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Jars of Clay
The White Elephant Sessions
Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 13 tracks: 43 minutes, 49 seconds
Street Date: September 19, 2000
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Jars of Clay has been one of those bands who don't like to forget
their fans. When they released Much Afraid in 1997, some copies at certain
stores included a bonus Seatbelt Tuba CD with 4 live-in-the-studio recordings
(including the fan favorite- "Coffee Song"). For their fan club, they have the exclusive
live double CD, Stringtown. And this year, they've released a 13-song rarities
project appropriately titled The White Elephant Sessions, available free
when you purchase If I Left the Zoo. Before reviewing its features, it's
puzzling to figure why now and why the exception? Why, almost a year after If
I Left the Zoo, release a project for the fans that they have to buy the CD,
which they most likely already have, to get a new "special" one? A marketing ploy?
Possibly? Is it worth buying ...Zoo again? You bet. Why? Let's take a look...
The CD opens with an electronic remix of "Unforgetful You" from Zoo, a decent
mix, unfortunately the only one on this project. A demo of "Crazy Times," recorded in
France, follows, incidentally the first song written for Much Afraid. Although not much
different than its original, the demo is a unique addition. A demo of "Goodbye, Goodnight"
is included, recorded in Decorah, IA, apparently done with only a trash can, guitar,
accordian... and Captain Crunch cereal. Again, not much different from its final version,
the sheer rawness is also unique. "River Constantine" appears as a partial demo from
the same location as "Goodbye." It begins with what the band calls "a snoring appearance by
a pastor friend," but the slow pace and melodies make it even more of a worshipful song.
"Grace" is highlight on the collection. Known as the "Hudson & Wells demo," this version
features a different chorus than what's on the album. However, I feel this one is stronger
and much more appealing. Apparently, the band didn't feel the same. "Headstrong" makes its
appearance in "IA demo" form as well. The final version can be found on this year's
Roaring Lambs compilation project, but the demo is once again
much better than the final product. More raw and more acoustic, it doesn't feature the annoying
whine of the final version and thus is much more appealing. The band explains that
it was meant for Zoo but didn't fit. The Seatbelt Tuba version of "Coffee
Song" is included on this project as well. Still without general public release,
"Coffee Song" has only been released on fan projects and is usually performed live.
An original demo version of "Can't Erase It" from Zoo, recorded in the so-called
"Tweed Horse Sessions" marks the beginning of what was what Jars calls "major surgery" for the song.
"Kaylos" is a radio jingle the band recorded for a restaurant of the same name they frequented while recording
Zoo. Its funky beat and record-scratching as they yell "Kaylos!" makes this a
fun and bizarre addition to the project.
"New Math" is another "Tweed Horse Session." The band explains, "This was written in
Oxford, MS for If I Left the Zoo. It was part of an exercise to write songs
as if we were not Jars of Clay and was inspired by an old record used for teaching math
to students. To us it is about relationships... equally as perplexing a subject. This
track features Stephen [Mason] on drums." "Fly Farther," although just sounding like a
normal ballad, is what the band labels as "our sappy country song." Intended for Much Afraid,
the band left "Fly Farther" off due to its abundance of slow songs already. "Collide"
is yet another "Tweed Horse Session" which includes a guitar idea of Stephen's and a rawer
sound with what they call "a bridge from outer space." The album closes with an instrumental version
of "Frail" that "Stephen Mason had written in 1994 to acquire a music scholarship for college."
In 1995, the band recorded their version at the college for the Frail album.
So what if you already bought If I Left the Zoo? Get it with White Elephant Sessions
and give it to a friend. The only thing that would make it better would be a few
more b-sides a few less demos. Despite that, this is a collector's disc no Jars fan should miss!
- Review date: 10/3/00, written by John DiBiase
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 Record Label: Essential Records
Album length: 13 tracks, 43 minutes and 49 seconds
Street Date: September 19, 2000
- Unforgetful You (remix)
- Crazy Times (demo)
- Goodbye, Goodnight (demo)
- River Constantine (partial demo)
- Grace (Hudson & Wells demo)
- Headstrong (IA demo)
- Coffee Song (Seatbelt Tuba edition)
- Can't Erase It (Tweed Horse Sessions)
- Kaylos (radio jingle)
- New Math (Tweed Horse Sessions)
- Fly Farther
- Collide (Tweed Horse Sessions)
- Frail (1994 demo)
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