Credential Recordings
band Seabird breaks for a photo with Jars of Clay before taking the stage at
Gothic Theater in Englewood, Colo. on June 4, 2009. The band is currently
opening as a special guest on Jars of Clay's "Two Hands" tour,
wrapping in Seabird's hometown of Cincinnati on July 18.
Multi-platinum Christian rock band P.O.D., currently on hiatus following a lengthy world tour, will make its 2009 concert debut as part of a 14-act lineup announced today for Disney’s Night of Joy Sept. 11-12 at Walt Disney World Resort. The musically diverse event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park also will feature MercyMe, newsboys, Skillet, Flyleaf, Chris Tomlin, Kutless, Jars of Clay, Grits, Leeland, NEEDTOBREATHE, Superchick, Mandisa and Family Force 5.
Seven acts will perform each evening between 7 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. at stage locations throughout the park. Night of Joy begins after regular park operating hours, with concerts and select park attractions available exclusively for the enjoyment of event ticket holders.
P.O.D. is among four acts new to Night of Joy (along with Grits, NEEDTOBREATHE and Family Force 5), joining a legacy of 134 Christian music acts that have played Night of Joy since 1983. While a Disney “newbie,” the southern California-based band that fuses hard rock with hip-hop, reggae and Latin music is well known in music circles. They’ve been a hit on MTV, won two GMA Dove Awards, been Grammy-nominated, had two platinum-certified albums – one triple platinum – and in past summers played some of the north’s biggest Christian festivals.
But in spring/summer 2009, P.O.D. is chillin’: Vocalist Sonny Sandoval and the rest of the band are home in SoCal enjoying family life following a seven-month world tour that wound up in South America in December, making their Sept. 11 date at Disney P.O.D.’s first gig of the year.
“In the past year we’ve been blessed to play all around the globe but performing at Disney World excites me most of all,” Sandoval said.
The complete Sept. 11 Night of Joy lineup: P.O.D., newsboys, Kutless, Tomlin, NEEDTOBREATHE, Leeland and Superchick.
On Sept. 12, the Studios’ stages will present: Skillet, MercyMe, Jars of Clay, Flyleaf, Family Force 5, Grits and Mandisa.
Eight of the acts are nominated for Gospel Music Association Dove Awards in 2009, topped by Tomlin with seven nominations including artist of the year. Other nominees are Kutless, Leeland, NEEDTOBREATHE, Skillet, MercyMe, Mandisa and Grits.
For Mandisa, Night of Joy will mark her second “guest appearance” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2009. On Feb. 12, she was among an unprecedented gathering of 27 “American Idol” finalists – including the winners from each of the show’s first seven seasons – who participated in a Hollywood gala-style event to premiere “The American Idol Experience.” The new attraction immerses guests in the excitement of the hit TV show “American Idol,” with some guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios auditioning to take the spotlight onstage, while fellow guests cheer them on from the audience and vote for their favorite singer with instant results.
With an innovative ticket – exclusively for groups of 10 or more – that combines a “day” visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios with Night of Joy admission that evening, guests will have a chance to participate in “The American Idol Experience.” And by booking on or before Aug. 12, the Studios day/Night of Joy group ticket costs just $44.95 plus tax (beginning Aug. 13, it costs $49.95).
There’s also a two-day ticket exclusively for groups of 10 or more that combines Night of Joy admission on both evenings (Sept. 11 and Sept. 12) with two “day visits” to the guest’s choice of Walt Disney World theme parks (one per day) on Night of Joy weekend (Sept. 11-13). Booked on/before Aug. 12, that ticket costs just $89.95 plus tax (beginning Aug. 13, it costs $99.95).
Night of Joy tickets for individuals also are available. One-night tickets purchased in advance (up to the day prior to the event) are $49.95 plus tax (on event day, if available, tickets are $54.95). Two-night tickets (providing admission to Night of Joy on both Sept. 11 and 12) are $84.95 plus tax.
All the details about tickets for groups and individuals are available online at www.nightofjoy.com.
(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) June 4, 2009—Credential Recordings band Seabird has been selected by PureVolume.com as its featured PureVolume Sessions artist beginning this week. Seabird, currently on tour with Jars of Clay, will receive additional exposure today at Amazon.com as its debut album is the featured “Deal of the Day.”
Four acoustic sessions filmed exclusively at the PureVolume House in Los Angeles, Seabird’s PureVolume Sessions include songs “Rescue,” “Not Alone,” “Falling For You” and “Sometimes.” The first installment is currently available for viewing at www.purevolume.com/seabird/videos/66165/Rescue. Additional videos will be posted through the end of the week. Fans can also visit http://tinyurl.com/seabirdamazondealoftheday, today only to pick up Seabird’s debut album ‘Til We See The Shore for a special low price of $1.99 as part of Amazon.com’s “Deal of the Day” promotion.
