Jars of Clay are celebrating their independence with the release of 11th studio album "Inland" next week. The set, produced by Tucker Martine and debuting exclusively below, marks the alt-rock band's first via their own Gray Matters label.
The Illinois-based combo, who burst onto the scene in 1996 with "Flood," reaching No. 12 on the Alternative Songs chart, recorded the dozen tracks with Martine (My Morning Jacket, The Decemberists) in Portland. Lead single "After the Fight," which was released in June, features an assist from King Crimson guitarist Adrian Belew.
"Perhaps the best part of making this record was the kind of atmosphere around the studio, it drew us together and pushed us to see our music making as a place of surprises and mystery," frontman Dan Haseline tells Billboard. "It felt like we were making a record for the first time."
On album standouts like "Age of Immature Mistakes" and "I Don't Want You to Forget", the band employs ringing guitars and ethereal vocals to craft some moody and melodic rock moments. The album's penultimate track, "Left Undone," is a percussive burst reminiscent of Coldplay and another highlight.
Jars of Clay formed in 1993 and released their self-titled debut album two years later, reaching No. 46 on the Billboard 200 and spawning the major crossover hit "Flood." They've had 12 top 10 albums on the Christian Albums chart, including four No. 1s. "Inland" marks their first album since 2010's "The Shelter."
The band is currently on tour:
Aug. 21 - Greenville, SC (The Handlebar)
Aug. 23 - Jacksonville, FL(Murray Hill Theater)
Aug. 24 - Orlando (The Social)
Sept. 10 - Little Rock, AR (Revolution Music Room)
Sept. 11 - Tulsa, OK (The Vanguard)
Sept. 12 - Hutchinson, KS (Kansas State Fair)
Sept. 13 - Colorado Springs (The Black Sheep)
Sept. 14 - Salt Lake City - Urban Lounge)
Sept. 15 - Boise, ID (Knitting Factory)
Sept. 17 - Seattle, WA (Puyallup County Fair)
Sept. 18 - Portland, OR (The Aladdin Theater)
Sept. 21 - Palmdale, CA (Palmdale County Fair)
Sept. 24 - Mesa, AZ(Mesa Arts Center)
Sept. 25 - Albuquerque, NM (The Lobo Theater)
Sept. 27 - Dallas, TX (House of Blues, Cambridge Room)