Jars of Clay – “Good Monsters”
CCM Magazine has named “Good Monsters” “2006 Album of the Year“, so does it live up to that distinction? Will it live up to all the hype?
In a word, yes.
Jars of Clay has been contributing their brand of acoustic-folk, jangly-pop, light-rock music to the world since their crossover hit song “Flood” from their self-titled debut in 1995. They’ve released some notable music (Jars of Clay, If I Left the Zoo, The Eleventh Hour) and also some forgettable albums (Much Afraid). With “Good Monsters” they will make a significant and possibly historical impact on modern Christian Music because it raises the bar of creativity, both musically and lyrically and is packaged together neatly as a concept in a well-produced presentation of art and music.
“Good Monsters” is a concept album that beautifully packages together ideas and song. Insightful lyrics picked from deep within a soul longing for justice and mercy are transported through sounds made by voice, stringed instruments, and stretched animal skin. The music on this CD covers the gamut from catchy pop jingles like “Dead Man (Carry Me)”, the quick-tempo, pop-shuffle of “Good Monsters”, the earthy romp duet (with Leigh Nash) of “Mirrors and Smoke”, modern day sing-a-long hymn of “There is a River”, to the signature song on the CD.
“Oh My God” is the “showstopper” of this album. If “Good Monsters” is Album of the Year, “Oh My God” is the Song of the Year, and possibly of the decade. It is a song that one can not listen to, really listen to, and not be shaken by it. It begins with light strumming of acoustic guitar strings as David Haseltine’s voice softly enters with the first verse “Oh My God”. It’s a prayer, a modern-day psalm, a lamentation. The song has a slow, almost laborious pace that crescendos as instruments are added to the texture. It is constructed in three main parts, with no real “chorus” as modern music has made us accustomed to. It is one thought, one verse, piled on top of another thought, piled on top of another, connected only by the commonly used, and sometimes overused (by society) phrase “Oh My God”. There is a slight pause between the main sections of this song that allow a short moment for reflection, maybe even some relief from the heaviness this song provokes.
These lyrics, from the second section of the lamentation:
“Whores and angels, men with problems, leavers always say…”
“Fearful mothers, watchful doubters, Saviors always say…”
illustrate so well the idea that everyone at one point in their life has a moment that they need to decide if God is real or not. “Oh My God” is a phrase that people use to call on God and misuse as part of everyday language. These verses are delivered in a sequential melody that build on each other punctuated by forceful chords on the piano and a steady strum of the guitar that gradually gains in volume.
The last section of the song begins to pulsate with added steady rhythm on the drum. It beats along like a heart, and carries the words Haseltine rhythmically sings as haunting background vocals softly cry over and over the lamentation “Oh My God” . The background voices here are a soft accompanianment that sets a tone, or a mood, and when the listener really focuses on that it is possible to imagine that it may be what God hears when all the many desperate souls cry out to Him. The beating pulse of the lament becomes more and more intense, the volume increases as the song crescendos to the climax where Haseltine cries out “Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God”. Then silence.
It is powerful and impacting and I believe it will become one of those songs that will be a CCM standard.
“Good Monsters” the title track from the album sounds like a happy tune with a pop-shuffle rhythm and an ascending/descending bassline that sets in a groove quickly. Like “Dead Man (Carry Me)” (“I woke up from a dream about an empty funeral, But it’s better than the party full of people I don’t really know.”) and “Work” (“I have no fear of drowning, It’s the breathing. It’s taking all this work”) it has a catchy singable melody, yet, as one really looks deeper into the lyrics, these songs have thought-provoking ideas to convey.
“Not all monsters are bad, but the ones who are good
Never do what they could, never do what they couldAll the good monsters rattle their chains,
And dance around the open flames,
And they make a lot of empty noise.”
Jars of Clay contributes a modern day hymn with “There is a River” and another song, the only one on the CD not penned by members of Jars , “All My Tears” written by Julie Miller. This remake captures the old time spiritual feel of the original with a bit more electric sound and drive, but retains the poignancy. The gospel choir sound toward the end of the track really lifts this song to a refreshing new level.
