Today we have;
Halfway there!
For me, Pete, this was an important album during my college years. Studying music technology in Hudderfield whilst playing in a pop punk band with Adam and Chris, this album really stuck me with its drive, a rawness, strong melodies and the underlying passion of the band.
I remember first seeing their video for the single Bleed American on Kerrang and loving the no frills feel of a live stage with a crowd. I went on to read how the band had decided to lose their previous label, get jobs and fund this album themselves, which then saw them launched into a staple name within the pop punk/softer emo scene at the time. This was inspirational for a band hoping to achieve more of a standing in the UK scene at the time.
From the two obvious singles a lot of you will have heard - Salt Sweat Sugar/Bleed American (Salt Seeat Sugar was its title for a while as it’s original title was seen as a little too controversial due to 2001 events) and The Middle - The Sweetness was a hard hitter, and the scope of their writing is shown by the contrasts of If You Don’t, Dont and Cautioners.
There are a whole bunch of bands from around this era that will always be on a nostalgia playlist for myself, including;
NOFX
Blink 182
New Found Glory
The Movielife
Something Corporate
Brand New
MxPx
Lagwagon
Midtown
The Starting Line
Taking Back Sunday
Glassjaw
Plus others
It was a great time in my life, college and gigging, bouncing around stages across the UK my two of my best friends. Without bands like Jimmy Eat World driving us as songwriters and performers I don’t think we would have covered as much ground as we did at the time.
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