- Closer
- Safe to Land
- Love Song for a Savior [new version]
- Flood (New Rain) [new version]
- Prisoner of Hope
Jars of Clay was the kind of band everybody thought was ready-made to go the independent route. Long before they decided to part ways with the major-label system, many conjectured their autonomy would usher in a new season of artistic excellence and creativity for the band, unbound by the rigors of corporatized Christian music. But when the somewhat staid Christmas Songs released, some people got worried. The album was far from the reinvention of Jars as indie impresarios. It felt more like a transitional project, as if they were just beginning to get used to the idea that they had no one watching over their backs.
The
The band seems to realize they've strayed from the beaten path a bit. For all their efforts to try to distance themselves from their groundbreaking debut, it's ironic that Jars felt the need to include new versions of "Flood" and "Love Song for a Savior." Those who have experienced live the band's awfully drawn-out rendition of "Liquid" in recent years have reason to worry, but these two reinterpretations are faithful to the originals in both melody and spirit. They're just updated for the new millennium in rhythm and feel.
The closest to the Jars we know and love is the near-epic closer "Prisoner of Hope," a newish track that appeared in the documentary Sons of Lwala. It's a driving pop/rock anthem that's fully fleshed out, like something culled from the
The EP is nothing to write home about, but