In addition to online visibility, Seabird is currently making live appearances on tour with Jars of Clay through the middle of the month. For a complete list of tour dates, visit: www.myspace.com/seabird.
Consisting of brothers Aaron (vocals/keys) and Ryan (guitar) Morgan, as well as Chris Kubik (bass), and Preston Lane (drums), the Cincinnati-based band initially formed in 2004 when entering a local “battle of the bands” competition. Released June 24, 2008,‘Til We See The Shore, a collaborative effort with producers Jacquire King (Modest Mouse, Kings Of Leon, Tom Waits, Switchfoot) and Allen Salmon (Mute Math, This Beautiful Republic), is an attempt to meet its fans where they are, to craft an album that “share[s] the emotions, victories, and defeats we all experience as normal, every day people,” says Aaron.
Music from ‘Til We See The Shore has received phenomenal national publicity, featured on episodes of “Numb3rs,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and promos for ABC’s 12-time Emmy-nominated series, “Pushing Daisies.” The band was also recently recognized by its hometown as “Artist of the Year” at the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards. This summer Seabird will return to the studio to begin work on its sophomore album, scheduled to release early next year. For more information on Seabird, visit: www.seabirdmusic.com or www.myspace.com/seabird.
(Nashville, Tenn.) May 1, 2009 – Propelled by a new multi-format radio hit, a national tour, ubiquitous coverage on The Gospel Music Channel, and, most importantly, an ardent fan base, three-time GRAMMY Award-winning and multi-Platinum band Jars of Clay once again finds itself at the very top of Nielsen SoundScan's Christian Albums chart.
Jars of Clay’s No. 1-selling The Long Fall Back to Earth (Gray Matters/Essential) debuts on the chart this week after a landmark album launch which included the soaring single “Two Hands,” a personal media blitz by the band, a performance at an All-Star Benefit, a special tribute to the band during the nationally-televised Dove Awards, and the launch of Jars’ 23-city coast-to-coast tour.
“It has been an amazing week,” said Dan Haseltine. “We could not have imagined the response we have gotten from fans who went out and bought the record. The most exciting part is that we are already hearing powerful stories of how these songs are resonating with people. We are so grateful!”
The lead single from The Long Fall Back To Earth, “Two Hands” continues to generate an overwhelming response from Christian radio. This week, the song not only jumped into the Top 15 among reporting AC stations, “Two Hands” is already a Top 5 hit CHR radio. The song has been the greatest gainer in spins the past two weeks and was the fastest-gaining single at AC radio during the month of April. This past week alone, “Two Hands” was added by influential stations in Minneapolis (KTIS), Atlanta (WVFJ), Kansas City (KLJC) and Orlando (WPOZ) where the music director has been listening to The Long Fall Back To Earth “from start to finish repeatedly.”
As WPOZ’s Jeff Cruz puts it himself, “I am particularly excited about ‘Two Hands’.” “The song not only has a fun, radio-friendly sound and great hook, but it is probably the most vertical single they have done in a long time.” K-LOVE programmer and on-air personality Scott Smith, meanwhile, explains why the song is vintage Jars of Clay thematically. “‘Hands’ challenges all of us as believers to look for opportunities to serve one another and not just offer someone lip service,” he says.
Jars of Clay released The Long Fall Back to Earth, its 10th album, on April 21 and, at the invitation of host Big Kenny (Big & Rich), performed the following night at a fundraiser for the African Children’s Choir with Faith Hill, Third Day, Keith Urban and others. Respected for its humanitarian efforts as much as its innovative, intellectual brand of rock, Jars of Clay was honored the night after the benefit during the 40th Annual Dove Awards for the band’s relentless commitment. Jars of Clay, who presented on the show, was bestowed with a Gospel Music Channel Gospel Angels Award during a special segment of the live broadcast. The band was recognized for its work in Africa through its Blood:Water Mission organization which has built more than 650 clean water wells positively impacting more than 500,000 people in 11 African countries.
Immediately following the Dove Awards, Jars of Clay hit the road to kick off its 23-city spring 2009 “Two Hands Tour”. The run of dates, which will conclude in Lawrenceburg, Tenn. on June 19, also features special guests Seabird, the emerging Credential Records rock act recently honored by its hometown as the “2008 Artist of the Year” at the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards. The “Two Hands Tour” itinerary and ticket information is posted on www.JarsofClay.com.
