- Critic score
- Publication
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Futures will most likely not be the sensation that Bleed American was -- it is too dark and inwardly focused for that -- but it shows a progression of sound and emotion that fans of the band should embrace.
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Alternative PressA beautiful example of what "heart-on-sleeve" music should be. [Nov 2004, p.148]
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Although not as immediate as "Jimmy Eat World," "Futures" will not disappoint fans.
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Blender[Frontman Jim] Adkins loosens the reins with darker themes and longer songs... but the guitars and harmonies have never been brighter. [Nov 2004, p.139]
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While it may still fall short of the high-water mark established with Clarity, Jimmy Eat World’s latest is still a strong contender for the best album of 2004.
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It's just not ambitious enough, lacking the impact to draw new fans in while just about satisfying those already captivated by the band’s admirable class.
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An inviting, maturing album that still shows enough vitality to still be classed as a good rock album.
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Futures goes back to the band's roots, sporting 11 sparkling gems that carefully balance balladry with bombast.
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Entertainment Weekly[Jimmy Eat World] has sacrificed some of the poppy immediacy of its previous album, instead reprising the expansive moodiness of the '99 cult fave Clarity. [22 Oct 2004, p.92]
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Los Angeles TimesAt times there's an almost U2-like expansiveness in lushly atmospheric settings ("Night Drive"), while "Pain" and the closing "23" have a classic power-ballad feel, without pandering to mainstream tastes. [31 Oct 2004]
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Futures is the sound of a band playing it safe.
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New Musical Express (NME)Another fine fusion of volcanic arena-rock and cherry-poppin' slow burners. [9 Oct 2004, p.56]
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Futures is like a rotten onion, revealing layer upon layer of foulness.
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Jimmy Eat World sound committed to establishing themselves as a great band, not just a great emo band.
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Q MagazineUltimately, Futures is Bleed American Part Two. [Nov 2004, p.118]
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They've still got the high-energy guitars and the misery-laden vocals. But the songs are longer and trickier.
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SpinJimmy Eat World might still be stuck in "The Middle" a year from now, but this album's more thoughtful homestretch at least suggests the possibility of alternate futures. [Nov 2004, p.115]
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It sticks with what Jimmy Eat World have always done, but it sounds better than anything that preceded it.
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The album's radio-ready polish might strike some listeners as soulless, but it's really just a different kind of soul.
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Mixing maturity with a fixation with metal, there's an anthemic chorus to match every squiggly, air-guitar solo, and gentle harmonies play off grinding rhythms. It's the perfect combination for the ultimate pop-rock break-up album.
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Jimmy Eat World's ballads sink into sentimentality. [8 Nov 2004]
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UncutA kind of Joshua Tree for the heavily pierced and mildly upset. [Dec 2004, p.140]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 57 out of 62
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Mixed: 2 out of 62
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Negative: 3 out of 62
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Aug 5, 2010
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TypicalFratBrahJan 10, 2005
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Jan 4, 2020