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Showing posts with the label Jars of Clay

"Frail" by Jars of Clay, Monday, December 18, 2023 (repost)

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Before their massively successful 1995 studio debut,  Jars of Clay  released a self-produced demo titled  Frail ,  which included several songs that made it to their  eponymous release . Two songs, though, were reworked and found their way onto their less commercially successful sophomore release,  Much Afraid .  Departing from their acoustic folk-rock sound,  Much Afraid  sounds like a 1997 album. It spawned two singles, " Crazy Times ," peaking at #38 on the Modern Rock singles, and " Five Candles " (You Were There), originally written for  Jim Carrey 's  Liar Liar ,  but eventually used in  Michael Keaton 's  Jack Frost .    Much Afraid  is a fine Jars of Clay album. It's more fun to listen to than their debut, varying between folk-rock and modern rock. However, it failed to propel Jars of Clay into the 1997 rock scene. Listeners may not remember them amongst their contemporaries, like  The Goo Goo Dolls ,  Third Eye Blind , and  Matchbox Twenty . Ins

“Boston" by Augustana, Friday, October 28, 2022 (repost)

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In  Season One of  The Big Bang Theory ,  Leonard is moping after his love interest, Penny, starts seeing another man. He comes into the apartment singing Augustana 's  " Boston ,"  quite horribly. "Boston" is Augustana's biggest hit. It placed on the Billboard Hot 100 , it was a Top 40 hit, and a top 10 Adult (light rock) hit. The band formed at Greenville University , a conservative Christian college where Jars of Clay formed before them and Paper Route after them. While  the two other bands were comfortable with the Christian circuit, Augustana's lead singer, Dan Layus , talks about breaking free from the strict rules of Christian college and choosing not to be a Christian band.  BOSTON, WHERE NO ONE KNOWS MY NAME . "Boston" is not only a breakup  with a lover, but a place too. If you've never moved to a city where no one knows you, it's freeing. You possess the ability to rebuild your reputation and become whomever you want to be

"Meet You There" by Augustana, Saturday, February 19, 2022

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Best known for their hit, " Boston ," Augustana is a band whose members met at Greenville University in Illinois, where bands Jars of Clay and Paper Route also formed. Following up their debut album, All the Stars and Boulevards , the band released Can't Love, Can't Hurt  in April of 2008. The lead single, " Sweet and Low " didn't chart as high as "Boston," and the band started fading into obscurity. The band's next album, their self-titled , was praised by American Songwriter ,  but by their fourth record, Life Imitating Life , only lead singer Dan Layus remained in the band.  I'LL DRIVE ALL NIGHT. There's an energy to " Meet You There with Me " that made me think for years that it's all sunshine and roadtrips with the one you love. But the Americana pop-rock song talks more about the ups and downs of a relationship between people who love each other, but ultimately can't understand each other. The hope is that

"(Christmas) Baby, Please Come Home" by Anberlin, Saturday, December 11, 2021

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In 2010 Rolling Stone named Darlene Love's 1963 song "(Christmas) Baby, Please Come Home" as the number 1 Christmas rock song ever recorded. Born Darlene Wright in 1941, and renamed Darlene Love by producer Phil Spector, Darlene began her musical career as the lead vocalist for the girl group the Blossoms. Besides her career with the Blossoms and her solo career, Love sang lead on two Crystals songs and back up for many notable artists including Sam Cooke, the Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, Sonny and Cher, and Tom Jones. Love also acted on Broadway and appeared in the  Lethal Weapon films.  Love performed "(Christmas) Baby, Please Come Home" every episode before Christmas on David Letterman from 1986-2014, except for 2007 during the writers' strike.  PRETTY LIGHTS ON THE TREE. "Baby, Please Come Home" has been covered by many artists including Mariah Carey, Michael Bublè , Death Cab for Cutie, Jars of Clay, among others. One of the most famous covers

"Frail" by Jars of Clay, Thursday, September 23, 2021

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Before their massively successful 1995 studio debut, Jars of Clay released a self-produced demo titled Frail , which included several songs that made it to their eponymous release . Two songs, though, were reworked and found their way onto their less commercially successful sophomore release, Much Afraid . Departing from their acoustic folk-rock sound, Much Afraid  sounds like a 1997 album. It spawned two singles, " Crazy Times ," peaking at #38 on the Modern Rock singles, and " Five Candles " (You Were There), originally written for Jim Carrey 's Liar Liar , but eventually used in Michael Keaton 's Jack Frost.    Much Afraid is a fine Jars of Clay album. It's more fun to listen to than their debut, varying between folk-rock and modern rock. However, it failed to propel Jars of Clay into the 1997 rock scene. Listeners may not remember them amongst their contemporaries, like The Goo Goo Dolls , Third Eye Blind , and Matchbox Twenty . Instead, they are a