Even as Jars’ tour kicked off, media outlets started going public with their praise for the band’s new album. A full-page spotlight in Performing Songwriter highlighted The Long Fall Back To Earth’s “shimmering melodies” and “unlikely inspiration in everyday struggles.” Meanwhile, Relevant Magazine responded, “Jars of Clay is one of those tempest bands ... never content to follow anyone else’s lead ... On The Long Fall Back to Earth, the band is still in top form.” The band’s local press got in on the action as well with Nashville’s The Tennessean proclaiming Jars of Clay “found great freedom” creating “a new sonic identity.”
Thematically, Jars of Clay artfully explores matters of relationship and community through the songs on The Long Fall Back To Earth. The musically sophisticated 14-track project was co-produced by Jars of Clay and veteran helmsman Ron Aniello (Guster, Lifehouse, Leigh Nash). The Long Fall Back To Earth expands on the musical palette developed for Jars’ last project, Good Monsters: driving songs with more synth, beats and loops, but keeping the band’s hard-won appreciation for rock guitars intact. The effect is a sweeping musical landscape full of detail, contrast and richness.
(Nashville, Tenn.) April 23, 2009 – Jars of Clay, who launched its 10th project The Long Fall Back To Earth on Tuesday and performed at a fundraiser for the African Children’s Choir with Big Kenny, Faith Hill, Third Day, Keith Urban and others last night, has long been known for its innovative, intellectual brand of rock music, but it’s equally known and respected for its humanitarian efforts, specifically those that serve the continent and people of Africa. Tonight, live at Nashville’s Opry House during the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards, the band was honored with the Gospel Music Channel’s “Gospel Angels Award” for its tireless efforts.
Founders of the Blood:Water Mission, the non-profit organization launched in 2001, Jars of Clay has
funded more than 650 water projects, along with hygiene and sanitation training, in 11 African countries. These projects have impacted more than 500,000 people with clean water since its inception and the band is on track to build its 1000th clean water well, in early 2010.
“Gospel Music Channel brings the wonderful music and talents of Jars of Clay to millions of people across the country every day,” shares Charley Humbard, President & CEO of Gospel Music Channel. “We are proud to honor Jars with our annual Gospel Angels Award for using their platform to activate and inspire others to positively change the lives of people. We commend them for the transformative and sustainable impact they are achieving with Blood:Water Mission.”
“We’re humbled, and surprised, by this honor – we had no idea we’d be getting this tonight,” shares Jars of Clay’s lead singer, Dan Haseltine. “We appreciate Gospel Music Channel for recognizing the work of the Blood:Water Mission, and drawing attention to those who most need our help. We would like to thank Blood:Water Mission’s executive director, Jena Nardella and our fantastic teams, both in the US and in Africa, and to the countless donors who have helped change lives, half a world away.”
Immediately following the GMA Dove Awards, Jars of Clay hit the road to kick off its 23-city spring 2009 "Two Hands Tour" on Friday in Lincoln, Neb. (The run of dates will conclude in Lawrenceburg, Tenn. on June 19.) The "Two Hands Tour" also features special guests Seabird, the emerging Credential Records rock act recently honored by its hometown as the “2008 Artist of the Year” at the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards. The "Two Hands Tour" itinerary and ticket information is posted on www.JarsofClay.com.
Co-produced by Jars of Clay and veteran helmsman Ron Aniello (Guster, Lifehouse, Leigh Nash), The Long Fall Back To Earth expands on the musical palette developed for Jars' last project, Good Monsters: driving songs with more synth, beats and loops, but keeping the band's hard-won appreciation for rock guitars intact. The effect is a sweeping musical landscape full of detail, contrast and richness.
(Nashville, Tenn.) April 19, 2009 – Riding high on the success of its new multi-format radio hit, "Two Hands," three-time GRAMMY Award-winning and multi-Platinum band Jars of Clay begins a landmark album release week today with a headlining performance at the Creative Artists Agency showcase in Nashville.
The band will follow its CAA showcase for concert promoters with an all day media fest of interviews tomorrow (Monday). The centerpiece of the week arrives Tuesday with the release of Jars of Clay's widely-anticipated new album, The Long Fall Back to Earth (Gray Matters/Essential). The band will begin the big day by hosting a GMA Week media breakfast and then embark on another series of interviews.
Big Kenny (Big & Rich) booked Jars of Clay to perform the next day, Wednesday, as part of a star-studded lineup at the inaugural Nashville4Africa benefit at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. The other artists on the bill are Keith Urban, Faith Hill, Big Kenny, Third Day, Dierks Bentley, Brad Arnold (3 Doors Down), Ashley Cleveland, Damien Horne, The Steeldrivers, Brandon Young, Michael Rhodes and very special guests the African Children’s Choir. Proceeds from benefit will support the building of two schools and funding additional educational efforts in Africa. Tickets for the event start at $30.00 and are on sale at www.nashvillesymphony.org or by calling the Symphony Center box office at 615-687-6400.
