I think I first heard Jars of Clay on Wide World of Sports (I think it was Liquid) while channel surfing and have loved them since then. Their last two albums Good Monsters and their most recent release The Long Fall Back to Earth have shown them to continually grow as song-writers and explore new sounds. I had been eagerly anticipating this album since I bought their EP Closer last year. Closer featured new versions of Flood, and Love Song For a Saviour along with new songs Safe to Land, Closer and Prisoner of Hope (I do find it a shame that it didn't make the album).
The Long Fall Back to Earth broadly speaking deals with human relationships. The themes are dealt with in beautiful metaphors (the image of landing attached to reconcilation, Safe to Land), the desire to remain disconnected with others (in Headphones - featuring Katie Herzig). The strength of the album is how it touches on the everyday. Another song which reasonated was Boys (Lesson One), which seems like a letter from a father to his son.
I can't recommend this album highly enough, it is a grower, and in time may be Jars of Clay's best album. At the very least I'll be judging albums from 2009 against The Long Fall Back to Earth.
Yes, it's so cool isn't it? Nice to have someone back up my personal opinions! I still reckon Much Afraid is an album hard to beat, but I might be more on the mellow end of music than you (I wasn't overly fussed with Good Monsters). Safe to Land is my favourite, and I reckon the lyrics give an interesting point of view, from the person who may or may not have done wrong. I never got the CLoser EP, so it's all new to me, but this album has put Jars of Clay back up there as a band to watch for me.
ReplyDeleteYeah.. I was really sruck by the lyrics of 'Safe to Land'. I think it was the lyrics which really hit me on Good Monsters. I was meaning to ask you sometime about Sarah Groves, I was going to look into here music as well, any pointers on where to start?
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