Jars of Clay put out their self-titled major label debut
back in 1995. Over the years they became
one of CCM’s most creative bands, producing such songs as: ‘Flood’, ‘Crazy
Times’, ‘I Need You’, and ‘Dead Man (Carry Me)’. In 2009 the band released their ninth full
length album, THE LONG FALL BACK TO EARTH (Gray Matters/Essential). It was nominated for a Grammy for ‘Best
Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album’ and won the Dove for ‘Pop/Contemporary Album of
the Year’. It peaked at #1 on
Billboard’s Hot Christian Albums chart and at #29 on the Billboard 200. Jars of Clay is: Dan Haseltine, Charlie
Lowell, Stephen Mason, and Matthew Odmark.
First up is ‘The Long Fall’, a beautiful instrumental shy of
two and a half minutes. It’s one of
eleven songs penned solely by the band.
‘Weapons’ is a pop/rock song that uses a choir comprised of the band,
Ben Shive, and Joshua V. Smith. It urges
kindness: “Hallelujah, we can finally see/How the bitterness was bruising on
our skin/We didn’t notice that grace had run so thin/Till we’re falling apart
and the cracks in our hearts let the truth sink in/Lay your weapons down
(2X)/There are no enemies in front of you”.
The album’s lead single, ‘Two Hands’, was nominated for a
Dove for ‘Song of the Year’. It’s one of
three here written by the band, Jeremy Lutito, and Gabe Rushcival. It’s one of my fave Jars of Clay pop
songs! I love these words: “I have a
broken disposition/I’m a liar who thirsts for the truth/And while I ache for
faith to hold me/I need to feel the scars and see the proof/I use one hand to
pull you closer/The other to push you away/If I had two hands doing the same
thing/Lifted high, lifted high”. The
album’s second single is ‘Heaven’. Here’s
the chorus to this rock song: “And find, glowing on the inside/Heaven’s not
that far/Glowing on the inside/Showing on the inside/It’s growing where we
are”.
‘Closer’ is a cool love song: “I’ll drop out of the race for
more personal space/Cause the rockets we’re in get so cold and I miss your
skin/It’s just how I’m feeling/If you need more love, well you’ve gotta get
close to me/If you want my love, well you’ve gotta get closer to me/No
unreachable itch, if you hemorrhage I’ll stitch/You are tears, I’m a cheek/I’m
a pail on your boat with slow leaks/Out to sea for weeks”. ‘Safe to Land’ is a wonderful ballad about
relationships: “I’m coming home, I’m waking you up/In the middle of the night,
I’m not giving up/I’m gonna stay till we make it work/We’re not going down even
if it gets worse/We’ll work it out/Yeah, we’ll work it out/I need your
light/Guide me in/Is it safe?”
Katie Herzig contributes vocals on the next two songs. ‘Headphones’ is a sad commentary on society:
“I don’t have to hear it if I don’t want to/I can drown this out, pull the
curtains down on you/It’s a heavy world, it’s too much for me to care/If I
close my eyes, it’s not there/With my headphones on (4X).../I take in the
war-fires and I’m chilled by the current events/It’s so hopeless, but there’s a
pop song in my/Headphones on”. ‘Don’t
Stop’ is a terrific sounding 80’s pop number.
It includes these words: “My recurring dream of you/Starlight in your
eyes and music everywhere/I am dancing close to you/There are no days or nights
we’ve left behind”.
‘Boys (Lesson One)’ is a touching song from father to son:
“Lesson one-do not hide/Lesson two-there are right ways to fight/And if you
have questions we can talk through the night/So you know who you are/And you
know what you want/I’ve been where you’re going/And it’s not that far/It’s too
far to walk/But you don’t have to run/You’ll get there in time/Lesson
three-you’re not alone”. ‘Hero’
acknowledges spiritual need: “We need a hero to save us from ourselves/Save us
from ourselves/Save us from our fear/When the sirens wail we need a hero
here!/We hide on our knees in silence/Maybe God doesn’t hear at all/And the
wait overtakes the violence/And we watch as the giants fall/We’re not gonna let
it end this way”.
Next up is ‘Scenic Route’, a nice pop song. I like these lyrics: “We’re just sitting like
novels we’ve picked up but never read through/You think you know my ending/i
think I know yours too/You see, nowhere in these conversations is there
anything new/Even though we know the sun will rise/Every ray of light still
takes us by, by surprise”. ‘There Might
Be a Light’, a song of romantic longing, is next: “There is no delusion/To you
I don’t exist/I am only shadow/Only a ghost can wait as long as I have for
this/And I, I can’t wait much longer/Cause there might be a light/Somewhere in
your mind/When you think of you and I/I know there will be a light/It might not
burn very strong/But I know it’s coming on”.
‘Forgive Me’ is addressed to one’s partner: “For every town
there is a crier, like a thief in every choir/And when I think of the mistakes
I’ve made/All my transgressions on a big parade/As far as the eye can see/As
deep as the heart can be/Such an impossibility that you would forgive
me/Forgive me”. Last up, on this
standard edition of the album is ‘Heart’, which almost runs six minutes
long. It’s a light pop song with these
nice thoughts: “One flag left to burn, one country to fall/One soul to pour
out, one love to catch all/No walls to defend, wars to align/Give me your
heart, you already have mine/No mountains to climb, papers to sign/Offer your
heart/I’ve given you mine”.
THE LONG FALL BACK TO EARTH is an artistic success and a
real treat for the ears. It`s
alternative adult pop/rock music accompanied by Dan Haseltine’s stellar
vocals. Songs about spiritual themes and
spiritual growth are equal in number to those about male-female
relationships. Other themes covered are:
isolation, loving our fellow man, and the relationship between fathers and
sons. There are so many terrific songs
here! It’s one of my favorite Jars of
Clay albums. I’m rating it 100%! For more info visit: www.jarsofclay.com