"Just when we thought the set-up for The Long Fall Back to Earth couldn't get any better, Big Kenny invited us to perform at this high-profile event on behalf of Africa," says Jars of Clay front man Dan Haseltine. "Having your album launched with a hit single, a coast-to-coast tour and, most importantly, a loyal fanbase is one thing, but this is an unexpected honor and opportunity to serve."
After attending The GMA Dove Awards the next night, Jars of Clay kicks off its 23-city spring 2009 "Two Hands Tour" on Friday in Lincoln, Neb. (The run of dates will conclude in Lawrenceburg, Tenn. on June 19.) The "Two Hands Tour" also features special guests Seabird, the emerging Credential Records rock act recently honored by its hometown as the “2008 Artist of the Year” at the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards. The "Two Hands Tour" itinerary and ticket information is posted on www.JarsofClay.com.
As the lead single from The Long Fall Back To Earth, Jars of Clay's "Two Hands" is generating a faster response from Christian radio than any of its hits in recent history. The track is not only a Top 10 hit among reporting CHR stations, it was also the most added song at AC radio this week as it entered the Top 20 on that chart.
"It's great to hear the sweet sounds of Jars back on the air here in SoCal," says Fish-Los Angeles Program Director Chuck Tyler. "'Two Hands' is awesome..." Scott Valentine, the Program Director at KCMS in Seattle echoes the song's broad and immediate appeal. "We wanted something Spring-like and fresh on our rotation and Jars did it again with 'Two Hands'," he says. "The talent, arrangement, and lyrics of this song affirm once again why this band is so multidimensionally stellar!"
KFIS in Portland rounded out the song's major West Coast adds recently as "Two Hands'" appeal stretched across the country with high profile adds in Dallas (KLTY), Atlanta (WFSH), Houston (KSBJ), Orlando (WPOZ) and Grand Rapids (WCSG), among many others.
With the "Two Hands" single increasing anticipation for The Long Fall Back To Earth, music retailers will also benefit from repeated airings this month of Jars of Clay's appearance on the new Gospel Music Channel program "Revealed." Each episode of the GMC original series features never-before-heard stories behind the songs and exclusive live performances "up close and personal."?
Known for its ground-breaking, intelligent music and humanitarian work worldwide, Jars of Clay artfully explores matters of relationship and community through the songs on The Long Fall Back To Earth, which will be the band's 10th studio album. The musically sophisticated 14-track project can be pre-ordered now via a special promotion at iTunes.
Co-produced by Jars of Clay and veteran helmsman Ron Aniello (Guster, Lifehouse, Leigh Nash), The Long Fall Back To Earth expands on the musical palette developed for Jars' last project, Good Monsters: driving songs with more synth, beats and loops, but keeping the band's hard-won appreciation for rock guitars intact. The effect is a sweeping musical landscape full of detail, contrast and richness.
The multi-Platinum and three-time GRAMMY Award-winning band Jars of Clay announces its spring 2009 “Two Hands Tour.” The coast-to-coast outing will begin just three days after the widely-acclaimed rock act unveils its much-anticipated new album, The Long Fall Back To Earth, on April 21.
The “Two Hands Tour” will also feature special guest Seabird, the emerging Credential Records rock act recently honored by its hometown as the “2008 Artist of the Year” at the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards. The 23-city tour will begin April 24 in Lincoln, Neb. and conclude in Lawrenceburg, Tenn. on June 19.
“The ‘Two Hands Tour’, named for our latest single, marks the beginning of our touring plans surrounding the April 21st release of our new record, The Long Fall Back To Earth,” says Jars of Clay guitarist Matt Odmark. “From a live perspective, many of the songs on this project pick up where Good Monsters left off -- with high energy progressive rock performances. The sound of this record was made to fill arenas. We’re excited to launch the record with this tour, and we’re equally excited to have Seabird out with us.”
Jars of Clay’s forthcoming album and tour are already creating a stir thanks in part to the new hit song, “Two Hands.” As the lead single from The Long Fall Back To Earth, “Two Hands” has already entered the Top 10 at Christian radio’s CHR format after only six weeks on the chart. Simultaneously, the song is climbing the AC charts, where it now appears in the Top 25. The single’s momentum received notable boosts this week when Salem Network's The Fish in Nashville and KBIQ in Colorado Springs added “Two Hands” to their rotations.
