The Eleventh Hour in general
I was so excited when I heard that Jars had decided to produce the album themselves. While I really like some of the songs from Much Afraid and If I Left the Zoo, I sorely missed the simple and down-to-earth style of the self-title album. When I first put The Eleventh Hour into my cd player I was delighted. Jars of Clay had taken the elements that made their first cd oh-so-good and evolved them into something mature, beautiful, and still 100% their own.
Disapear
This song is a great opener; it offers you hints about what to expect from the whole album without giving everything away. It sports a nice melding of piano, synth, drums, and guitar that serve as a backdrop for the lyrics.
Something Beautiful
This song reminisces of Simon & Garfunkle the way that Overjoyed and Goodbye, Goodnight echoed the Beatles. The guitar work is beautiful in a simple way, echoing the lyrics perfectly.
Revolution
This song straight-up rocks. If people are looking for a song with a similar vibe to Flood without being a rehash of it, this is it. This song captures the let's-just-crank-it-up attitude which is all over their live shows. I think this song has the best chance of becoming a mega-smash hit on radios across the country.
Fly
I must admit, I found this song disapointing. The lyrics are intense and emotional but they wrecked them by coupling them with a super-fluffy pop melody. I'm sorry, it just doesn't work.
I Need You
Already a big-timer on Christian radio, this song fits nicely into the Adult Contemporary category. However, unlike much of what you'd find on an AC channel, Jars offers challenging lyrics drawing from the paradoxes of the Christian faith.
Silence
Silence is absolutely haunting. It dares to ask questions that few Christian artists would have the guts to ask. The music has a meditative quality much like Vertical Horrizon's Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning) that highlight lights the pensive lyrics.
Scarlet
This song, abounding with literary allusions, is a reminder that our scarlet letters can't get in the way of love. On the whole, it wasn't very memorable.
Whatever She Wants
While I can appreciate that Jars are trying to stretch themselves in a new direction with this one, it didn't apeal to me very much. There is a nice touch of electric guitar, but it doesn't stand out like it does in Crazy Times, or Revolution, for that matter.
The Eleventh Hour
This song responds to the questions asked in Silence. I thought it was a brilliant touch on their part to divide the theme of searching, doubting, finding and believing into two songs. This is one of my favorites on the album.
These Ordinary Days
This song is overly simple, but I think it captures the organic quality of Jars' music. It serves as a reminder that even when we don't find answers to all our questions, we will still find God's love.
The Edge of the Water
If a song can be eclectic, this one is. It would be standard Jars pop fare if it weren't for the banjo accompaniment. I can't decide whether it works or not. Each time I listen to it, I reach a different conclusion. The lyrics pretty much sum up the message of the ablum, but leave it somewhat open-ended.
So there you have it. That's what I think of the album. I also think you should buy it, if you haven't already done so.
