Nashville’s Musicians On Call (MOC) was pleased to bring Grammy Award winning group Jars of Clay to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt on Tuesday, December 18 to celebrate the holiday season. Jars of Clay members Dan Haseltine, Charlie Lowell, Steve Mason and Matt Odmark led the children in a sing-a-long with classics such as “Rudolph, the Red Nose Reindeer” and “Let It Snow...”

Read the full article from saWorship.com here

Labels: Articles

A brand new feature here on the Jarsblog is the JarsFAQ - a community project of several members from the Jarchives message board, hosted right here! It is our aim to answer the most frequently asked questions pertaining to Jars of Clay, so if there's anything not listed on the faq that you'd like to know, just post it as a comment!

Labels: Jarsfaq

Click here for twelve days of Christmas gifts from Jars of Clay! Check back daily...

Jars of Clay has been nominated by the Gospel Music Channel in the Contemporany section for the premiere of the GMC Video Music Awards. The nomination is for the music video for "Work", single in the album "Good Monsters". The results are going to be given on December 29th at 7:00 p.m. ET, followed by a "Top Videos of 2007" marathon.

With Christmas Songs, Jars of Clay have accomplished a rare feat, delivering a thoroughly modern set that "feels" classic, while introducing new material into the lexicon. Ethereal with rich strings as an overarching motif, it's a collection that will easily be enjoyed even beyond the holidays.

Read The Trades' full review here.

Labels: Christmas Album, Reviews

As mentioned in the latest JOC's official newsletter, Jars' non-profit organization, Blood:Water Mission, was voted as a finalist for the MySpace Impact Awards.

These awards were started with the idea of promote and help non-profit organizations to take their word out and support them financially. As part of the awards, the winner will recieve a $10,000 donation, media promo in MySpace.com, featured placement on the Impact Awards community page for one month from the date of the announcement of the winner, featured placement in the MySpace monthly newsletter (which goes out to all active MySpace users) and a bulletin announcing the Impact Awards winner to the community.

If you have a MySpace user account, you can show your support and vote once a day (everyday until Chrismtas) and feel good about it!
Past winners include "The One Campaign" (partner of BWM) and "To Write Love on Her Arms" (Switchfoot's and Anberlin's support organization).

Labels: Blood:Water

Anyone that has had a holiday party at their house knows the struggle of finding a great Christmas album. Look no further, Christmas Songs is that album. No fat, no filler, no over the top holiday goofiness; from start to finish, Jars Of Clay deftly capture the chill of the season and the warmth of the holidays for one amazing listen.

Read the full review from IGN Music here.

Labels: Christmas Album, Reviews

Click here for the latest contest from Jars of Clay!

Labels: Contests

By avoiding the temptation to retread holiday chestnuts bombarding shopping-mall loudspeakers--opting instead for idiosyncratic covers and band originals--Jars have crafted an album that’s unique not just on the holiday CD rack, but within the band’s own catalogue.

Read the full review from Paste Magazine here.

Labels: Christmas Album, Reviews

Quoted directly from Jars of Clay's myspace bulletin...

Nettwerk Music Group and the Vancouver Sun are pleased to announce another free digital download album. It's Seriously Westcoast Vol.2 - Happy Holidays. Seasonally themed and features 15 songs from such artists as Barenaked Ladies, Sarah McLachlan, Medieval Baebes, Jars of Clay and many more.

This special digital album will only be available for a limited time staring on Saturday, December 15 at 12:01am for 48 hours only. To download your album go here.

So, tell all your friends to come and download some great holiday music.

Best Wishes and Have a Safe & Happy Holiday Season.

-Everyone at Nettwerk & the Vancouver Sun

TRACKLISTING:
01 - Barenaked Ladies - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
02 - The Weepies - All That I Want
03 - Sarah McLachlan - Silent Night
04 - Matt Wertz What Child Is This
05 - Liily Frost - Skating On The River
06 - Oh Susanna - Go Tell It On The Mountain
07 - Medieval Baebes - The Holly & The Ivy
08 - The Be Good Tanyas - Rudy
09 - Barenaked Ladies - Elf's Lament
10 - Melissa McClelland O - Holy Night-MST
11 - Jars Of Clay - Hibernation Day
12 - Jenny Owens Young - Things We Don't Need Anymore
13 - Martha Wainwright - Merry Christmas And Happy New Year
14 - Kyle Andrews - Under The Misteltoe
15 - Leigh Nash - The First Noel
16 - Sarah McLachlan - The First Noel_Mary Mary (DJ Shah Remix)

Labels: Christmas Album

Not only are many major news publications taking notice of Jars of Clay's Christmas Songs, but they're taking notice of the fact that they're taking notice. Click here to read an article from Breathecast to see several favorable quotes from USA Today, The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News, and many more.

Good news for radio, too:
As the only artist on the R&R Christian AC Monitor chart with two of their own Christmas songs in the Top 30, the singles from Christmas Songs are also receiving great support from Christian radio: Love Came Down at Christmas jumped eight spots this week from #30 to #22 at R&R AC Monitor, and Wonderful Christmastime debuted on AC Monitor at #29.

Read all about it here...

Labels: Articles

Fans of the band's music will no doubt rejoice when they hear Christmas Songs as it is very much in keeping with their signature sound. For the uninitiated, the songs can be a little jarring at first but slowly will start to grow on you.

There is another Chrismtas Songs review that is waiting for you to check out, this time by Blog Critics Magazine. Check it out here.

Labels: Christmas Album, Reviews

USA Today features "Hibernation Day" as the 8th (from 12) best new standard song for Christmas.

