Customer Reviews

Who We Are Instead

5 star:		(58)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Just when I think I know Jars, they throw me a curve. Loving the rock-heavy Eleventh Hour, I was shocked by Who We Are Instead and its venture into roots music and its offshoots country, bluegrass, gospel, and soul. I stuck with it, though, and the album rewarded me richly.

Opener "Sunny Days" with its crisp opening guitar riff and catchy chorus will ring in my head for days, while "Lesser Things" persists in the mind with its images of despair and its plaintive refrain-in two-step. "I'm In The Way", one of several with drums by Wilco's Ken Coomer, deserves airplay as much as the weaker single "Show You Love." Coming right after it, "Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet" is a wicked contrast, with only two lines repeated over and over. U2 is apparent in the sweeping "Sing", as are shades of David Gray in the fierce and delicate finale "My Heavenly." Weaker but still-appealing tracks include Garth-worthy "Only Alive" and college-smart "Faith Enough." A cover of "Lonely People" is a showcase for good ol' Jars double acoustic guitarwork.

The gems find Jars finally going all-out gospel after years of ambivalence with the label "Christian contemporary". "Amazing Grace" with Ashley Cleveland is the album's key anthem, with a star turn by Charlie Lowell's keyboards. "Trouble Is" pulses a groove with awesome guitar and steel work from Matt Odmark and Stephen Mason and call-and-response with a blues/funk vibe. Frontman Dan Haseltine puts to the test any of my lingering doubts as to his passion as a vocalist in my five-star pick, the glorious gospel testimonial "Jealous Kind," also with Cleveland.

Ten years into a career they never expected, Jars of Clay remains for me a vanguard of humor, clarity, and empathy in a genre given to generic gods-per-minute. At the very least, the experimentation of Who We Are Instead suggests they're confident, at this place and time, of who they are indeed.

This is Jars of Clay's best album, period. More than that, it is a superb album for any band, period. I don't consider myself a fan of "Christian" music. Rather, I consider myself a fan of GOOD music, and "Who We Are Instead" clearly qualifies as such.

Jars have put out some good stuff in the past, but I had all but stopped following their work once I no longer heard them on mainstream radio. Indeed, I only purchased this album after receiving a tip from Mark Joseph's August 2004 article on National Review Online. Joseph's review of the album intrigued me. He wondered: Did I hear that right? Was they really make an album THAT good? Yes they did, he concluded. I totally agree with Joseph, and I strongly recommend this album.

There is no single standout track here, out of the 13. Nonetheless, every track is a gem, and their sound is excellent. The band really seems to be in its element. The vocals are terrific and the blending of acoustic and electric guitars is fantastic. And the songs have real heart and depth to them-songs about love, longing and weakness. Amazing Grace, Lonely People, Lesser Things, Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet, Jealous Kind, Sing...all are exceptional tunes. Furthermore, while Christian themes are touched upon in some of the songs, one need not be a Christian to enjoy the music-a true sign of the music's quality.

Get this album! You will thank me for it.

with the release of who we are instead, jars of clay has finally made the record i'd always hoped they would. this is jars at their best, by far. the majority of the songs are acoustic guitar driven which is not uncommon for jars, but, on who we are instead, the band takes a radical departure from the previous eleventh hour sound and moves tword a folky, americana sound. acoustic guitars, mandolin, pedal and lap steel, banjo, piano, accordion and dobro find their place in the airy gaps of these wonderfully flowing, uncluttered arrangements. dan hasseltine's voice floates over the tracks with fragile honesty and sincerity, his lyrics poetic and thought provoking as always. from the upbeat bounce of sunny days and christian radio hit, show you love, to the mellow swagger of amazing grace, each track is worthy of a listen. my favorite track, lesser things, has a driving minor key americana feel that might be just as at home on a vigilantes of love, son volt, wilco, whiskeytown, ect. cd. again, this release is a departure from the past offerings from jars of clay, but if this is to be a new direction, the future looks great. jars of clay does a perfect job of sending a clear message of the love of Jesus, while still appealing to a secular audience with well arranged and written music, and honest lyrics with depth and intellegence. a truely "must own" cd.

Jars of Clay. Everytime I even hear the name mentioned, quoted, or passed in an ongoing sentence, it always throws me into a loophole of the past 5+ years that I have been listening to the band. Ever since the original self-titled debut album, I have been following Jars of Clay and their music has just gotten better and better. Before November 4, my all-time favorite Jars album was The Eleventh Hour. How does every album they release always live up to the previous album and surpass it time after time? Surely, the Eleventh Hour, with awesome songs like Disappear, Something Beautiful, Fly, I Need You, and the Edge of Water get any better? Well, with the amazing album of Who We Are Instead, I am again quickly reminded that Jars of Clay has held the standard of Christian music and there has never yet been a band to match them as soon as they entered the scene. Whether or not you are a Jars of Clay fan, buy this album, because you will be most pleased with it, I am sure. Get the deluxe edition too, because it has the most amazing song of Tonight on there and it is awesome! It has a "Rose colored stained glass windows" sound to it. Jars of Clay is the best, I hope and pray they continue making albums!

