I discovered a great new album last night: Inland by Jars of Clay. Released in August of 2013, this collection of songs sounds as good as previous albums like Who We Are Instead (2003) or Much Afraid (1997). The lyrics are mysterious, poetic, and haunting. They speak to the condition of every human soul. They speak of angst, pain, loneliness, depression, joy, and love. Here is a sample of the album; the song is called “Loneliness & Alcohol.”
“Loneliness & Alcohol”
Written by Dan Haseltine, Charlie Lowell, Steve Mason, and Matt Odmark
(listen to it here)
The sound of television creeping through the halls
Left in the wild like a tree pulled from the dirt
You fill the sky with burning arrows from your heart
Throw your bottles out to sea and watch them float away
Tell me of the world you’re leaving
While you’re swinging like a wrecking ball
You bury all your love in secrets
And loneliness in alcohol
Hide your diamonds in the dirt in careful rows
Let your doubt unravel all their, all their pretty bows
‘Cause your heart is broken by the things you love
And your light, it carries but it’s not enough to change the weather
Tell me of the world you’re leaving
While you’re swinging like a wrecking ball
Bury all your love in secrets
And loneliness in alcohol
You get buried under all these lines, all this light, all these lies
You get buried under all these lines, all this light, all the time
Tell me of the world you’re leaving
While you’re swinging like a wrecking ball
Bury all your love in secrets
And loneliness in alcohol
Tell me of the world you’re leaving
While you’re swinging like a wrecking ball
Bury all your love in secrets
And loneliness in alcohol
Other songs on the album are equally strong and I find it hard to choose favourites but certainly “After the Fight” and “Human Race” are in the running; but how could I leave out “Reckless Forgiver.” You will have to choose favourites for yourself. Check out the whole album at their website: www.jarsofclay.com.