Known for its ground-breaking, intelligent music and humanitarian work worldwide, Jars of Clay artfully explores matters of relationship and community through the songs on The Long Fall Back To Earth, which will be the band’s 10th studio album. The musically sophisticated 14-track project, which will release on Gray Matters/Essential Records, can be pre-ordered now via a special promotion at iTunes.
Fans may also pre-order a special limited-edition package of The Long Fall Back To Earth exclusively at JarsofClay.com. Each set includes the 14 track CD, a double-vinyl version of the album, an exclusive EP featuring 3 overcuts and 3 remixes, a DVD with an extended song-by-song documentary and live performance videos, an authographed 12-page oversized booklet with a handwritten lyric, a full album MP3 download and more. Only five hundred sets are available.
From Jars of Clay’s earliest days to the present, innovation has marked each step of the band’s musical journey with The Long Fall Back To Earth serving as no exception. A big, lush, confident, gutsy sound dominates the new tracks and leaves the listener with a different thought for each new story told, each new emotion conveyed. Along the way, front man Dan Haseltine’s lyrics delve into the bare bones reality of the beauty and tension of relationships, and what makes them worth fighting for, a common thread that has tied everyone exposed to Jars of Clay’s music together for more than a decade.
Co-produced by Jars of Clay and veteran helmsman Ron Aniello (Guster, Lifehouse, Leigh Nash), The Long Fall Back To Earth expands on the musical palette developed for Jars’ last project, Good Monsters: driving songs with more synth, beats and loops, but keeping the band’s hard-won appreciation for rock guitars intact. The effect is a sweeping musical landscape full of detail, contrast and richness.
A consistent draw on the road, Jars of Clay is mapping tour dates in support of the album through 2009. As the kickoff, the “Two Hands Tour” itinerary and ticket information is posted on www.JarsofClay.com.
ATLANTA (April 2, 2009) -- Gospel Music Channel (www.gospelmusicchannel.com) television network’s newest original series Revealed brings fans up close and personal with their favorite artists, who in turn bring the fans closer by revealing insights and stories about themselves and their music. The newest installment will feature popular group Jars of Clay.
Jars of Clay: Revealed premieres on Sat, April 4 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
Among the songs featured in Jars of Clay: Revealed: Work, Closer, Dead Man, Frail, Worlds Apart, God Will Lift Up Your Head, Valley Song and Flood. Jars of Clay: Revealed has immediate encores that night at 9p, 10p, 11p and April 16 and April 18.
Unplugged Meets Storytellers Plus Faith = Revealed. Revealed features a single artist or group performing in front of a live audience in an intimate, acoustic-like setting. The artists play songs from their latest albums, as well as past favorites and hits, and share personal stories, inspirations, writing experiences and memories behind their music. Third Day kicked off the series. The next artist to be featured in Revealed is Israel Houghton (April 25).
Jars of Clay has sold more than six million albums, won three GRAMMYS, headlined thousands of sold-out shows and festivals, and successfully launched the Blood: Water Mission, a non-profit organization promoting clean blood and water in Africa. Since the band’s debut single, Flood, astonishingly topped both the mainstream and CCM charts, Jars of Clay has built an extraordinary career based on the uncompromising integrity of its music, worldview, and humanitarianism. The first studio record from the band in three years, Long Fall Back To Earth, will be released April 21 on Essential/Gray Matters Records.
Gospel Music Channel (www.gospelmusicchannel.com) television network will premiere a new original series bringing fans up close and personal with their favorite artists, who in turn bring fans closer by revealing insights and stories about themselves and their music in Revealed. The series premiere will feature GRAMMY and AMA award winning group Third Day. Third Day: Revealed premieres on Sat, March 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
Unplugged Meets Storytellers Plus Faith = Revealed
Revealed will feature a single artist or group performing in front of a live audience in an intimate, acoustic-like setting. The artists will play songs from their latest albums as well as past favorites and hits and share personal stories, inspirations, writing experiences and memories behind their music. The series premiere will feature Third Day with and in-depth look into the making of its album Revelation. Among the songs featured in Third Day: Revealed: Always Be True, Call My Name, Cry Out To Jesus, I’ve Always Loved You, Love Song, Revelation, Tunnel and Your Love Oh Lord. Third Day: Revealed has encores that night (9p, 10p, 11p) as well as March 29 (11a) and April 2 (10p) - all times eastern.
Artists featured in upcoming installments of Revealed include Jars of Clay (April 4) and Israel Houghton (May 2).
Over the past decade, rock band Third Day (made up of members Mac Powell, Tai Anderson, David Carr and Mark Lee) has racked up 25 No. 1 radio singles and sold close to seven million albums. The band has garnered 23 career Dove Awards, three GRAMMY Awards (with eight career nominations), an American Music Award, three AMA nominations and multiple ASCAP honors. One of the top-ranked touring bands according to Pollstar magazine, Third Day has played for audiences reaching into the millions. Due to its mass appeal, Third Day has been featured by top media outlets including “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” (NBC), “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” (CBS), “60 Minutes” (CBS), ABC’s “Nightline,” USA Today, New York Times and even graced the cover of Billboard magazine (June 7, 2008).
