Never underestimate the motivational power of fear.
How does this apply to the members of Jars of Clay? What do they have to be afraid of? After all, with their debut album they were nominated for a Grammy, won a few Dove awards, toured all over the world, and, oh yeah, sold several boatloads of records long the way.
But that�s exactly what they have to be afraid of. The expectations for Much Afraid were and are so high that it�s amazing that the members of Jars of Clay don�t implode upon themselves.
But they don�t. With the aid of producer Steve Lipson, they step up to the mic and produce an album that accurately reflects the talented young men that they are.
From the quiet opening strains of "Overjoyed," to the end of the self penned hymn that closes the record, Jars of Clay defies the impulse that so often comes with a second record, that of being bigger, bolder, louder, faster or weirder.
The collection of songs on Much Afraid all have a common thread of fragility, be it of spirit, mind or body. "Fade to Grey," one of the standout tracks on the group�s 1994 indie that brought them so much attention, gets a lyrical and musical reworking here, with driving drum loops and B3 weaving around a bridge of brokenness and loneliness, leading to a final payoff of hope and salvation within "arms open wide, trying to embrace me."
"Fade to Grey," along with the first single "Crazy Times and the not-to-be overlooked "truce" are really the only times on the album where Jars breaks loose with instrumental intensity close to that on "Flood," the breakout song from the group�s debut.
The bulk of the album�s material is quieter and more contemplative, like the instrumentally-driven "Frail" and the regret-laced "Portrait of an Apology," where the group�s signature acoustic approach is only heightened by the addition of strings and organ.
Where Jars may find success in the general market this time out comes in the form of "Tea and Sympathy," once again shining the spotlight on a broken situation, this time a broken heart. "Five Candles," a pithy pop tune originally intended for the Liar, Liar soundtrack, also has Top 40 radio potential written all over it.
The only distraction comes with "Weighed Down," built upon the same musical base of the hidden track "Four Seven" on the Jars� debut record. If you�re familiar with the first album, you keep wanting "Weighed Down" to speed up or go in a different direction than it eventually does.
The biggest surprise of the album is the confidence with which Dan Haseltine commands the lead vocal, confidence without sounding arrogant or aggressive. Haseltine�s strength on the first record was his lyrical ability. Here, he not only provides thoughtful and interesting lyrics, but also he finds his niche vocally, very ably filling in the spaces left for him by the tracks.
All in all, Much Afraid proves once again that you can make good art within this realm called Christian music, and it shouldn�t scare away any of the fans Jars of Clay has already picked up on the crazy ride thus far.
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