“Mirrors and Smoke” is a duet that features Leigh Nash (formerly of Sixpence None the Richer) and is an uptempo, earthy romp. It’s filled with the heavenly blending of the voices of these two gifted singers. Nice harmonies and lyrics about “true love” written from the heart.
The African Children’s Choir is a subtle and nice touch on “Light Gives Heat”, a commentary of sorts, that I’m sure derived from the experiences of the Jars of Clay men on their visit to Africa.
The softer and slower paced tunes that make up the remainder of this compendium of insightful words and music, “Even Angels Cry”, “Surprise”, and “Water Under the Bridge” complete the diversity, the creativity, and the challenge of this Jars of Clay offering.
“Good Monsters” is a masterpiece.
Technorati Tags: jars+of+clay good+monsters new+release album+of+the+year oh+my+God
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Visit these sites:
Jars of Clay – Official Website
Good-Monsters – For some fun!
[tags]Jars of Clay, Good Monsters, Music review[/tags]
September 10th, 2006 at 3:22 pm
I would say that their most forgettable albums are and will be The Eleventh Hour and maybe Who We Are Instead. Most of Jars followers today remember Jars for their first three albums. Many of whom stuck with them after Much Afraid (which did not meet the expectations of a repetition of the first), really value that album (Much Afraid). People who have given it a chance, have found it growing more in them than any of the others has. Just go to Amazon, and see how so many people have taken back their spite for it. So, even if Much Afraid wasn’t their biggest success (even when it sold more than any of their following albums), does not mean at all that it was forgettable.
At least from their first 6 album, I personally find Much Afraid to be their most accomplished work artistically speaking: with superior lyrics that are perfectly put in music, with a cohesiveness that has never been paralleled in their history, and with a dark rock that was powerful enough to set you through a dim mood into a happy humble peace. Although these are my personal views, I hear them from many people, and even from one of the bands members, who also found it their most accomplished cd (it is on a not too old interview online, you’ll have to take my word for it, or search it).. It all really blended in magnificently in that album, without the beginner’s flaws of the first, or the hard to avoid ones in their following albums. Much Afraid’s only fault was giving out what wasnt so highly expected: a repetition of the style they had already almost tiredly repeated within their first album alone.
September 10th, 2006 at 9:15 pm
Not that I don’t completely agree that Good Monsters is an amazing album, but I must also argue that Jars of Clay has always demonstated this recently acclaimed musical/lyrical genius in every one of their albums. As a long-time listener, not one has ever disappointed me, and Good Monsters is no exception. It simply displays the same standard of outstanding musical and lyrical excellence I’ve always expected from a Jars of Clay album. I’m just glad to see that their creativity, talent, and heart are finally appreciated for what they are.
October 8th, 2006 at 2:29 am
Much Afraid forgattable? You’ve gotta be kidding, don’t you?
October 9th, 2006 at 12:52 pm
I’m interested in this site, particularly in linking to the Jars review for a student activities office web site, but can’t find any information about who’s behind it. Is that intentional? Would you be willing to post something under an “about” or “history” heading to make your site more credible and transparent?
October 9th, 2006 at 3:45 pm
Thank you for the suggestion kmvgr, it is a good idea. I will forward that onto the webmaster.
My name is Susan L. Prince, and the review of Jars of Clay “Good Monsters” that you see here was done by me.
October 9th, 2006 at 4:22 pm
Thank you, Susan! I’ll link to it from our site at http://www.calvin.edu/sao.
-Kirstin
October 10th, 2006 at 9:15 pm
Hi Kristen. Thanks for your input.
About CrimsonLight
December 22nd, 2006 at 3:01 am
Great review, Susan.
Bought this album only last week (shame on me) and can’t stop listening to it. A masterpiece indeed. But, in your super review Susan, you called my favourite album (‘Much Afraid’) forgettable!!!! I listen to this much more than #If I left the Zoo’
Allan, Bristol UK