JIMMY EAT WORLD

Invented

[Interscope]

Since settling on its sound—the widescreen arena-emo of 2001’s Bleed American, one of the decade’s defining albums—Jimmy Eat World has been in a holding pattern. It can’t make music that’s bigger or more earnest without becoming U2, but pulling back would be a retreat. With its seventh full-length album, the Arizona quartet finds a subtle way to push things forward. Instead of churning out another batch of first-person songs about heartbreak and resiliency, singer Jim Adkins challenged himself to write character sketches—three-minute glimpses into other people’s lives. Adkins still covers his usual topics, but in playing the road-tripping teen of “Coffee and Cigarettes” and New York City newcomer of “Movielike,” he slightly alters the band’s signature songwriting voice. On other songs the shift is less noticeable, and the production touch of Mark Trombino remains familiar. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if the band endeavors to surprise anyone, it’ll have to head back to the lab. –KP

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