Jars Of Clay's latest project, The Shelter, is, at first listen, an intimate offering that doesn't stray far from their classic guitar-driven roots.
What makes it stand out is its message, and the myriad artists who contribute on the album.
Quoting from the CD sleeve:
This album is inspired by the old Irish words, "In the shelter of each other, the people live." These songs are meant to celebrate and inspire small communities of people to care for one another and embody the love, peace and hope promised by God and found in the life of Jesus."
A veritable list of Christian music's luminaries (both past, present and ancient) sing along on every track except one:
Brandon Heath,
Audrey Assad (yay!),
Gungor (or The Artist Formerly Known as Michael Gungor),
Mac Powell (of Third Day fame),
Derek Webb,
David Crowder (thankfully, not in his Church Music mode),
Matt Maher (there he is again!),
Sara Groves,
Amy Grant (still singing!)
and Burlap to Cashmere (remember these guys?!).
What I really like about this album, besides the fact that the songs are well-written (In the shadow of the cross where my first love died / In the valley where we learn how to climb so high / Will You open my heart and reach inside / Till the blood on Your hands is Yours, not mine - from the track We Will Follow) is that the inclusion of the guest artists in each song never feels egregious and overbearing, neither do they sound as if they were thrown in as an afterthought. They form a natural, integral part of the record - indeed, the message of The Shelter would be lost if they had not participated in the process and the product.
This is an album that's easy to listen to and enjoy. While I work on the final verdict for The Shelter, check out this video of Dan Haseltine talking a bit about the idea behind the record and what Jars of Clay want to achieve with it.
And here's a video of the powerful opening song, Small Rebellions.
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