Jars of Clay, "Much Afraid"

"Much Afraid." And why shouldn't they be? Since Jars of Clay's debut album, "Jars of Clay," went platinum last year, the big question dogging these four young men has been what they can do to top an album that became Christian music's monster crossover success, landing a hit single on the Top 40 and airplay on MTV.

Jars of Clay's answer on their latest album is simple. They didn't even try to top or duplicate the success of their first album. "Much Afraid" is much different, musically and lyrically. The musical language is richer, more varied and less aggressive than the jagged-edge energy of songs such as their previous hit, "Flood."

And the lyrics are even less explicitly Christian, a decision that reflects the group's emotional state - or cynics may claim, a deliberate attempt to capitalize on their crossover success.

But is the album good? Even more. It's excellent.

A confession: I was a bit disappointed after I heard it the first time. I wanted to hear "Flood" the Sequel," but after repeated listening, I grew to like the musical direction of this album. It's the type of music that grows better with each listen.

The album reflects the influence of the group's new producer, Stephen Lipson, who has worked with Sting, Simple Minds and Whitney Houston. The music is more varied and cinematic, less folksy. Their new sound can be heard in songs such as "Fade to Grey," which employs the swirling, cathedral-like keyboards of Simple Minds. The haunting "Frail" signals another musical direction for the group. Employing English horns and mournful keyboards, this elegiac song may remind some listeners of the Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin."

Though this is an introspective album, there are songs that have the energy of the group's first album. One of those is "Truce," which the group said celebrates "peace without reason." The song is driven by a beautiful keyboard/guitar arrangement that easily matches the energy of "Flood," "Truce" is so chock-full of grooves that you could easily hear it on the dance floor.

My biggest disappointment is the lyrical content of the album. There is a huge difference between lyrics that are evocative and those that leave a listener bewildered. While almost all of the songs on "Much Afraid" have great musical hooks, the lyrics often do not have the killer phrase or image that makes the songs hit home.

Musically, however, this album is a great leap forward for Jars of Clay. The best, it would seem, is yet to come for one of contemporary Christian music's most talented groups.*

*Article transcribed from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 30, 1997.