The Long Fall Back to Earth (2009)
The Long Fall Back to Earth is the ninth full-length studio album by the American rock band Jars of Clay. It was released on April 21, 2009 by Gray Matters and
Essential Records/Provident-Integrity Distribution.
The Long Fall Back to Earth marked a stylistic shift for the band, heavily incorporating synth-pop and electronic influences and it explores themes of relationships, faith, and human connection. Its lead single and music video, "Two Hands," is about the desire for personal restoration and actively serving others. The music video for "Two Hands" incorporates narrative elements linked to their philanthropic work and features footage highlighting the band's travel to Africa in conjunction with their non-profit organization, the Blood:Water Mission, juxtaposed with landscapes and the song's deep themes of reconciliation and restoration. It was Jars of Clay's final Top 10 hit on the Christian music charts. The tracks "Closer" and "Safe to Land" were previously on their 2008 EP Closer, although "Closer" on this album is a different mix than on the EP.
The band produced the whole album, with Ron Aniello co-producing five tracks. A deluxe edition of The Long Fall Back to Earth was released on two discs with, in addition to the 14-track standard version, three bonus tracks and three remixes of their songs "Headphones," "Heaven" and "Heart." The second disc is a DVD that contains three live tracks and a look at the stories behind the songs on the album. The Long Fall Back to Earth debuted and topped the Billboard Top Christian Albums and at No. 29 on the Billboard 200. In 2010, Jars of Clay won their final Dove Awards for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year and in a first, their album cover was nominated twice in the same category for Recorded Music Packaging of the Year with the standard edition and the limited edition with the latter beating the former awarded to the band and Tim Parker for art direction and design and Kharyn Hill for photography at the 41st GMA Dove Awards. "Two Hands" was also nominated for Song of the Year. That same year, Jars of Clay earned their final Grammy nomination for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.
Track listing on the Deluxe Edition
All songs written by Jars of Clay, except where noted.
1. The Long Fall -2:20
2. Weapons -3:28
3. Two Hands (Jars of Clay, Gabe Ruschival, Jeremy Lutito) -4:27
4. Heaven (Jars of Clay, Gabe Ruschival, Jeremy Lutito) -3:19
5. Closer -3:57
6. Safe to Land -4:48
7. Headphones -4:54
8. Don't Stop -3:44
9. Boys (Lesson One) -4:01
10. Hero -4:52
11. Scenic Route (Jars of Clay, Gabe Ruschival, Jeremy Lutito) -5:42
12. There Might Be a Light -3:57
13. Forgive Me -3:54
14. Heart -5:51
BONUS TRACKS
15. Save My Soul (Jars of Clay, Ron Aniello) -3:08
16. Caught - Escape -3:20
17. Love Won't Let Us (Jars of Clay, Gabe Ruschival, Jeremy Lutito) -4:00
18. Headphones (Jeff Savage's Tomorrowland Remix) -4:49
19. Heaven (Jeff Savage's Love of Silence Remix) -3:37
20. Heart (Jeff Savage's Solar Funk Remix) -5:05
Personnel
Jars of Clay:
Dan Haseltine -lead vocals
Charlie Lowell -keyboards, piano, synthesizer, organ, backing vocals
Stephen Mason -guitars, backing vocals
Matt Odmark -guitars, backing vocals
additional musicians:
Gabe Ruschival -bass guitar, keyboard bass, backing vocals
Jeremy Lutito -drums, percussion, drum programming
Katie Herzig -backing vocals on tracks 7 and 8
vocal choir on track 2:
Jars of Clay, Ben Chive and Joshua V. Smith
Production credits
Jars of Clay -producers (tracks 1 -17)
Ron Aniello -co-producer (tracks 4 -6, 11, 12, 15 -17)
Jeff Savage -producer and remixer (tracks 18 -20)
Accolades
Dove Award -Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year (The Long Fall Back to Earth)
Recorded Music Packaging of the Year (The Long Fall Back to Earth -
Limited Edition) (with Tim Parker and Kharyn Hill)
Radio singles
2009 "Two Hands" -#6 Billboard Hot Christian Songs, -#6 Billboard Christian
Airplay, -#8 Billboard Christian AC Airplay
Previous release: Closer (EP) (2008)
Watch the music video of "Two Hands" here:
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