The Long Fall Back To Earth

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Music
Genre:	Alternative Rock
Artist:	Jars of Clay

I've never heard a really good Jars of Clay album for quite sometime already. So I guess it's just about time that their latest release "The Long Fall Back To Earth" has put them back on it's musical excellence. The band has always been experimental in their songs, dabbling from Pop, Rock, Folk, Alternative, you name it they have it. In fact their previous release the critically acclaimed "Good Monsters" album, sounded so "unJars of Clay" like that I found a hard time digesting the tracks. Took me a couple more spins before I get acquainted to the new sound that the band is trying to come up with. But for this album, every single track sounds so good that I was ecstatic in breaking down the songs track by track. It is evident from the first track that the band has really gone a long long way since their debut album. The songs in this album sounds more fuller. Incorporating a lot of keyboards, drum loops and digital samples, which makes their songs more melodic. I could easily reminisce the synth laden pop songs of the 80's while listening to the songs (very evident of this is the song titled Don't Stop). The carrier single of this album is the song called Two Hands, a very intense song that speaks about breaking free and allowing ourselves to be redeemed from the chains that binds us to distrust. Asking us to cooperate in building a community. One heart, one mind. The song Weapons on the other hand is a very upbeat track that speaks about asking us to lay down our weapons and allow ourselves to be vulnerable and feel genuine relationships that aren't shielded from skepticism. Break down the walls that serves as barriers from the hurts and pains that might come. Because truth to tell, feeling the hurts and pains makes us human in just the same way as feeling love and valued. I think my favorite track in the album is the song called Hero. Some parts of the song reminds me of Coldplay but I couldn't actually put an exact Coldplay stamp on the song since all indications points out to that Jars of Clay stamp on it. Actually it is hard to pinpoint one favorite track in this album filled of musical gems because each track could really stand on their own. No filler tracks. There are enough songs for everyone to enjoy even for those who are looking for the more traditonal acoustic driven Jars of Clay sound. There are some songs that starts with the acoustic guitars before the synth keyboards and electric guitars take over.

I can truthfully say that The Long Fall Back To Earth is the best album that I have ever heard for this year thus far.