How to follow a smash debut-ah, the age old dilemma. No Christian artists in recent memory had a more successful debut to follow than Jars of Clay. In making Much Afraid, they had two options: play it safe and essentially remake their debut with different tunes; or stretch, take some chances, and risk losing some of the huge following their first disc brought them.
Fortunately, they chose the second option. They picked respected British producer Stephen Lipson, whose credits include Annie Lennox, Simple Minds, Propaganda, and Whitney Houston, to direct the project. And they decided on a heavily themed, symbolic lyrical approach, based on the allegorical novel Hinds' Feet on High Places-quite a departure from their maiden voyage.
The band's turn in a poppier direction is bound to disappoint modern rock purists-in fact, the only real rocker here is "Crazy Times," which makes for a deceptive first single. Most listeners, though, will find plenty here to like. From the opening strains of "Overjoyed," the new, lusher sound is obvious; but it's best put to use on the gorgeous pop song, "Tea And Sympathy." Both begin with the trademark acoustic guitars, but where "Overjoyed" morphs into a '60s-influenced modern pop song, "Tea" takes a classy, straight-up pop turn, replete with strings and harmonies reminiscent of the Bee Gees. Longtime fans will be glad to hear updated versions of the kinetic "Fade To Grey" as well as "Frail," unavailable except on their super-rare demo CD.
Another pop gem is "5 Candles," a snappy, irresistible plea for a parent's love, loosely drawn from the movie Liar, Liar, whose soundtrack was to feature the song. Careful listeners will recognize the music for "Weighed Down" from the hidden track off their debut-except that where that song launched into a drum-heavy jam, "Weighed" plods along, befitting of its title. Frankly, of the disc's last five songs, all but "Much Afraid" usually get skipped on my CD player. Still, 6 or 7 strong cuts makes a pretty good album in my book. Though it won't thrill everyone, Much Afraid is a bold artistic step forward for an acoustic outfit that's quickly found itself at the top of the Christian music world.
Other coverage for this album
The Rebel Base 2002Reviewed by David MartinIs there a CD in your collection that, every time you listen to it, you're forced to say to yourself, Wow, I can't believe how good this is!? Is this same CD generally misunderstood by a lot of the people who listen to it? Such is the case with Much Afraid, the deliciously crafted second album from Jars of Clay. Writing about this album is truly a daunting task for an otherwise verbose reviewer.…7ball #14Reviewed by Mike Parker"This is the story of how Much-Afraid escaped from her Fearing relatives and went with the Shepherd to the High Places where perfect love castest out fear." So begins Hannah Hurnard's classic allegory, Hinds' Feet On High Places. It could easily be the story of Jars Of Clay's sophomore effort, Much Afraid. Exploring themes of total dependence on Christ, shattered human relationships and God's…The Phantom Tollbooth 1997Reviewed by Chris ParksWhen Jars of Clay burst so suddenly onto the scene last year, achieving popularity to the point that even I had heard of them, I was prepared to be underwhelmed. The adulation poured out on the group by some struck me as excessive, considering that the group's members were fresh out of college and had had an unusually quick trip to a recording contract. When I actually bought their debut album,…The Phantom Tollbooth 1997Reviewed by James StewartThis sophomore release from Jars of Clay sees the band adopting more electric guitar, but without losing their characteristic sound; there is still a strong presence from strings and even a few appearances from the trusty drum machine of the first album. There are eleven tracks, including "Frail," originally recorded for their indie release and one of my favourite tracks with a haunting mood and…The Phantom Tollbooth 1997Reviewed by Mark J. AylorCan you say "sophomore slump?" I thought you could. This just doesn't have the "edge" their first album did. Maybe the Dove Awards went to their heads. Maybe the newness has worn off. There are several songs I like a lot -- "Frail," and "Tea and Sympathy" -- but as a whole, I found this to fall short of their first effort. They did step things up a little with more electric work. This made it…The Phantom Tollbooth 1997Reviewed by Cathy CourtwrightJars of Clay holds a special place in my heart as, just before the release of their debut album, they sang at the funeral of a friend of mine. This project has many similar qualities to its predecessor. However, it does it in a slightly different form that may not be as popular with all their fans. This album seems to focus a bit more on the guitars and the quality of the lead vocals as opposed…The Phantom Tollbooth 1997Reviewed by Lisa ReidMy overall impression of this CD is that it's both very good and very disappointing. The Jars have gone in a new direction musically with this album. It seems more polished, perhaps, than their self-titled CD. A little more mellow. In some ways, a little more radio-friendly. Fans of their last album will find that the first single from this one, "Crazy Times," sounds most like it belongs on that…The Phantom Tollbooth 1997Reviewed by Steven S. BaldwinWhile most young college grads are grinding out punk or ska songs these days, the boys from Greenville College have opted for a genuine, gentle sound. Yet again they've managed to create an urgent blend of alterna-folk-tinged tunes. Although they invoke the Moody Blues and The Beatles on some tracks, the emulation of Toad the Wet Sprocket still rings most noticeably. This album is at times lush…Similar sounding releases
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