While celebrated for its live shows and chart-topping album sales, Third Day is also highly respected for its humanitarian efforts. The band actively supports the ONE Campaign, Blood:Water Mission, Habitat for Humanity and World Vision. Third Day recently established the “Come Together Fund” as a vehicle to direct a portion of concert proceeds to grassroots humanitarian efforts around the world. Third Day is currently on its “Revelation Tour” with special guests Brandon Heath and pop/rock band Revive as it readies for the release of latest project, a DVD/CD titled Live Revelations: On Stage, Off Stage, Backstage, due out April 7. For more information on Third Day, please visit: www.ThirdDay.com.
Gospel Music Channel is the fastest-growing network in television and can be seen in more than 43 million homes on various cable systems around the country and on DIRECTV on channel 338.
(Nashville, Tenn.) February 10, 2009 – Acclaimed rock band Jars of Clay, known for its ground-breaking, intelligent music and humanitarian work worldwide, artfully explores matters of relationship and community through the songs on its tenth studio album The Long Fall Back To Earth. The highly anticipated 14-track project releases April 21 on Gray Matters/Essential Records.
From the band’s earliest days to the present, innovation has marked each step of Jars of Clay’s musical journey with The Long Fall Back To Earth serving as no exception. It’s a big, lush, confident, gutsy sound that dominates the new tracks, leaving the listener with a different thought for each new story told, each new emotion conveyed.
As with all previous Jars of Clay projects, it’s the lyrical content that draws listeners into a fuller appreciation of the songs. Lead vocalist/lyricist Dan Haseltine delves into the bare bones reality of the beauty and tension of relationships, and what makes them worth fighting for, a common thread that has tied everyone exposed to Jars of Clay’s music together for more than a decade.
The project’s debut single, “Two Hands,” released to radio January 30, is receiving praise from programmers everywhere and is quickly shooting up the AC/CHR charts. One of the songs the band considers a cornerstone for the project as a whole, “Two Hands” deals with our inborn, yet often unspoken desire to just do more for our world, while struggling to keep our innate selfishness in check.
“That song touches a very simple longing in our hearts for unity under one roof, so to speak,” Dan Haseltine says. “One side of us wants to serve Christ and love others, while the other side is concerned only with looking out for ourselves. By reconciling the sides of our heart -- both good and bad -- to bring the full weight of who we are in Christ, we can use our hands to serve and love others well in a way that honors Him.”
Jars of Clay, handling production duties alongside veteran producer Ron Aniello (Guster, Lifehouse, Leigh Nash), expand on the musical palette developed for its last project, Good Monsters: driving songs with more synth, beats and loops, but keeping its hard-won appreciation for rock guitars intact. The effect is a sweeping musical landscape full of detail, contrast and richness.
A consistent draw on the road, Jars of Clay is already mapping tour dates in support of the album through 2009. Tour dates cities will be announced in coming weeks.
Jars of Clay -- The Long Fall Back To Earth
(Releasing April 21, 2009 on Gray Matters/Essential Records)
1. The Long Fall
2. Weapons
3. Two Hands
4. Heaven
5. Closer
6. Safe To Land
7. Headphones
8. Don’t Stop
9. Boys (Lesson One)
10. Hero
11. Scenic Route
12. There Might Be a Light
13. Forgive Me
14. Heart
GRAMMY-nominated,
progressive rock band Leeland will be hitting the road with
Jars of Clay for the LOVE CAME DOWN: A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT tour.
The bands will be joined by the recently reunited Sixpence None The Richer,
along with Sara Groves as they embark on a 13-city tour filled with holiday
songs and stories in celebration of the Christmas season.
Catch LOVE CAME DOWN: A
CHRISTMAS PAGEANT on the following dates:
Dec
4
Montgomery, AL @ Montgomery Performing Arts Center
Dec
5
Longwood, FL @ Northland Church
Dec
6
Pompano Beach, FL @ Pompano Beach Amphitheatre
Dec
7
Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Echerd Hall
Dec
13
Grand Rapids, MI @ Sunshine Church
Dec
14
Merrillville, IN @ Star Plaza Theatre
Dec
17
Glenside, PA @Keswick Theatre
Dec
18
Plymouth, MA @ Memorial Hall
Dec
19
Lewiston, ME @ Androscoggin Bank Coliseum
Dec
20 Long
Island City, NY @ Evangel Church
Dec
21
Harrisburg, PA @ Whitaker Center for the Science and Arts
Nashville, TN…July 18, 2008…Multi-Platinum,
Grammy award-Winning Band Jars of Clay will be performing at a Nashville Sounds
Baseball Club’s annual Faith Night. This night will also feature a performance
by Nashville singer-songwriter Christopher Williams and an auction of various
Jars of Clay merchandise.
