20 finds this veteran Christian quartet honoring their legacy by letting fans choose favorite songs from their catalog, then rerecording them in fresh, mostly acoustic settings. Though well-known tunes like “Lovesong for a Savior” and “Worlds Apart” are included here, this 20-track release leans more heavily toward the sort of reflective folk-pop material represented by “Boys,” “Silence,” and “Jealous Kind.” By keeping the tracks on the sparse side, the band bring out their lyric and melodic subtleties even as they throw in an occasional curveball (such as the quirky tempo shifts on “God Will Lift Up Your Head”). Stripped-down takes of “Tea & Sympathy” and “Dead Man” underscore Jars of Clay’s command of songcraft, while layered arrangements of “Fade to Gray” and “Love in Hard Times” highlight the orchestral elements that have been part of the foursome’s sound from the start. New songs “Ghost in the Moon” (an eerily unsettling piece) and “If You Love Her” (lit up by the band’s signature harmonies) further enrich this generous anniversary offering.
- 1995
- 1997
- David Crowder Band
- Bebo Norman
- Jennifer Knapp
- Steven Curtis Chapman