The first chords of the acoustic guitar are still reminiscent of the Oasis classic “Wonderwall”. But that will soon be over. After a few more bars and the first verse of “Famous Last Words” the chorus lights up – and you think of the ancestors of the Brit rockers, the Beatles.
A comparison with which the Nashville-born band, which is at home in Christian pop music, has often been considered: they are considered the “Fab Four” of this music genre. A beautiful, a flattering comparison. Of course, also a somewhat more ambitious one. But one thing is certain: Jars Of Clay is always good for melodious, catchy, elegantly arranged pop rock. Since 1995 the band around the expressive lead singer Dan Haseltine has recorded 16 albums. Most of their releases can be found somewhere between Top 10 (“Much Afraid”) and the lower regions of the American charts. This also applies to their 1999 CD “If I Left The Zoo”, which reached 44th place – and is equipped with some hymnically beautiful titles. Above all, the already mentioned “Famous Last Words”. Flawless, folk pop/rock, with a retro touch and – towards the end of the song – a pretty Fender piano solo. You can’t get the chorus out of your ear so quickly, that’s for sure. Which is no harm, quite the opposite. Oh yes: U2 singer Bono seems to be a big fan of the Jars Of Clay.
