Jars of Clay

Item: Jars of Clay
Author: Nathan

(1995)

Reviewed by Nathan

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Essential RecordsThe Rebel Base2001

acoustic rock alternative rock folk rock

My favorite album to worship by was never intended to be a worship album. Maybe I'm just strange; more likely, personal worship is best when it is unforced and spontaneous. So is music. Jars Of Clay wasn't crafted to fill a niche, rack up the radio hits, please a specific demographic, or serve as some sort of pre-packaged "worship." It was crafted to be a beautiful, unique, thought provoking work of art. It succeeds.

From the monk chanting at the beginning of "Liquid" to the orchestrated chaos of production that fills out the last twenty minutes or so of the final track, Jars Of Clay is a masterpiece. Lyrically, the album is breathtaking; easily on a par with greats like U2, Sarah Masen and Kevin Max. Musically, the band flawlessly navigates previously uncharted territory. One could say that their maps really leapt up the charts, if one were a fan of cheesy puns. Fortunately, we can escape such forced prose by simply leapin....uh...I mean, jumping right into a song by song analysis, as follows:

"Liquid"

Blood-stained brow / are you dying for nothing? / Flesh and blood, / is it so elemental?

"Liquid" kicks things off with some strings, some guitars, some vocals, some drum loops, some chanting monks, a great hook, and an engaging lyric. One of the most poignant descriptions of Christ's crucifixion found in CCM, the song is both reverent and uplifting, and does a nice job of expressing the power and significance of the event it describes. Of course, power and energy are good characteristics for just about any song, and "Liquid" does not disappoint.

"Sinking"

You can't hear what I'm not saying / And I can hold out long enough / Treading water I keep from sinking / I'm not one for reaching

"Sinking" takes all the musical elements used to good effect in "Liquid" -- minus the monks and plus a cool piano element -- back to the drawing board, the result being something just as great and original as the first song. More personal than "Liquid", "Sinking" takes the lyrical excellence to an even higher level. The Jars' poetic storytelling and creative music make for an outstanding song.

"Love Song For A Savior"

Sitting silent wearing Sunday best / The sermon echos through the walls / A great salvation through it calls to the people / who stare into nowhere / and can't feel the chains on their souls.

Only the third song, and I'm already running out of ways to express 'great.' In person, I could just start humming "In open fields of wi-ld flowers......etc." Online, I can only tell you that's what I'd do, in person. If that makes any sense. The song has an epic feel, although it's very accessible and down-to-earth. Despite the simplistic chorus ("I want to fall in love with you" repeat four times), the lyrics are compelling. It's great.

"Like A Child"

They say that love can heel the broken / They say that hope can make you see / They say that faith can find a savior / If you would follow and believe / With Faith Like a Child.

When the weakest song on an album is as great as this, you know something good is happening with the other tracks. "Like A Child" is an enjoyable cut with a strong, upbeat, sing-along chorus. It's just not as compelling as the rest of this phenomenal album. This time I don't have to say "great." I can settle for "very good."

"Art In Me"

Images on the sidewalk speak of dream's descent / Washed away by storms to graves of cynical lament / Dirty canvases to call my own / Protest limericks carved by the old pay phone

The most abstract -- and one of the best -- lyrics on the album is accompanied by, you guessed it, more strings, guitars and drum loops. I would have thought that the combination would start to get old by now, yet somehow it doesn't. I'm just left with the vague feeling that it should be getting old. The song is deeply thought provoking, and the music fits the occasion; providing an enjoyable setting for what really is best described as poetry set to music. That's not to say the music isn't excellent in its own right. It is. But despite the excellence of the music, the lyrics are the star of the show, here. In that way, "Art In Me" is similar to "Love Song For A Savior."

"He"

Well, I try to make you proud / But for crying out loud / Just give me a chance to hide away / Exhaustion takes over, will this someday be over?

How many bands address child abuse with their music? Or, for that matter, in any way at all? Got anyone in mind? Let's narrow the scope a little, then. How many Christian bands? I can only name one: Jars of Clay. "He" is written from the perspective of a victim of child abuse. The vocabulary is simple, the questions go directly to the issue, and the issue is clearly stated without any attempt at word play or flowery rhetoric -- exactly as a child might say it. It's better than word-play: it's poetry.

"Boy On A String"

The marionette has your number / Pulling your arms and legs 'till you can't stand on your own / Dragging your conscience on the stage and your heart gets rearranged, / and you can't tell your mentor from your Maker

Jars of Clay's most playful song, musically, it is perhaps strangely predictable that "Boy On A String" would feature its most melancholy lyrics. The song paints a vivid picture of someone running to and 'fro, doing much and accomplishing nothing, being jerked around by circumstances and losing (or never gaining in the first place) sight of what really matters. I think. Just enough is left to the imagination to make the song really interesting, yet another example of Dan Haseltine's awesome songwriting skills. With the strings and guitars dancing intricate patterns in the background Haseltine's vocal skills are evident too, though not in an attention grabbing way.

"Flood"

Calm the storms that drench my eyes / Dry the streams still flowing / Cast down all the waves of sin / And guilt that overthrow me

Next up is the pop/rock crossover mega-hit "Flood." This was one of the first songs to interest me in CCM, and even after seven years it remains a favorite. "Flood" is an unbelievably catchy song that will get stuck in your head for hours on end. At the end of those hours, you will almost certainly want to play it again. Easily the most aggressive song on the album, it nevertheless maintains a contemplative mood, particularly on the verses. This song is an absolute gem. You might think it has to be the highlight of the album, until you hear....

"Worlds Apart"

To turn away and not become / Another nail to peirce the skin of one who loves / More deeply than the ocean / more abundant than the tear / Of a world embracing every heartache

Located right after "Flood," right where all the people who bought the album just for that song will hear it, is one of my favorite songs of all time. In my mind, calculating all the ways in which Worlds Apart is an unqualified masterpiece would be tantamount to solving Fermat's Last Theorem, except that Fermat limited himself to rational numbers. The requisite guitars, strings and subdued drum loops are present -- this time joined by chimes, female BGV's, and some kind of sand rattle. The song follows the typical verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorus sequence through the bridge, then segues into the most amazing worship experience I've ever heard in CCM (the words of which, unfortunately, are not all printed in the cd jacket). Somewhere along the line you realize that that other chorus wasn't the real chorus; this is. A number of people have told me that this song was instrumental in bringing/returning them to the Lord, and it's easy to believe. One word description: anointed.

"Blind"

You're logical, you can't find / Any reason to believe in love, you are blind / Crucify, and deny pass the blame and burn the mission / Till dust remains and wash your hands

Why this furtive little acoustic number gets overlooked is a mystery to me. Whatever the reason, it's not good enough. Spare yet engrossing, "Blind" is one of the disc's top tracks. It's experimental; it's quiet; it comes at the end of the album. And it's definitely worth listening to.

Also worth noting is the cool little jam session that follows about three minutes behind "Blind," which would later be expanded into the song "Weighed Down" for Jars' sophomore project, Much Afraid.

This is a landmark album, and I consider it the cornerstone of my collection. The creativity level is mind-boggling. It's on the short list of CCM's greatest ever, and it may well top the list. If you ever buy a CCM album, I don't hesitate to recommend Jars of Clay.

Top Picks: "Love Song For A Savior," "Art In Me," "Flood," "Worlds Apart," and "Blind."

My Score: An enthusiastic 5 stars.

5/5