Imagine a time before Melchi... before Wendla... before Moritz and Ilse... before tracks 4 and 15...
Before all things "Spring Awakening" had captured my attention, there was Jimmy Eat World's "Clarity".
It was a CD that came out in 1999, but I never knew of it's sheer awesomeness until 2001, when I was a freshman in college. It was a time when I was just finding out about music beyond what I heard in church and from the pop radio that you couldn't escape. Much like my love for "Spring Awakening", I didn't immediately fall in love with this CD. I already really enjoyed their 2001 CD "Bleed American" (which the musical snob in me wants to add that I was diggin' before "The Middle" became popular). I browsed the band's message boards and everyone there was raving about their previous CD, "Clarity". So I bought it, gave it a spin, and sadly didn't fastly appreciate this gem that I had bought.
But I'd walk around campus from class to class with my Sony discman (a time before the prevalence of iPods) and I'd pop this CD inside. And pretty soon, I'd start to notice little things. I don't speak in musical terms, but I'd come across an arrangement that would make me go "ooooooh, niiiiiice". Or I'd suddenly hear an instrument that I hadn't noticed before in one of the songs. And I'd nod my head in agreement, thinking "Wow, Jimmy Eat World - that was a rad moment in that song right there." Until I realized that every freaking moment in that CD was amazing.
And just like my favorite musical, I was wanting to quote the album in my every day life. I'd find new meaning in a lyric, and there were so many that I loved... in fact, I feel like quoting something from each song...
"Not asking of me anything, saying nothing about what it means, without anybody telling me what I should feel."
"You're not bigger than this, not better, why can't you learn?"
"I'll miss you when you're just like them."
"What you ignore is priceless to me."
"What you wish for won't come true - live with that."
"Didn't mean to leave you hanging on."
"I can't bring myself to say it; it's my own advice I need." / "Could you look in my eyes and blame no one?"
"If I don't let myself be happy now, then when?" / "You can lose yourself in your courage." / "Can you still feel the butterflies?"
"When the world caves in, what are you gonna do for me?"
"Wait for something better, will I know when it can be us?"
"So full of faith yet full of doubt, I ask again... I shall ask you this once again, he said 'I am but one small instrument', do you remember that?"
Yup. I'm a lyric lover. This was the CD that once I was head over heels for, I listened to at least some portion of it every day. I sang in the car at the top of my lungs, it cheered me up when I was having a bad day and it my good times even better... I even had to buy the album on vinyl from eBay even though I didn't have a record player... "Clarity" had become my favorite CD, hands-down.
Fast forward to 2009, when Jimmy Eat World went on tour to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the CD. As soon as it was announced on their blog, I knew there was no way I could miss this concert. They were going to play the entire CD, from start to finish. I'd seen them many times before already and was never disappointed... but this time - to hear freaking "Table for Glasses" live?!?!? (That's track one, btw.) I was going.
So after walking with the No on Prop 8 march for about 8 seconds just to get to the box office, Chris and I bought our tickets, and then we marched back up against the same rally for another 8 seconds. (I've always found this story amusing.) Months passed (because the tickets went on sale in November, right after the election) and we kept our tickets securely until the day finally came to break them out... March 6, 2009.
My friend Kasey was going to go, but since his family was in town, he was unable. So at the last minute, I was able to find a replacement in another friend, Suzy, and we drove down to the HOB and met up with Chris and Cody. Ate some dinner, had some drinks, sat in the lounge for a bit, and then the show began. No Knife came out as the opener, and I've loved them since '01 as well. They broke up in 2005, and reunited for the tour because they're good friends with JEW. So I was super stoked to hear them play again.
But once it came time for JEW to take the stage, and I could see Tom walk out... it was on. And to me, it was legendary. Just like they promised, they performed the entire CD. And I was proudly geeking out the whole time: singing along, tapping my feet and bopping my head... I miss innocent things like that. Getting lost in something you love and not giving a rat's ass about what anyone else thinks.
When it came down to the album's last song, which is normally 16 minutes long, the band played a slightly different arrangement from how they've done it live in the past. Previously they would cut it down to about 5 minutes live. Tonight's rendition was definitely longer than that, but not quite 16... but still fantastic. Having completely played their masterpiece, the band left the stage for a few moments. Then they came back out to the crowd's roaring approval and played some of their other great songs - and not necessarily the hits either, which was great. Hearing "What I Would Say To You Now" was my personal fave of the encore set, definitely... the encore was pretty lengthy, about 6 songs, I think... they finally closed out the show with two of their biggest hits, "The Middle" (of course) and "Sweetness". Then sadly, it was all over.
We may not have walked away with pictures or signed album covers, 'cause that would've been [Barney voice]awwwwwwesooooooome![/Barney voice]... But it was still a night I will always remember. "Clarity", you are still my favorite CD.
:)
