Who We Are Instead | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 4, 2003 | |||
Recorded | 2003 | |||
Studio | East Iris Studios, Nashville, Tennessee; Sputnik Sound, Nashville, Tennessee | |||
Genre | Christian rock, folk rock | |||
Length | 51:02 | |||
Label | Essential | |||
Producer | Jars of Clay, Mitch Dane, Ron Aniello | |||
Jars of Clay chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Christianity Today | [2] |
Cross Rhythms | [3] |
Jesus Freak Hideout | [4] |
Who We Are Instead is the fifth full-length studio album recorded by Christian rock band Jars of Clay and produced by Mitch Dane. It was released in 2003 by Essential Records.
Representing their most acoustic-based since their first disc, Who We Are Instead is the band's most relaxed-sounding material to date. The stripped-down sound accompanied a more direct focus on their spirituality, with gospel influences apparent in some of the songs and the names of God and Jesus being more explicitly mentioned throughout the disc. Guitarist Steve Mason proved to be rather versatile on this album, with several songs featuring either the lap steel or mandolin.
The songs "Show You Love" and "Sunny Days", two of the more upbeat songs on a generally contemplative and reflective album, were released as singles.
The album features two covers: The 1974 song "Lonely People" by America, and the 1971 composition "Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet" by Gavin Bryars. The song "Amazing Grace" is not a cover of the popular hymn but rather an original song written by the band.
It is the band's only full-length studio album not to be nominated by either GMA Dove Awards or Grammy Awards.[ not verified in body ]
All tracks are written by Dan Haseltine, Charlie Lowell, Stephen Mason and Matt Odmark, unless otherwise noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Sunny Days" | 3:30 | |
2. | "Amazing Grace" (featuring Ashley Cleveland) | 5:18 | |
3. | "Lonely People" (America cover) |
| 2:45 |
4. | "Only Alive" | 4:04 | |
5. | "Trouble Is" (featuring Kenny Meeks) |
| 3:50 |
6. | "Faith Enough" | 5:24 | |
7. | "Show You Love" | 3:33 | |
8. | "Lesser Things" | 4:36 | |
9. | "I'm in the Way" | 2:33 | |
10. | "Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet" (Gavin Bryars cover) | Gavin Bryars | 3:39 |
11. | "Jealous Kind" (featuring Ashley Cleveland) | 4:10 | |
12. | "Sing" | 4:11 | |
13. | "My Heavenly" | 3:29 | |
Total length: | 51:02 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Tonight" | 3:42 |
2. | "Shipwrecked" | 2:58 |
Total length: | 57:42 |
Jars of Clay
Additional musicians
Production
Chart (2003) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard 200 | 103 |
Jars of Clay is a Christian rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. The members met at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois.
Jars of Clay is the first full-length studio album by Christian rock group Jars of Clay. It was released on October 24, 1995, by Essential Records. The album was released to commercial and critical acclaim, becoming one of the few Christian albums in the mid-1990s to achieve platinum status.
Much Afraid is the second studio album by American Christian rock band Jars of Clay. It was released in 1997 by Essential Records. Following the charting success of the band's debut album, Much Afraid was moderately successful, but was unable to achieve the level of its predecessor.
If I Left the Zoo is the third full-length studio album of the band Jars of Clay. It was released November 9, 1999, by Essential Records.
The Eleventh Hour is the fourth full-length studio album by the band Jars of Clay. It was released in 2002 by Essential Records and marked the band's first attempt at producing a full album by themselves.
Redemption Songs is the sixth full-length studio album by Jars of Clay. It was released by Essential Records on March 22, 2005.
Good Monsters is the seventh full-length studio album from Jars of Clay, released by Essential Records on September 5, 2006. This is their last album of new material from Essential Records and it is said to be lyrically their most aggressive album to date. It features eleven original songs, and a remake of "All My Tears" by Julie Miller. It also features guest appearances by singer/songwriter Kate York, Leigh Nash, of Sixpence None the Richer, and the African Children's Choir.
City on a Hill: Songs of Worship and Praise is the first in the City on a Hill series of compilation albums by popular Contemporary Christian Music musicians. It received the Gospel Music Association's Special Event Album of the Year award for 2001.
