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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Independence for a fascinating four-piece:, March 22, 2002
Moulded by expectations on their self-titled debut, restricted by a fleeting recording trip to England for Much Afraid, and misconstrued by production on If I Left the Zoo, Jars of Clay has been unable to express themselves this independently until The Eleventh Hour. Close to their best album so far it provides sheer promise for the future of this enchanting four-piece.It is encouraging for me to hear a Christian band expressing hardship within faith, which makes it disappointing to hear fellow reviewers attacking the lyrics of The Eleventh Hour. I find concerns about the lack of a direct Gospel message narrow-minded. I would say that Jars of Clay's ministry is not based on evangelism, but discipleship; not birth but growth, and this is as essential as foundational evangelism. Start and Finish: Disappear opens The Eleventh Hour with vintage Jars of Clay passion, while the album is concluded eloquently by The Edge of Water, an example of a thoroughly new direction for the group. Revolution: The same goes for Revolution, an early highlight and a great rock song - surrounded by Something Beautiful and Fly, both demonstrating Jars of Clay's continued focus on strong melody. Silence: Having read the lyrics to the powerful Silence prior to hearing the song I had high expectations, perhaps a song reminiscent of the exquisite Frail, from Much Afraid. This aching reflection on the inexplicable silence we can all face is a gutsy and poignant hinge-piece for the album. The Eleventh Hour: This mood of unease holds until the redemption of the title track, which also feels to me like a musical path yet untrodden by the group. Herein lies the mature message of salvation that Christians must be reminded of; the Gospel encapsulates hope as much as it shows grace, and this outstanding song provides a story of both.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Beautiful Combination, March 11, 2002
With "The Eleventh Hour" Jars of Clay seems to have found a way to combine the honest, almost transparent enthusiasm of their acoustically-dominated debut album with the depth and musical maturity found on their follow-up "Much Afraid" (which happens to be one of my favorite albums of all time). Their previous attempt at this combination, "If I Left the Zoo," appeared forced and artificially playful. Not so with this new album. From the very first track the album envelops you with both the feeling of wonder and the acute pop sensibility that make Jars of Clay so vital. "Revolution" displays a cool, urban vibe underscored with acoustic guitars in a way that only these guys can pull off (although I'm sure they could have found something better to say than "grab a hammer, bang a gong.") "Silence" is painfully honest and highlight's Dan Haseltine's distinctive voice. Perhaps the highlight of the album is the last track, "The Edge of Water," which shows how powerful a banjo can be.Some have criticized this album for being too ambiguous about its statement of faith; however, I think this album demonstrates how Jars of Clay is one of the few bands who can paint a picture of an honest faith journey and maintain their musical integrity. The lyrics explore situations and emotions that represent the broad range of human existence. Faith is not a bunch of much-repeated phrases and concepts, but rather a lens through which they explain their world. Once again, Jars of Clay demonstrates that the mixture of faith and serious musical talent can be quite a beautiful thing.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
3 1/2-One of the few CCM bands I still Listen too, March 18, 2002
I've given up on Mainstream Christian Music. (The undrground stuff is better) After awhile I just got tired of the repeated lyrics and boring musical styles. Jars of Clay though, left quite an impression on me because of their Unserpassed MUCH AFRAID record. If you're new to the band I highly recommend that beautiful and haunting record. To get to my point, I always had a soft spot for JOC ever since that record and got their first and then third record. I love bands that change and evolve even if it means getting a few fans Teed off in the process. They weren't afraid to reach beyond their boundaries and even if you didn't like "If I left the Zoo" (A flawed but still great pop-rock record) you had to appreciate their honest face toward change and to move forward. They could have gone the easy route and stuck to strings and slow melodies, but then that would become stale and boring. This record is a sharp right, where IILTZ was a sharp left. It's the slower songs of MuchAfraid but without the strings, instead Dan relies on his voice to tell the stories for him. In the song "Silence" it's amazing to hear him sing louder and louder even till you hear a small scratch in his voice, it just send's chill's down your spine. Every song has it's own subtle hooks and riffs, but it takes repeated listens to find what makes each song so special. They aren't as obvious as ZOO, which is a good thing. The songs aren't as eclectic as MA but are still as honest. The lyrics are more poetic then ZOO but still aren't as good as MA. The dilemna in making a perfect record such as Much Afraid is they can never live up to it. Rather I truly appreciate this band for changing and being different every time. That is why they will always remain fresh and beautiful. This is a great record in the journey that is Jars of Clay.
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