - she isn't wearing socks. Damn I'm negative. Oh, and I gave up on these guys after Bleed American, or whatever the album was called. No Sensitivity is one hell of a song though!

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 29, 2005 at 9:01 PM (EST)

why do you guys review such crap on this site anyway?

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, November 27, 2005 at 5:38 PM (EST)

is this a contractual obligation?

Its strange otherwise, what is left of there interscope contract?

wyzo

Posted by GlassPipeMurder on 2005-11-27 14:49:43
My Score:

What the hell is this shit? It sounds like they're tring to be Bright Eyes or Death Cab for Cutie or something, and it's so boring. The songs are all 6 minutes of lifeless crap. JEW used to be so good.

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, November 27, 2005 at 1:22 PM (EST)

Ace Ventura: Punk Detective

Posted by maverick on 2005-11-27 02:11:52

No fuckin' clue who Jim Carey is.

-Scott

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, November 26, 2005 at 10:48 PM (EST)

Jimmy Eat World is playing at USC on Thursday, December 1st in McCarthy Quad by Gate 3 and it's FREE TO EVERYONE (NOT JUST STUDENTS like Pepperdine). Fireworks and special guests too, *cough* Jim Carey *cough*

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, November 26, 2005 at 10:07 PM (EST)

I used to think that women who smoke were gross until I realized that they're alot more fun. I hate to say it, but smoking can be sexy.

Posted by GreenVandal on 2005-11-26 18:10:04

Arizona does not approve of Jimmy and his plan to eat the world.

Posted by thirtyseconds on 2005-11-26 15:39:03

I would say men and smoking is more unattractive, personally.

Posted by thirtyseconds on 2005-11-26 15:31:33

Only 9 reviews? This band is average. The sort of band that you love if they come on the radio, but only because they provide a interlude from the Pussycat Dolls and the like.

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, November 26, 2005 at 5:33 AM (EST)
My Score:

Mesa, AZ we are ashamed.

Posted by colin on 2005-11-26 01:22:07

superdude she's not wearing socks. but yeah, women and smoking = most unattractive thing ever.

Posted by superdude on 2005-11-26 00:47:15

Oh...me

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, November 26, 2005 at 12:46 AM (EST)

This review was pretty good, but here's how I would make it better:

1. Who is that female model on the cover. Looking good!

2. Except for the smoking.

3. Jimmy Eat World encourages smoking,

4. Lady, your socks are going to get wet.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, November 25, 2005 at 10:45 PM (EST)

While it's not so great an EP, at least they covered Heatmiser even if it is an OK cover to it.

Ramo

Posted by inagreendase on 2005-11-25 22:31:42

This band does so little for me post-Bleed American.

Posted by bloodbrothersburnpiano on 2005-11-25 22:03:43

the problem with this ep is that it's way too obvious that it was created for "disintegration." the rest of the songs are just slapped on so they can call it an ep. i do like the remix, though.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, November 25, 2005 at 9:53 PM (EST)

The lyrics keep getting worse and worse and worse.

I couldn't even get all the way through this EP without turning it off.

Posted by theundergroundscene on 2005-11-25 21:43:03

futures is a really solid album...i popped it in recently, and was like just...awesome

it just doesn't stick with you for a long time...after a few days of listening, you have no desire to continue

and obv clarity is amazing

Posted by AlmostPunkEnough on 2005-11-25 21:39:53
My Score:

i wanna like this so bad but i just can't. it really is way too mellow. it has so much missed potetial. at first i thought it would grow on me like "Clarity" but it hasn't yet. who knows, maybe it still will. one or two god songs.

Posted by shadydeals on 2005-11-25 21:33:52

Clarity is one of my favorite CDs ever too and I thought this EP was very disappointing. The lyrics are so awful. I can listen to this if I pay absolutely no attention to what is being sung.

I liked Jim's lyrics back when they were totally cryptic and took time to read to listen to and to soak in. Basically everything pre Bleed American.

The music is okay. Nothing very interesting. I thought the remix was the most interesting track on the whole EP.

Posted by Godfather on 2005-11-25 21:20:54
My Score:

i love jew, but this ep kinda sucks....too mellow