The night is set to benefit
Blood:Water Mission, a non-profit organization started by Jars of Clay in 2004.
Blood:Water Mission is a grassroots movement aimed to address the HIV/AIDS and
water crisis by building clean water wells in sub-Sahara Africa.
Blood:Water Mission has also
helped to fund the Ochieng' Memorial Lwala Community
Health Center in Lwala, Kenya.The clinic in Lwala was birthed out of two
Vanderbilt Medical Students’ father’s dream for his community. After his death
from AIDS his sons carried on his dream. "Our parents' deaths were hard, and
disheartening, but it made us realize even more how much we could help, how
fortunate we are to have all of this support, and how special this clinic is,”
says Fred Ochieng’. Brother Milton says,
"For me, it symbolizes the hope that we have in Lwala, in Kenya, and in
all of Africa, that despite all the obstacles, when people share a vision, they
can make a difference. We've come this far, and we started from nothing. There
are a lot of people who aren't that lucky."
Proceeds received
throughout the evening through the auction, raffle, and donations will go
toward helping improve the clinic in Lwala. Gates are set to open at 5:30 pm
with the performances beginning then as well.
For more
information go to www.bloodwatermission.com.
We asked the guys of Jars of Clay what they're listening to lately and here is what they had to say...
Of Montreal
Belle and Sebastian
Sufjan Stevens
Paul Simon
Ryan Adams
Sigur Ros
Gnarls Barkley
Feist
Beck
Bob Dylan
Multi-platinum and three time GRAMMY winning band Jars of Clay gears up for the release of its highly-anticipated seventh studio project,
Good Monsters, on September 5.
With Good Monsters, the band sets out to capture its communal experiences and have a bit of fun with the process. The result is an outstanding collection of tunes that are engaging upon first listen, and increasingly captivating with each additional spin: rock hits, without sacrificing the intelligence and depth of Dan Haseltine’s poetic lyrical genius.
“I was not sure how all of the experiences of the last few years would translate into music,” Haseltine shares. “There have been so many things to look at and describe. This record is part confessional, part euphoric love poem, part bitter divorce, and part benediction. It was born out of many experiences and conversations between addicts, failures, lovers, loners, believers, and beggars. And so the language of recovery and the honest discourse about our attempts to live apart from God and apart from each other is a theme. Engaging people who are doing the hard work of laying their lives open to others, and avoiding isolation, has allowed me to see that there is both immeasurable evil and unfathomable good mixing under my own skin and it is grace, mercy and freedom that allow me to not simply be a monster, but to be a good monster.”
With eleven original songs, and a remake of the Julie Miller-penned anthem “All My Tears,” Good Monsters even boasts a few stirring guest appearances: Nashville-based, singer/songwriter extraordinaire Kate York guests on “Even Angels Cry,” and formerly of Sixpence None the Richer, Leigh Nash, sings on “Mirrors and Smoke,” while the moving, “Light Gives Heat,” features the African Children’s Choir.
Good Monsters, completely self-produced by the band, contains the first single, “Work,” which will be on radio as early as June 23rd. Jars of Clay also plans for an extensive Fall tour.
For more information please visit: www.jarsofclay.com.
Grammy winning, multi-platinum band Jars of Clay continues on the road this Spring with another leg of their popular and critically-applauded "Redemption Songs & Stories" tour. This newly announced set of dates follows two highly successful legs in the Spring and Fall of 2005 traveling in support of their recently Grammy-nominated Redemption Songs CD. In addition, Sara Groves returns as a popular addition from the fall leg, as well as longtime friend of the band, Derek Webb.
This tour, which kicks off February 6th in Flagstaff, Az. will visit 16 cities through all of February, and promises to provide fans and friends of the band with intimate, acoustic performances and the stories behind some of their biggest hits and favorite hymns, as well as previewing several new songs from their forthcoming, still yet untitled new project due in mid 2006. Redemption Songs is a collection of soulful recordings crafted from ancient 18th century hymn texts and spiritual songs. Since debuting at No. 1 on Nielsen SoundScan, it has already produced the No. 1 radio hit “God Will Lift Up Your Head,” while standing at #14 on Apple iTunes’ Top 100 Albums chart.
