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Jars of Clay
Jars of Clay. The big gigs
in music, the controversial group, the backstabbers.
But really, who are these guys?
Jars of Clay-Dan Haseltine, Steve Mason, Charlie Lowell, and Matt
Bronleewe (now Matt Odmark)- started in Christian music in 1994
with an explosion that shocked the music industry, not to metion
the Clay-jars themselves. Their humble begining started out at
Greenville college. They played a recording of "Fade to
Grey" and they entered at the GMA contest with a big splash
and won. After that, the clay-jars craze was on to sign them to a
label. Essential became their label to distribute over 1.5
million records. In 96', Jars just got on tour when Silvertone,
Essential's general market counterpart, started promoting Flood.
After that, it was truly "crazy times" for them all.
"Radio promotions just caught us by surprise," says
Mason ."We had no idea ...We didn't know if they were going
to blow us all off or if they were going to be like 'Hey we dig
that spiritual thing.'" And with all the sucess, came
fustration, fatigue, and major busy schedules.
With acclaimed Jars of Clay, brought the controversy and critisism of the church and the culture. While the church thought that Jars of Clay was not spiritual enough, the culture thought they were too spiritual. They were in they middle of a feud. But, it eventually settled and they started working on their latest release-Crazy Times. With big ideas for the next record, the clayjars hooked up with producer Stephen Lipson. "We started to talk to him about some specifics songs,"says Steve Mason,"and we asked him,'What do you think you'd do for that?' And he goes, 'I don't know. I guess we'll just get into the studio and panic together.'" And perhaps panic they did. But, alas, Much Afraid did come at the scheduled time.
And so, Jars of Clay have
made Much Afraid, another quality album. Will it match the
quality of their debut, I cannot say, for I am Much Afraid.
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Discography
1997-Much Afraid
1997-Crazy Times-maxi single
1996-Jars of Clay Interactive-CD Rom
1995-Drummer Boy EP
1995 Jars of Clay
Much Afraid
album review
When I first listened to
Much Afraid I thought it would be an average album.
Was I wrong! The cd was almost glued to my cd player. I couldn't
help
but listen to it over and over.
Much afraid starts out with Overjoyed, an up-beat song that makes you wonder what this
cd will be like. But put away that fear, Jars of Clay has
changed, but not that drastically.
Fade to Grey comes on and assures you that they are the same. Tea and Sympathy is the next, a poetic song about a broken heart.
Next comes Crazy
Times, my favorite song that shows
you that the Jars do know how to rock. It seems to not quite fit
in with the others, but don't let that bother you.
Proceeding Crazy
Times is Frail, another version
of this song. I think it could have been done better though.
After Frail is Five
Candles(you where there), the song
that was rejected for the Liar, Liar movie. I think this song
deserves credit-not for being picked for the movie, but for being
a good song itself.
Weighed Down is the next tune about love being weighed down .
Afterwards is Portrait
of an Apology, Truce,
Much Afraid, and Hymn. These next songs are reflective and seem to have
a calming affect on me. Much Afraid, the title
of this album, seems to be lacking in what I would consider the
title cut. But then Hymn makes up for it with a truly beautiful ending
that finishes off the album.
