Good Monsters CD

With eleven original songs and a remake of Julie Miller's "All My Tears," Good Monsters stretches the imagination and offers a new perspective on today's church. The eighth full length album from Jars of Clay ranges from rootsy acoustic blues to driving modern rock, exploring themes of love and loss, faith, grace, and redemption. Features guest appearances from singer/songwriter Kate York ("All My Tears") and Sixpence None the Richer's Leigh Nash ("Mirrors and Smoke"). Additionally, the African Children's Choir is featured on the moving, "Light Gives Heat," a song inspired by work in Africa through Jars' non-profit organization, the Blood:Water Mission.

PUTS THE ART IN RECORDING ARTIST

Before Jars of Clay was the Grammy-winning example of Christian music’s potential to crack the cultural glass ceiling and the owner of the surprise crossover hit “Flood,” suggesting the possibility that artfully crafted spiritual rock could play on the nation’s airwaves, these guys were dreaming the dreams of college coffeehouse musicians. Their fortuitous mainstream radio hit not only jump-started the career of Jars of Clay, but the fluke success took an acoustic after-hours dorm jam sing-along at Greenville College and forced them to become a band in public.

Over the years, they’ve proven that they were up to the challenge. Clarity about where their strengths lay, a willingness to experiment and push the envelope by trying new things and a desire to remain true to themselves has served the Jars guys well. They balanced the need to grow and stretch with a core sense of artistic vision that holds on the band’s newest disc—a recording that is unequivocally Jars’ best work yet. In fact, Good Monsters is the most intelligent, musically appealing and conceptually framed Christian album that I’ve heard in quite some time.

While always successful in the Christian marketplace, Jars’ singer Dan Haseltine’s poetic inclinations here create a record that manages to touch the needs and longings of those on either side of the culture wars, addressing spiritual ideas in a way that speaks to but doesn’t preach at someone who is seeking. Written in a post-Katrina world, water themes dominate. In a world where “no flood warnings” come, we all tread water and “Work” to breathe, but “There Is a River” that is also a source of healing and renewal, where “love will atone” and “we might find the place that we belong.”

But the world is a broken place and anesthetized by self-love and apathy. We all have the potential to become “Good Monsters.” A prophetic call to work to set “the world the way it should be” in the especially profound “Oh My God” reminds us that thirsty children and crying mothers are those Jesus called the “least of these,” and they are our responsibility.

In strong artful, melodic alternative rock and numerous ballads, the band buttresses these bold suggestions with passion and genuine craft. Numerous musical references suggest that they continue to be influenced by bands like R.E.M. and the best of recent decades, but they never lose their own unique connection to the sounds. “Mirrors & Smoke,” with Leigh Nash in duet, recalls a Johnny Cash/June Carter parlance from the roiling backbeat to the tension between one’s hope and the world’s reality.

Love is a verb; it’s always work, Jars remind us. The broken places, the cracks in clay are places where the light can shine through, where hope can still surprise us, and awaken us from the opiate’s debilitating silence so that real faith can live its work through us.

BRIAN QUINCY NEWCOMB – CCMMagazine.com

Average Rating:

8 of 15 Reviews Showing:(View All Reviews)

Reviewed by Arthur Niccoli (Griswold, CT), February 04, 2010

I have enjoyed Jars Of Clay from their first CD. Always a pleasure to listen to them.

Reviewed by Patricia L. (Washington, D.C.), August 16, 2007

Four Guys. Twelve Songs. One AWESOME cd. This is the ultimate CD for your collection. The guys hit this CD off with one of the most talked about song "Good Monsters". Then there's Mirrors and Smoke where Dan, the frontman, sings about the strong emotion love. Jars of Clay is a great band. They sing uplifting music but it a rockish way which is more appealing. I can guarantee you if you get this CD or any other JOC's CDs, you will love it and you will not be dissapointed.

Reviewed by Laura (Dedham/ MA), June 28, 2007

This is my first Jars of Clay CD and I was so impressed. It is such a good CD. Their songs are as powerful as the Casting Crowns. Its hard to find good music that glorifies God and this one does. My favorite song is "Oh My God"!!!

Reviewed by Daniel (Canada), March 22, 2007

From their first album to this one Jars of Clay haven't disapointed me yet. These guys are awesome. I love the violin's and cellos in the background to their rock songs. I would rate every album a 5 out of 5 and this one isn't an exeption. Their lyrics are really good. I find meaning in all their songs. Oh My God is one of my favs on this album. I love the way they build the song up.

Reviewed by Lisa Peruchini (Waynesboro, VA), March 07, 2007

Jars of Clay are the soundtrack to my life. This is a fabulous CD with songs that touch even the most hardened heart. They surprise me time and time again with their versitility, originality and staying power. And we all know where they get that power. Congrats to JOC for the Dove nomination!!!

Reviewed by Darrell (Claysville,Pa), March 05, 2007

"Every crash brings you within reach of watershed of signal flares that cover your beach..surprise ! If you want a album that was shot out of God's bullet factory...as one once said "I have six friends that can all run faster than you can !" If you want to know the power of scripture (BULLETS) this album is the dry powder of inspiration that causes demons and satan to shudder at fired scripture..boom ! you've gotta fire this one up...Bravo JARS OF CLAY BRAVO !Every song sculptured and calibrated with perfection..and "Oh,my God" should be in a movie. If you aren't moved by this songs building cresendo detailing all we cope with on planet Earth ..check your pulse ..you may be dead !

Reviewed by Doug (Niverville, Canada), March 02, 2007

Awesome. Most complete CD they have created. Jars have topped the quality of their original CD (Jars of Clay). This CD has it all; rock, inspiration and more rock. Get this and check out their Good Monsters tour. They were out in my neck of the woods on Feb 19th, and they rocked.

Reviewed by Ashley Connell (Sacramento, CA), February 13, 2007

I love this one just as much as I love the others! Highly recomended! Work-4 Dead Man-5 All My tears-4 Even Angels Cry-4 There is a River-4 Good monsters-4.5 Oh My God-4 Surprise-3 Take me Higher-3.5 Mirrors and Smoke-4 Light Gives Heat-4 Water Under the bridge-5

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