Jars of Clay guitarist, Stephen Mason commented, “Between Derek’s wake up call to the church, Sara’s artistic vision for how believers can add to the beauty, and our attempt to mine the history of hymns, there’s a real special opportunity to connect with the story of the gospel in ways most of us haven’t yet. These are all different colors of the same voice, provoking us to live a vibrant, interactive Christian life, calling us from isolation into community.”
“We’re finishing up the new record, and with the excitement we have about these new songs, we can’t pass up the opportunity to play a few new tunes for the people, before debuting the whole project on the summer festival tour and its release this Fall.”
Since her debut release in 2001, Conversations, Sara Groves has become one of the most critically-acclaimed artists in the Christian music industry, receiving rave reviews across the board for each recording by the likes of Billboard, and consistently topping year-end reader's polls and album of the year nods from the likes of CCM magazine, Christianity Today online and more. Her latest, Add To The Beauty, released October 4, 2005 and is another creative expression of faith and relationships. This project was recently named 2005’s Album of the Year by CCM magazine. Candidly truthful and compassionately hopeful, this new project echoes Sara’s first release in its’ intimate and honest lyrical journey.
Critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Derek Webb is raising eyebrows and getting people talking with his new CD, Mockingbird, his most controversial project to date. This is his third recording with INO Records and released on December 26th, following his 2003 release She Must And Shall Go Free and 2004’s I See Things Upside Down. Writing and singing about concerns of social justice, poverty, war and politics in the folk stylings for which Webb is well known, these new songs are easy on the ears, yet pull at the heart and mind with introspective, yet provocative, lyrics.
Webb plays over 150 shows a year, most recently touring with wife and fellow artist Sandra McCracken and friend John Davis (formerly of Superdrag).
Multi-Platinum and three time GRAMMY Award winning band Jars of Clay launched its career with its hit, “Flood,” in 1995. Since then, it has amassed more than five million in career sales along with several RIAA certifications (5 Gold, 2 Platinum and 1 Double Platinum) an American Music Award nod, 17 No.1 radio hits, and numerous film credits and BMI honors for songwriting and performing. Most recently, Jars of Clay was invited to participate in the world’s most impactful concert event, Live 8, where they performed before a live audience in Philadelphia of more than 1 million people while the event was broadcast to an estimated 3 billion worldwide.
While celebrated for its music and writing, Jars of Clay is most concerned with the needs in Africa. Compelled to make a difference, members Dan Haseltine, Stephen Mason, Matt Odmark and Charlie Lowell founded the Blood:Water Mission in early 2002. The first effort of this non-profit was the “1000 Wells Project” with a goal of raising funds to build, rebuild and repair 1000 wells in urban and rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa. To date, 42 wells have been constructed bringing clean water to more than 34,000 people.
Multi-platinum and three-time GRAMMY Award winning band Jars of Clay received its seventh career GRAMMY nomination as announced by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) at a press conference this morning in New York. Jars of Clay has received a nomination for every studio album it has released.
“It was truly a surprise to see Redemption Songs on the list of nominated albums,” comments Dan Haseltine, the band’s lead singer. “We poured our hearts into this project, we knew that it was a risk to build a record on such widely loved and hated traditional songs. This nomination is a brilliant affirmation that hymns are still an important part of telling the story of faith and humanity.”
Multi-Platinum and three time GRAMMY Award winning band Jars of Clay launched its career with its hit, “Flood,” in 1995. Since then, it’s amassed more than five million in career sales along with several RIAA certifications (5 Gold, 2 Platinum and 1 Double Platinum), an American Music Award nod, 17 No.1 radio hits, and numerous film credits and BMI honors for songwriting and performing. Most recently, Jars of Clay was invited to participate in the world’s most impactful concert event, Live 8, where they performed before a live audience in Philadelphia of more than 1 million people while the event was broadcast to an estimated 3 billion worldwide.
The 48th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at Staples Center in Los Angeles and once again will be broadcast live in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).
GRAMMY award winning band Jars of Clay releases its first-ever “iTunes Originals” digital album, featuring 23 tracks of career-spanning hits, new live recordings and candid band interviews offering an insider’s view into the writing and overall journey of Jars of Clay over the last decade.
The band joins an elite group of only 22 artists across multiple genres selected by Apple iTunes for this exclusive series, alongside artists like Black Eyed Peas, Jack Johnson and Sarah McLachlan.
Jars of Clay’s “Original Series” album features six in-studio live recordings cut exclusively for iTunes. These live performances include hits like “Flood,” “Show You Love,” “Frail,” “Silence,” “Nothing But The Blood,” “My Heavenly,” and a brand new cut “All My Tears” featuring Ashley Cleveland.
A digital booklet with new band photos captured during the recording session accompanies the album.
