I first stumbled across Jars of Clay about the time their second album, Much Afraid, came out, i.e. around 1997. As I was only paying sporadic attention to the Christian music scene and never listened to radio, I really didn't have much of a clue who they were. However, there must have been some buzz about them because I did actually buy that second album.
For whatever reason, though, I didn't listen to it much and never really paid much attention. It wasn't until about 2000 that I picked up on them again when a friend played a song from their third album, If I Left the Zoo, released at the and of 1999. That song, Grace, really captivated me, and it made me search around for more of their material. I remembered that I had that other CD so I tracked it down. And how amazing it was. How did I not pick up on this the first time around?
Track #2, Fade To Grey,
has some amazing lyrical moments in it, as well as a warm, heartfelt
urgency. A strong sense of questioning and doubt pervades the song,
which was amazingly fresh and even career threatening in the syrupy
happy shiny people CCM scene in the 90's (and still for the most part
today). The raw honesty in their lyrics really says something about an
authentic faith, not some pasted on happy mask. All time favorite
lyrics:
"It's in despair that I find faith, to summon the night to bow down to day
If ignorance is bliss won't you save me from myself"
Emo before they invented emo (and yes, I know that technically emo dates back to the eighties, but only about three people were involved at the time...)
Of course, I then had to go and buy their debut CD. It was released in 1995, and was creatively titled Jars of Clay. It seems that everybody but me heard Flood in 1995, but I love that song. Not just that, it's an absolute blast to play on guitar, and something of an aerobic workout, too... The opening song, Liquid, really sets the tone for "this ain't your grandma's CCM". More serious Christian emo on Worlds Apart...
"I am the only one to blame for this
somehow it all ends up the same
Soaring on the wings of selfish pride, I flew too high
and like Icarus I collide
With a world I tried so hard to leave behind,
To rid myself of all but love to give and die
To turn away and not become
Another nail to pierce the skin of One who loved
More deeply than the oceans, more abundant than the tears
Of a world embracing ev'ry heartache
Can I be the one to sacrifice,
Or grip the spear and watch the blood and water flow?
(To love You) Take my world apart
(To need You) I am on my knees
(To love You) Take my world apart
(To need You) Broken on my knees"
While Much Afraid remains my personal favorite, the debut CD is more widely loved by others. Let's call it a dead heat. One characteristic of JoC is that no two albums have been alike. The first one featured violin and mandolin a fair amount, the second one a more synthy feel. The third one was more pure pop, then there have been a variety of themes including the recent rootsy bluegrass feel of Redemption Songs. That kind of style shifting has killed many bands, but they just cruise on and the stylistic changes must keep things fresh for them.
It would probably be remiss of me not to mention the Drummer Boy EP. For those of you who like offbeat Christmas music, this is a must have. Beautiful arrangement and execution.
Anyway, for their first two albums and most of their stuff since, I salute them and thank them for their contribution to my musical education and taste. If you've never heard of them I hope you'll check them out because I think there's something for just about everyone in their catalog, and if you have, well, maybe time to dust off the old CDs...
Oh yeah, and then there's that whole Blood, Water, Mission thing too...
Previous Items:
#3 U2
#4 Dire Straits
#5 Queen
#6 Roxy Music
#7 Barclay James Harvest
#8 Yes & ELP
#9 Pink Floyd
#10 Wishbone Ash
#11 Glenn Miller
