I think I read in an interview that he wrote those songs based off break-ups and divorces happening around him in his circle of friends.
Well given that Jim's writing has been very personal before, that's a shit analogy, but OK touche. That's valid.
Invented was all fictional stories based on photographs he saw. So he's definitely written fiction before. Fictional stories can be personal, ya know?
I guess given the impact a lot of us take from his writing, I hadn't immediately assumed that the past 2 albums were entirely devoid of personal experience.
that's the thing, just because he's not writing about himself doesn't mean he isn't injecting some of himself into the story, no matter how small or little. regardless, I'm able to be impacted and taken aback by a lot of lyrics that are clearly narrative writing and not non fiction (the national, for example). Just because something isn't based on someone's real life doesn't mean the impact is lessened, and that just shows how impressive and talented writers like that really are
Why are you so up in arms? Just because he didn't experience a break-up immediately before writing Damage doesn't mean that the songs are "entirely devoid of personal experience." Likewise, even though he wrote Invented by imagining stories based on photographs, he still brought his own personal experiences to those songs. Fictional does not mean inauthentic.
Maybe the "happy family" is all a facade. Who knows what's bubbling under the surface... ...actually, I really hope they're a happy loving family that's perfect in every way. xoxo
I experienced a break-up a little before Damage came out, so I'd always listened to it as though he had. It's just a little funny now in retrospect.
This might sound weird, but I almost don't care about what JEW songs / albums mean to Jim... I know what they mean to me.
I definitely like knowing personal connections, if there are any, but it feels weird to form opinions on the writer's relationship to any given song. When music is so universal, seems silly to get caught up in something like that.
What makes a great songwriter a great songwriter is their ability to find themselves in different headspace to write stuff. Putting yourself in that mindset of "I just went through a breakup in this specific situation, what am I thinking? What am I feeling?" Etc etc.
I've recently written songs about heartbreak and I've been in a relationship for 6+ years. Just because you're not going through those things right now doesn't mean you can't write about them based on things that have happened to you in the past.
Preorder is up on Google Play Music for $7.99! Jimmy Eat World: Integrity Blues - Music on Google Play Apple Music: Integrity Blues by Jimmy Eat World on Apple Music Looks like You With Me clocks in at 5m18s