This week is one of the bigger release dates of the early year, and it's
only for two big albums. But, Jars of Clay and Caedmon's Call are not
something to miss. This time around, both bands record in a stripped down
acoustic fashion, as well as the Jars showing you what they sound like on
stage. Enjoy both these releases to find the other side of both of their
crafts, where songwriting and great lyrics are more important than electric
guitar solos.

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FURTHERMORE: FROM THE STUDIO, FROM THE STAGE - JARS OF CLAY (2003)
by Rick Foux

Time is a powerful weapon. It has the ability to tear down mountains, change
youth into elderly, and sway even the sternest of opinions. Many people who
say time is on their side are mistaken. Depending upon how we manage
ourselves today, time can be either friend or foe. Whenever I look back at
the young Jars of Clay from 1995, I like to think that time has treated them
well. Not even out of college, their self-titled debut garnered both
Christian and mainstream success, mostly in part to their quintessential
smash hit, "Flood." As time carried them along, most mainstream audiences
declared them another one-hit wonder when in fact their musical abilities
gradually matured. Much Afraid, If I Left the Zoo, and The Eleventh Hour may
never be as widely recognized or accepted as their first album, but together
they bring identity to a band purely defined as art.

Not quite a new album, but not quite a greatest hits project either,
Furthermore: From the Studio - From the Stage is a conglomeration of that
art. This 2-disc collection sets out to rehash JoC's past while shading a
vivid perception of their future, and it does so quite gracefully. Each
track, old and new alike, contains vivid, fresh color and life. The From the
Studio disc contains acoustic reincarnations of seven past favorites and
introduces three previously unreleased cuts into the Jars of Clay montage.
These tracks are more than just mere replicas of their former selves: they
contain a raw, folksy energy that can only be described as if you were
sitting with the guys in the studio. Nearly all songs stay true to the
originals - with some minor tweaking here and there-- except for the
shocking facelift received by "Liquid." Lush strings form a symbiotic
consonance with newly added keyboard accompaniment, making this version a
more touching soliloquy than its electric predecessor. Of the unreleased
tracks, "The Valley Song (Sing of Your Mercy)" is the most commendable.
Similar to old school Caedmon's Call, this cut sports folk roots in spades
and is one of the most worshipful tunes ever penned by the band (next to
"Love Song for a Savior" and "Worlds Apart"). They don't spare artistic
quality on the lyrics either: "Though the pain is an ocean / Tossing us
around, around, around / You have calmed greater waters / Higher mountains
have come down." The eerie "Dig" shows up as track six, but it pales in
comparison to the glorious "Redemption" that follows. Using little more than
two acoustic guitars, Dan Haseltine tells the story of a lost humanity
searching for redemption in a world "of loss and love and fire and rain."
Sadly, humanity knows where to look, but has yet to find it.

From the Stage, on the other hand, abandons folk and goes straight for
all-out rock territory. The songs here are rich and vibrant, brimming out of
control as opposed to the lazy feeling of the From the Studio disc. After
all, these tracks were ripped straight from the 11Live concert DVD. Starting
with the violin bridge from "Flood," a slightly heavier "Disappear" rocks
the listener with intense electric guitar and an eclectic drum set. The
process continues through familiar slammers such as "Revolution," "Crazy
Times," and "Flood," all of which are more intense than their album
versions, but Jars takes some time to show audience appreciation on "Like a
Child" and "Flood," allowing the concert-goers to fill in on vocals when Dan
decides to rest his vocal chords. Likewise, the gospel choir that sings
backup on "I'm Alright" and "Revolution" provides a dynamic power for the
show, and a ten-minute long "Worlds Apart" ends the CD in a stirring and
worshipful fashion. Oddly enough, "The Eleventh Hour," one of the band's
less brilliant works in my opinion, is the only track to make an appearance
on both discs, bringing the total number of individual songs to twenty even.

Not every band shares the same humility that Jars of Clay has when it comes
to success; the reason being that this is a band who fortunately realizes
where their success comes from. And yet, it seems as if God isn't near
finished using these guys. Only the passage of time will tell for sure, but
I'm willing to bet Jars of Clay will be remembered for pouring every ounce
of talent they have into their ministry. For the present hour though,
Furthermore sums it up like this: Four well-received records, a massive
fanbase, and a profusion of #1 singles - and they still have so much more to
say.

Find more about Jars of Clay at cMusicWeb.com:
http://cMusicWeb.com/alternative/jarsofclay


OTHER NEW STUFF ON cMUSICWEB.COM
Review: Year of Holidays - Radiant*
http://cMusicWeb.com/alternative/radiant/yearofholidays.shtml

Movie Review: Ran
http://cMusicWeb.com/movies/r/ran.shtml

Review: Touch - delirious?
http://cMusicWeb.com/rock/delirious/touch.shtml

Review: The Beautiful Letdown - Switchfoot
http://cMusicWeb.com/rock/switchfoot/beautifulletdown.shtml


AVAILABLE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4 (at cMusicWeb.com or your local music store)

BACK HOME - CAEDMON'S CALL
Caedmon's goes back to their simplistic acoustic folk roots with this new
release, Back Home. Although I think releases like 40 Acres and Long Line of
Leavers sound better musically, expect good music with very minimal
production.

FURTHERMORE: FROM THE STUDIO, FROM THE STAGE - JARS OF CLAY
This PICK OF THE WEEK is definitely one of the best from the year, in my
opinion. See review above.

WOW GOSPEL 2003 - VARIOUS
Of course, when you see WOW, you know it's the top songs of the year. And,
of course, Gospel means Kirk Franklin, Yolanda Adams, and Aaron Neville,
among many others. This disc is for big fans of Gospel or those who want a
smattering of Gospel styles.


Thanks for reading this week's cMusicMail, and we'll be back next week with
even more great content. If you have any comments or questions, please reply
to this e-mail or send them to webmaster@.... We'd love to hear
from you!

Dan Ficker
http://cMusicWeb.com/
a different approach to music
AOL IM - dMusicWeb