A couple weeks ago, we asked fans to share their initial reactions to 20, the new album by Jars of Clay. The verdict is in: Jars fans love this record!
Purchase: iTunes | AmazonMp3 | Amazon (CD/LP)
If you’re on the fence about picking up 20, check out what Jars of Clay fans themselves have to say about it:
The guys from JoC have done an incredible job with their revisions of some of their best songs. They have had years, in some cases decades, to experiment and tweak these classics. The subtle and not so subtle changes make for some delicious ear candy and soul food.
– David C.
After 20 years together, Jars of Clay asked their fans which songs we’d like to hear reimagined and done acoustically. What we end up with is a delightful collection of something from every record–some with very interesting twists. God Will Lift Up Your Head is probably the most notable and satisfying “twist”. Of the new tunes Ghost and the Moon stands out as a moody and, yes, haunting addition to Jars’ canon. Any fan of the group will appreciate this record. They’d better since it was fans who selected the songs. Buy it.
– Chris H.
Listening to this CD, whether to an old favorite song you voted for or one you’re not as crazy about, one can’t help but think of what a special project it is. So few bands make it to 20 years, much less with all original members intact, much less with as much staying power and lasting fan appreciation as Jars of Clay has. This album reflects Jars of Clay’s obvious appreciation for the time they’ve had and the people who have been with them for the journey: the album plays like their hearts laid out for their fans. The songs are the same ones we’ve always loved, but they’re different; Dan, Matt, Charlie, and Stephen are the same men who wrote and recorded the songs originally, but they’re different; we as listeners are the same people we’ve ever been, but we’re different. The blend of old and new, of the familiar and of change, is utterly unique and so magical–no surprise to anyone familiar with the music Jars of Clay has given us in the last 20 years.
– Catey M.
Twenty years on, there is a driving urgency to many of these songs that has only intensified from the original studio recordings—from Jake Goss’s inexorably quickening tempo in “I Need Thee” to Dan’s plaintive vocals in “Silent” to the subtle borrowed passing tone in the string line of “Boys (Lesson One)” that sounds accidental but is anything but. It is not just the urgency of despair, though; by the time Matt Nelson’s cinematic string arrangements rise on the final track, listeners realise it is also the urgency of hope. It’s telling, at least to me, that that last track has been retitled simply “Love Song.” It is no longer simply a love song for the saviour of young men barely into their twenties. Rather, it is a love song for the saviour of men who have seen suffering so deep many of us cannot even imagine it, and who have not shied away but waded in further with eyes open and hands extended. It is a love song for their families, their community of friends, their fans and kindred spirits, and their world.
– Sara S.
This album is “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” The production value is exceptional, I love all but one of the new arrangements, the strings and special guests are wonderful, and Dan’s vocals are dynamic and controlled. When I listen to the final track, Dan is singing the classic lyrics of “Love Song for a Savior,” but my heart hears the band expressing gratitude. Of course, I could be projecting there.
– Schenley P.
A fan-curated album commemorating the band’s 20th year is filled with two tracks from each of their ten albums. Jars gives that familiar feel in songs such as Tea and Sympathy, Fade to Grey, Worlds Apart, Safe to Land, and Inland. But also offers listeners a different tempo in tracks like God Will Lift Up Your Head and Boys. Jars of Clay celebrates two decades with arguably their most endearing album to date. A must-have from any true Jars fan.”
– Tedi V.
Seit meinem ersten Kontakt mit der Musik von Jars of Clay im Jahr 1996 war ich ein Fan. Lange besaß ich nur die erste CD ‘Jars of Clay’. Doch der Sound faszinierte mich, sehr einprägsam und doch nicht simpel. Das Zusammenspiel der Instrumente war perfect aufeinander abgestimmt. Nun in der Jahr 20 CD sind viele meiner lieblings songs wieder in ganz neuem Gewand enthalten. Der unplugged sound verleiht den einzelnen Songs einen ganz neuen warmen touch. Diese CD ist für alle Jars of Clay Fans ein muss.
– Uwe H.[Translation to English using Google Translate and a high-school level knowledge of German]
I have been a fan of Jars of Clay’s music ever since I first heard them in 1996. For a long time I have owned only the first Jars of Clay CD. But the sound fascinated me much, as it is catchy but not simple. The interplay of the instruments are perfectly matched for each other. Now, 20 years later, many of my favorite songs have been “redressed” for a new CD. The unplugged sound gives each song a warm, new touch. This album is a must for every Jars of Clay fan.
We also have a winner! Congratulations to Catey M., who was randomly selected to receive the out-of-print CD, Artist Link Extra: Jars of Clay. There will be more giveaways in the future, so be sure to check Jarchives.com often!