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Written by Sandra Machuca
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Thursday, 01 March 2007 |
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 For more than a decade, one question has constantly shadowed members of the Christian band Jars of Clay: Are you a rock band or not?
With contemporary musical stylings that sometimes come with an edge, fans could listen to one song and answer yes, but listen to another and say no.
But “Good Monsters,” the band’s latest record released in September, may have ended the debate, for now, with a sound that is definitely rock.
“Most songwriters tend to spend the majority of their careers dabbling in the melancholy and the mid-tempo to introspective. That’s sort of where we’ve found ourselves most comfortable,” said guitarist Matt Odmark. “I think our last couple records reflect that.”
Odmark said the group wanted to get out of that comfort zone and face a new challenge, and the result is “Good Monsters.”
From the first note, fans will notice the change of pace.
“We wanted to make a record that was performance driven and we did as many live takes in the studio as possible. It really gives the record more energy,” said Odmark.
It has made the transition from album to live show a lot smoother as well. “It’s like taking a painting and trying to make that painting work as a play,” said Odmark of the transition from studio gem to live performance. “This go-round, that transition is a lot smoother.”
Because of the energy of the album, “The show is primarily the new record… We’re excited to play it… We almost kind of abuse our audience with it.”
Still there are some things the band isn’t comfortable with, and that is the labeling and categorization of their music. Jars of Clay is a Christian band and many times the “Christian” part takes over and overshadows the “band” part of the label.
“We’ve had to learn (to juggle the label) over the years. (It’s) used in a dismissive sort of way. They’re a Christian band so you don’t have to pay attention to what they have to say,” said Odmark.
“We feel like there is no reason that certain sort of perspectives should be excluded from that conversation, especially if it’s done with artistic integrity and excellence. But we definitely have felt at different times in our career that it’s an uphill battle, or that the playing field isn’t quite level.”
Still band members have no apologies for who they are. They use their role as musicians to work through the things of the world they don’t understand, just like any other songwriter.
“Usually when we are covered in the media it has much to do with the Christian theme more than the music. And it’s not that we are unwilling to discuss those things, but this is what we do. We are musicians.”
They let the music speak for itself. “It’s not, how are we going to use the music to convince people to think a certain way? It’s more of a forum for us.”
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TO GO TO THE SHOW
Jars of Clay with opening acts Need to Breathe and Burlap to Cashmere
7 p.m. March 7
Union Colony Civic Center, 701 10th Ave. Greeley
$16-$35. Call 356.5000 or go online to www.ucstars.com.
Tickets are still available. Tickets are going fast. More than 1,000 tickets have been sold. Mark Briemhorst, UCCC director, said they “caught the band at a good time. The band is hot right now.”
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NC CONNECTION
Jars of Clay’s rhythm section has been filled by University of Northern Colorado graduates and Disappointed by Candy band members: Jeremy Lutito on drums and Gabe Ruschival on bass. Read more about these two in the coming week here at NEXTnc.com.
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BLOOD: WATER MISSION
Jars of Clay has partnered with an organization called Blood: Water Mission to help bring clean water to Africa. Go to: www.bloodwatermission.com.
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OMG!
“That song is a benchmark in our career in a lot of ways,” said Matt Odmark. The song is all about why people utter those words. From a surprise, to a cry for help,  the song looks at the many reasons people use that phrase or variations of that phrase through out different cultures. “It’s this common thread throughout humanity.
It is a meditation on who we are and the common thread of that phrase. The first half of the song deals with different reasons why maybe someone might say those words and the last movement is all the different reasons, why personally you might utter those words. You hear references to the brokenness you experience.” | Only registered users can write comments.
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