Invented

The reality is that it's more complicated than simply saying I preferred their early stuff, because all bands have to change. The fact is though, it's impossible to forget that Jimmy Eat World can, and have, done so much better.

'Coffee And Cigarettes' and the title track slowly uncurl themselves over the course of a few days and before you know it, it feels like Jimmy Eat World never went away.

Invented doesn't entirely lose those attributes that make Jimmy Eat World such a doggedly likable band, but it struggles to know what happens when emo kids get over it.

Seven albums in, Jimmy Eat World are still going strong, and Invented is an enjoyable record. But it also fails to dispel the concern that the band's well of ideas is about to run dry.

Hip-hop-style braggadocio doesn't quite jibe with the band's relentlessly earnest outlook, which comes packaged here in songs no less hooky or propulsive than usual. It might have provided a jolt of excitement, though; even the amped-up standouts (like "Coffee and Cigarettes") are beginning to feel a bit by the numbers.

Invented, as tuneful as it may be, still plays an odd role in Jimmy Eat World's discography, since it can't quite figure out how to transcend a genre -- one that Jimmy Eat World helped invent, no less -- that exclusively caters to younger listeners.

With singer Jim Adkin's genuinely inspiring vocals and thoughtful lyrics separating them from the herd, there's much more life here than might have been expected. [Nov. 2010, p. 111]

Invented finds the foursome loosely hanging on to the punk-emo sound of its early years, and the same melodically catchy, lyrically emotive song craft encapsulates Jimmy Eat World 2.0--even if it's now flavored with the sweetness of bubblegum.

Invented is less a return to form than a compendium of what Jimmy Eat World does so well.

The first six songs include plodding modern rock that sounds like the Offspring's "Gone Away," an attempt at dark disco with clumsy lyrics and cheeseball pop. But if you stick it out, you'll be rewarded: Invented's second half features gorgeous "Littlething," Adkins' top-notch duet with Rachel Haden and Linton's punchy "Action Needs An Ambulance." [Oct 2010, p.112]

If the band is in danger of anything at this point in their career, it may only be that by now they pull off this sound a little too effortlessly, leaving a noticeable lack of tension or novelty at the center.

Jimmy Eat World have not just changed the game - they continue to reinvent and redevelop it entirely, each and every time.

Ultimately, while Jimmy Eat World doesn't exactly break new ground on Invented, they have proven to be a band continually willing to challenge themselves while delivering the same sonic push and pull their fans expect.

Invented is a return to the creative peaks of yore. It's a record rich with twinkling sonic subtleties, timeless melodies and characteristically layered, epic tunes. [25 Sep 2010, p.52]