Drummer Boy is an EP release by Christian folk group Jars of Clay featuring a new interpretation of the classic 1958 Christmas Carol "Little Drummer Boy". The EP was originally released by Essential Records in the Christmas following the release of Jars Of Clay in 1995. The EP was re-released as a two-pack with Jars of Clay prior to their second album, Much Afraid.
"Overjoyed" is a song by American Christian rock group Jars of Clay. It was the fourth single from the band's second album, Much Afraid, and the fourth consecutive No. 1 radio single from the album. An acoustic rendition of the song appears on the band's 2003 double album, Furthermore: From the Studio, From the Stage. This song was also the compilation album WOW 1998.
"Crazy Times" is a song recorded and performed by Jars of Clay. The song was a writing collaboration between the band members Dan Haseltine and Stephen Mason with songwriters Mark Hudson and Greg Wells. It was the first single from their second studio album, Much Afraid. The single fared well in the mainstream, peaking at No. 38 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The demo version of the song can be found on the album The White Elephant Sessions, while a live version of the song is included on the 2003 double album, Furthermore: From the Studio, From the Stage. This song also appears on the WOW 1999 compilation album.
Christmas Songs is the eighth full-length studio album and first Christmas album from Jars of Clay, that was released on October 16, 2007, through Gray Matters/Nettwerk. This is the first ever release from the band through their newly created Gray Matters imprint via Nettwerk Music Group.
The Essential Jars of Clay is a greatest hits album from Jars of Clay that was released on September 4, 2007 through Essential Records/Legacy Recordings. This is the last release from the band through Essential Records as they have since moved on to the Nettwerk Music Group's Gray Matters imprint. The album is part of the Sony BMG series The Essential, which is a series of greatest hits collections.
"Frail" is a song written and performed by Christian rock band Jars of Clay. It has appeared on many recordings by the group and lends its name to their debut demo release, Frail, from 1994. The song has never been released as a single.
"Truce" is a song written and performed by Jars of Clay. It is the fifth and final radio single from the band's second studio album, Much Afraid. In addition, it was the fifth straight single from Much Afraid to reach number one on the Christian radio airplay charts. No promotional single was shipped to radio stations for airplay. Instead, radio stations played the track directly from the album.
"Five Candles (You Were There)" is a song written and performed by Jars of Clay. It is the second radio single from their 1997 studio album Much Afraid. The song was initially written for the soundtrack to the motion picture Liar Liar, starring Jim Carrey. However, the ending credits, when the song would have been played, were changed to an outtakes and bloopers reel, thus cutting the song from the film. A working title of the song during the writing and recording studio sessions was "The Wish", which fits in with the themes of Liar Liar, just as the eventual title, "Five Candles", as the story of the film revolves around the wish Max made as he blew out the five candles for his fifth birthday. The song was later used in the 1998 Michael Keaton film, Jack Frost, and was featured on that film's soundtrack.
"Sunny Days" is a song written and performed by Jars of Clay. It is the second out of two radio singles from the band's 2003 studio album, Who We Are Instead. The first recording of the song during the album's sessions was produced by the band, while the version that ended up on the album was produced by Ron Aniello, who also produced Lifehouse's debut album, No Name Face.
The Long Fall Back to Earth is the ninth full-length studio album from Jars of Clay. It was released on April 21, 2009 through Gray Matters and Essential Records.
"Out of My Hands" is a song by Christian rock act Jars of Clay that appears on their 2010-released album, The Shelter. The song, which was the first radio single released in support of the album, features vocal contributions from Mike Donehey of Tenth Avenue North and Leigh Nash of Sixpence None the Richer. The single peaked at No. 27 on Billboard's Christian Songs chart on September 25, 2010. "Out of My Hands" was co-written by two members of the band's touring ensemble, Gabe Ruschival and Jeremy Lutito.
"Closer" is a song written and performed by Christian rock act Jars of Clay. The radio single was released in promotion of the band's 2008-released EP, Closer. Although the track also appears on the band's 2009 album The Long Fall Back to Earth, the single was released far in advance of its announcement and release to be considered that album's first single. The version of the song that appears on The Long Fall Back to Earth is a different mix than the one that appears on the Closer EP, containing a longer intro and song length. "Closer" was co-produced by Ron Aniello, who also helped co-produce the band's 2003 release Who We Are Instead and helped co-write a handful of tracks from their Good Monsters studio album.