From the early clips I heard from this CD and songs they played live, I knew they were onto something special. Their 5th full-length album should not disappoint fans and should appeal to more discerning listeners.

Because each Jars album completely brings a new sound, it is difficult to determine their best work. However, while each previous album had a specific concept (perhaps with the exception of their self-titled debut), this CD manages to sucessfully develop a theme for the entire album. If you were lucky enough to get the limited edition 2-disc version, you'll find two b-sides which are decent and have their qualities but clearly do not fit into the style of Who We Are Instead (but eager fans can never get enough bonus tracks).

Who We Are Instead is the most mature Jars album lyrically, musically, and thematically. Pulling influences from blues, country-rock, classic rock, gospel, and bluegrass, this album manages to have a strong tone that doesn't quit until the last track ends. While it may not have a "Collide" or "Revolution" it is still edgy enough to hold the interest because many of the songs, even the slow ones, shift into different musical styles.

Who We Are Insead has echos from all of Jars' previous works and even bits taken from their live performace style. To me, it feels like the Jars have finally gotten to that point that most musicians reach where they have completely found their nitch--they finally did what they were trying to do before. There are several songs on this album reminiscent of past songs but any song from previous albums would not fit on this record. This does not mean that what they did before was wrong or not as good, but it's as if their sound is finally complete. However, I'm sure they're still not satisfied and will develop even more.

I don't want to get into describing each song, but "Trouble Is" is the standout track from the album which has an almost hip-hop beat, a bluesy sound, and great a keyboard melody. And do not worry if you feel this album is too religious compared to their past efforts. It's more honest, not preachy, and is oustanding stylistically.

If you're new to the Jars, preview each of their previous CD's and see what they were doing earlier before you dive into this new sound. But I think this is their most complete album yet and they have reached a new point in their music. I really hope they get some attention from this album because they deserve it.

When Jars of Clay released their fifth studio album, Who We Are Instead, in November 2003, many fans initially dubbed it a return to the sound of their first album. They were wrong, and some of them later revised their opinion. This album is a mostly downbeat work that is challenging both lyrically and musically. At the same time, it could alienate many fans, but those who persist with it will find their efforts rewarding.

The album contains two songs that are arguably Jars of Clay's most optimistic lyrically. The band leads off with "Sunny Days," a song with mostly cheerful lyrics (even Jars' "sunny" songs always have some touch of melancholy in them), complete with an allusion to Sesame Street. At the midpoint of the album, "Show You Love" is almost as upbeat and was the album's first (and most successful) single. (It later was used in trailers for the 2004 film Spanglish.) "Sunny Days," however, is lyrically and musically the more impressive track.

The other eleven tracks are considerably more melancholic. Lyrically, they focus on themes standard to the band: human brokenness/frailty and the great distance between God's holiness and human sinfulness. "Trouble Is" contains the album title and neatly sums up the album's theme: "Man, the trouble is/We don't know who we are instead." The other songs generally explore this theme in a myriad of introspective ways -- as Jars of Clay did consistently through every album prior to their most recent album, Good Monsters. (Good Monsters keeps some of this emphasis but also takes the band in some new directions lyrically.)

While the lyrics are almost uniformly excellent, this album really stands out musically. This is not the acoustic musical journey of the band's much loved self-titled debut, nor is it a return to the sound of any other previous album. Rather, the album is chock full of slow, deliberately plodding songs that head the band in a folk/roots/blues/gospel/country direction. As such, it's challenging, and you may either love the music or hate it. If you want high-energy pop/rock, your one bone on this album is "I'm in the Way," a song so jarringly different musically from the remaining tracks that it should have been a b-side.

In all of this, the band reveals their musical influences. A cover of America's "Lonely People" makes the band's love for 1970s folk pop explicit if anyone somehow missed it in their previous albums. "Sunny Days" is lyrically and musically evocative of a typical Christine McVie tune from Fleetwood Mac's Mirage (1982) era. (The opening riff and the guitar and keyboard playing throughout are very Macish.) "I'm in the Way" sounds like a distant, much faster-paced relative of Toad the Wet Sprocket's "Good Intentions" from the early 1990s.

Regardless of their influences, Jars of Clay certainly do not lack ambition. The album's most complex and epic song, "Faith Enough," essentially is a "Worlds Apart" (a much-loved tune from their debut album) for the whole world as opposed to an individual. "Amazing Grace" steals the title of the classic hymn and provides a more melancholic take on the same subject matter. "Jealous Kind" examines a topic rarely (if ever before -- I cannot think of one instance) covered by contemporary Christian artists: God's jealous love for his people.