With its counterpoint vocals from Christine Dente and lyrics that extol the virtues of cocooning in blankets that “make a cozy little cave just for two,” this gently swaying number from Jars’ Christmas Songs disc could be the morning-after follow-up to Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Check out the article here.
Credit: willb

Labels: Christmas Album

Some new items are available from the official webstore, including the USB drive with exclusive content. Some have been wondering about the contents of the USB stick, so here's everything you need to know:

Jars of Clay USB - 512 MB Reusable Drive
Christmas Songs Album - 192 Kbps Mp3s
O Little Town of Bethlehem (Acoustic Version) - 192 Kbps Mp3
Readings From Peace Is Here (First Breath, Life As Advent, The Burden of Hope, Who Gets To Be Santa) - 96 Kbps Mp3s
Live Videos from Christmas At Union Station (Hibernation Day, Little Drummer Boy) - M4v Format
Love Came Down At Christmas Video - M4v Format
5 Christmas Songs themed Buddy Icons
4 Christmas Songs themed Desktop Wallpapers (800 & 1024 pixel widths)

Check out what the Charleston Post and Courier had to say about Christmas Songs:

The biggest Christian rock group ever to break into alternative radio has released a pretty decent collection of music that actually tries to serve up something other than the same old Christmas songs. Particularly good are 'Winter Skin,' as well as the cover of Paul McCartney's 'Wonderful Christmastime.' Jars of Clay get a tree.

Read the entire article, Which Artists Have Been Naughty and Which Have Been Nice, which includes reviews of albums from several other artists, here.

Labels: Christmas Album, Reviews

Sleepytime Worship: Lullaby Renditions of Jars of Clay releases on January 22nd, 2007. It's another project from CC Ent / Copycats, the same folks who brought us the Bluegrass Tribute - here's to hoping for something a little more bearable...

Click here for the Amazon product description.

Credit: Anthony, the newest member at the Jarchives forum. Nice catch!

Labels: Other Projects

David Carr (drummer for Third Day) and Charlie Lowell (keyboardist for the Jars of course) have been interviewed by Gary Hizer of the Urban Tulsa Newsweekly.

Whereas Third Day's album retained the basic structures of most of its holiday classics, Jars of Clay was more liberal in its treatment of those songs with Christmas Songs, often with stunning results. Fortunately, I was able to catch up with keyboardist Charlie Lowell just after the first couple of shows, to discuss Jars' take on the holidays.

Go ahead, and have an interesting read about Christmas Songs, now from another Jar, here.

Labels: Christmas Album, Tour

The band has been posting excerpts from their new book, Peace is Here: Christmas Reflections on myspace. Click the following links to take a look:
Introductory Enry
An Unbreakable Thread
First Breath

We'll let you know if any new entries crop up...

Labels: Official Websites, Other Projects

Check out what concert reviewer Dave Tianen of the Milwaukee Journal Star had to say about the Christmas tour in his article, Christian Rockers Take Christmas Music Further:

Jars of Clay steps even further away from the predictable mode of most contemporary Christmas music. "O Little Town of Bethlehem" opens with a pulsing bass line and then builds momentum to a full, almost U2-ish finish. "Little Drummer Boy" opens with a very simple percussion line and almost a toy piano accompaniment and gradually grows to roaring guitars and a full prog-rock finale.

He reviews the whole concert...to read what else he had to say about Jars of Clay, click here.

Labels: Reviews, Tour

Click here for the full version of last week's interview with Dan at Christian Music Today. The interview has a fair share of candid and lighthearted moments, including Dan's thoughts on the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Mannheim Steamroller:

"To me, it just sounds like a parody of what somebody would do to turn old Christmas songs into rock 'n' roll. But it's been embraced so well. Maybe that's just a thing about Christmas music. You get things like that and Manheim Steamroller, things that people would be embarrassed to listen to any other time of the year, but at Christmastime it's okay."

There's even mention of the ever-elusive Jars version of John Denver's "Please Daddy, Don't Get Drunk This Christmas." You'll like the interview. Go read it.

Labels: Christmas Album, Interviews

Here is some footage from Blood:Water Mission and the trip its staff, Dan and Steve had back in October 2007.

Rwanda


Kenya

Labels: Blood:Water, Videos

Here is an article in which Dan talks about the focus of Blood:Water Mission and how they are achieving their goals, there is also some talk about Christmas Songs and The Magnicifent Me book.

Labels: Articles, Blood:Water

A new interview with Dan that details some information on Christmas Songs and the video for Love Came Down at Christmas has been posted at christianpost.com. Check it out here.

Labels: Christmas Album, Interviews

The Times West Virginian recently published a thoughtful review of Christmas Songs:

This isn’t the kind of album you will hear blasted along parade routes or blaring from your aunt’s speakers during your holiday meal. It’s an album that you need to be alone with to truly enjoy. Great for long holiday car trips, some time in front of the fireplace on a snowy night, or any alone time you have to focus on why Christmas exists.

To read the whole article, click here.

Labels: Reviews

A new customizable e-card featuring a free mp3 of Love Came Down at Christmas is now available. Click here and start sharing the love!

Labels: Official Websites

Jars of Clay certainly knows how to say "Merry Christmas"...





Credit: Chelsa T.

Click here for a teaser interview with Dan Haseltine about Christmas Songs at ChristianityToday.com. The full text will be available sometime next week...

Labels: Interviews

Right from the beginning of their set, Jars of Clay put the small but energetic crowd into the holiday spirit...Lead singer Dan Haseltine wore a black-and-white scarf and often sang near a silver Christmas tree onstage....The band played a mix of their original material and classic Christmas tunes, including “Love Came Down at Christmas.”

Check out this article about the past Christmas show of Jars and Third Day in Fayetteville, NC.

Labels: Articles, Tour