The latter two songs are graced by vocals from the always welcome Ashley Cleveland. There's a surprise, though: lead singer Dan Haseltine's vocals actually prove the equal of Cleveland's. Some Jars of Clay listeners have criticized Haseltine's voice as being childlike and too sweet. I think there's a smidgeon of truth to those complaints; while I like Haseltine's voice, it hasn't sounded in the past like he's stretched himself very much. That's not true on these two songs. It's amazing to hear Haseltine in his own way match Cleveland's formidable vocals. He, and not Cleveland, makes these two songs work. (Cleveland's presence is a bonus.) When he sings "You know I've been unfaithful/With lovers in lines" near the end of "Jealous Kind," it seems to come from a deep well within him and is wrenching.

How much you like Who We Are Instead may well depend on your musical tastes. Do you like a slower-paced album full of thoughtful lyrics that delves into a variety of musical genres but almost entirely avoids a pop/rock sound? If so, you may love this album. Personally speaking, I've found that while I don't listen to it regularly, I'm always amazed by how good it is when I do give it my attention. Lyrically and musically, it's nothing short of excellent.

Postscript: An early special edition of the album featured an extra disc with two additional songs and special internet features. The two songs are both very good to excellent, even though the first one, "Tonight," is labeled a B-side. "Tonight" is catchy and upbeat musically; since it fits in well musically with the rest of the album, it would have been a better choice for the album than "I'm in the Way." More significant is "Shipwrecked," a tale of a life on the rocks that could have been sappy but surprisingly is moving. Even though it sounds like a demo, it should have been on the album.

The boys really get back to their roots with this release. The first thing that really stood out was THEY ENJOYED MAKING THIS RECORD!! The material is excellent, the song structure and bluesy-country tones makes me yearn for the country. The backup vocal were especially good. The guitar work and supporting instrument work was far above their previous release.

I've always been a big of JOC. Yeah, they had a couple of "not so shining moments" with The Eleventh Hour and Furthermore, but this is a definite HIGH! I truly enojyed: Trouble Is, Faith Enough, Show You Love, Lesser Things, I'm In The Way, My Heavenly and the remake of Lonely People. The rest is good too, but every song can't be a fav.

In my opinion, this record should go platinum, like their predecessors. Welcome back JOC - it's been a long wait :)

This is definitely a change for Jars. Normally I write pretty long reviews, but I'll keept it short this time. To put it quite simply, it sounds like they're now farmboys. I don't normally like country. And I'm not saying I make an exception. Sliding steel guitars in the high freq. range still do little to please my ear, but there are some really good songs here. I read a review here someone wrote that basically complained just because they were looking for Jars to produce stuff they'd already done before cause she liked it. Why should they? To be a Jars fan means to be prepared for a surprise. No two albums from theirs are alike. 'Dyou notice that? The debut was strictly acoustic. Much Afraid was electronica. If I Left The Zoo was summer sound (or as close to such as Jars will ever stoop), The Eleventh Hour was a next-to-nill production of pop-rock (essentially an electric guitar version of their debut style), and now we have Who We Are Instead, a blugrass southern gospel influence as it were. Who cares? Change should be expected. One is completely entitled not to like this CD, but only for the right reason. Dislike it because you hate the style, not just because it wasn't what you expected. This is still a collection of good songs. I like the songs, I like what they mean. I don't like the sound, but I like the songs.

Absolutely gorgeous! I've only found Jars lately, but this is exactly what I look for in a CCM album: a sound that doesn't give up a thing to secular bands--this is as good or better than anything around--and lyrics that aren't afraid to deal with real life and real emotions. Who needs music that pretends we live isolated little lives in our little Christian ghetto, where everything is rosy all day? Not these guys: witnessing to the rock-solid reality of faith in the midst of everyday struggles. Bravo!

I'm looking forward to catching up with the rest of Jars' back catalog! Thanks y'all!

The moment I heard the funky electric and catchy drum beat opening up the album, I knew that I was hooked....again. I'll admit that I am slightly biased because I am a Jars of Clay fanatic.
This album continues the streak of excellence that began with the release of Jars' self-titled debut in 1995. It is really eye-opening to listen to how they have matured both musically and lyrically since that first album. Each album explores a different lyrical theme to go along with a slightly different musical theme.
Who We Are Instead might be the biggest musical leap that Jars has taken yet. This album explores several new musical styles. And they make it all sound very good. These guys are some seriously talented musicians and songwriters. This album comes across as being straight from the heart.
All of the songs on this album are solid if not great. My personal favs are:
1. Sunny Days (really catchy, great way to start the album)
2. Amazing Grace (The chorus to this song is awesome)

3. Lonely People (Gotta love this remake of a great America song)
4. Faith Enough (Awesome lyrics, well crafted musically, I love the way it builds on itself and just gets better as it goes)
5. Show You Love (Just a darn good song)
6. My Heavenly (Beautiful words, beautiful music to end the album)