If I Left the Zoo

Description

If I Left the Zoo is the third studio album by the American alternative pop band Jars of Clay, released on Essential Records in November 1999, a division of Brentwood Music. Most of the album was recorded and mixed at Sweet Tea in Oxford, Mississippi; with Dennis Herring producing. It was December 1999 Pick of the Month at The Phantom Tollbooth. The album was certified Gold (500,000 copies sold) by the RIAA in August 2000.

With all the hoopla that attended ‘Jars of Clay‘ – which the band thought might sell 50,000 copies yet sold 40 times that – some thought only notching a “modest” one million sales for ‘Much Afraid‘ rated it a disappointment. If there was a flaw to Much Afraid, it was that the band seemed pressured to make a big budget recording that could compete alongside anything in general market radio, and to that end, it succeeded, if sacrificing some of the charm of the debut in the process.

On If I Left the Zoo, producer Dennis Herring (Counting Crows, Innocence Mission) encourages the band to throw out the entire rulebook and start from scratch. Indeed, the rich variety of music serves as a vehicle for the preeminent lyrical theme, which is thinking outside the box, leaving one’s comfort zone and daring to address faith and its surroundings with a fresh set of eyes each day.

So Jars jumps without a net and invites its audience to make the leap as well, testing them from the first notes of the album. «Goodbye, Goodnight» has the loose-limbed feel of a rehearsal, driven by a wheezy accordion and gently sawed cello riff and a tongue-in-cheek tip of the hat to the new millennium: “The beginning of the end has come/ That’s why we all are here.” In fact, the entire disc has a very experimental feel, from the baroque/Beatle-esque pop of «Collide» to the folk/bluegrass leanings of «No One Loves Me Like You» to the bluesy «Sad Clown» and the R&B-flavored «I’m Alright«» with its soaring gospel choir coda.

As a vocalist, Dan Haseltine has never sounded better; his voice is confident, strong and up to the task of matching the variety of musical settings. Especially noteworthy are his performances on «Hand» and «I’m Alright». The band’s beloved harmonies are truly outstanding, with «No One Loves Me Like You», «Famous Last Words» and «Can’t Erase It» as distinguishing tracks. The transcendent «Grace» also provides memorable vocals, with a hair-on-the-back-of-the-neck chorus that should quickly deem it a classic.

All the members of Jars perform with such an obvious sense of relaxation and playfulness that the musical highlights of Zoo are too numerous to recount. Special kudos must go to bassist Aaron Sands and drummer Ben Mize for providing the rhythmic anchor and Charlie Lowell, who uncrates a warehouse full of keyboards. From Hammond B3 to grand piano to accordion to ancient Moog synthesizer and rickety Vox organ, those instruments are often the sonic thread which weaves the disparate elements of Zoo together. If I Left the Zoo is not just an exuberant expression of faith; it’s a musical triumph. [Bruce A. Brown, CCM, December 1999]

From the haunting strains on the opener «Goodbye, Goodnight», with its quirky retro intro, and Seargent Pepper tinge to the closer «River Constantine», with its tapestry of deft acoustic guitars and ricocheting rhythms, this is a wonderful set. Less slick than the slightly sterile ‘Much Afraid‘ but with great songs, plenty of surprises in the arrangements and more proof that in Dan Haseltine Christendom has a superlative communicator able to bring passion and pathos to memorable poetic vignettes which shine with spiritual truth. ‘If I Left The Zoo’ asks the question “What would happen if I left this comfortable place?” Reflecting that theme the music itself has a quirky individualism where Counting Crows producer Dennis Herring pushes the band out from their comfort zones to produce music light years from the formulaic sounds of Nashville pop rock. Take the pump organ on the beautiful tender-hearted ballad «No One Loves Me Like You» or the gospel choir on «I’m Alright» which explores with insightful images the stunning truth that we sinners are righteous before a holy God. About the album, Charlie Lowell (whose accordion and keyboards add much texture and depth to the songs) said, “This is a record that expresses God’s relentless pursuit of us as human beings. It’s because of his unconditional love for us that we are allowed to be exactly who we are.” Clearly a new sense of uniqueness has gripped Jars Of Clay. For this pristine album improves with every play. [Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms, February 2000]

With the possible exception of MxPx, Jars of Clay may be the group most accused of selling out – both musically and lyrically. Many fans grew accustomed to the coffeehouse feel of the band’s debut, and, as is typical of Christian music fans, did not like the follow-up, Much Afraid, wanting a repeat of the first album. Fans who did not like Much Afraid will likely be critical of If I Left the Zoo as well.

The acoustic strumming that made songs like «Flood» and «Love Song for a Saviour» so popular are all but gone, replaced by keyboards, pianos, and yes, accordions. The band has also canned their drum machine, opting instead to use Counting Crows drummer Ben Mize. The addition of Mize to the band makes a huge difference – it gives this album a much more organic feel than the band has had in the past.

If I Left the Zoo is considerably more upbeat than the overly dark Much Afraid. However, a few songs, such as the piano-driven «Sad Clown» and the «Five Candles» soundalike «Hand», hearken back to the album. On the whole, this is just a fun pop record in the vein of All Star United, with a few lyrical golden nuggets thrown in:

You never minded giving us the stars
Then showing us how blind and unaware of You we are
(«Unforgetful You»)

I admit I’ve loved these chains
And crawling around this cage sometimes has its advantages
…Someday this could get old
(«Grace»)

Love is fire and the coals are barely burning
Cold fills the emptiness that fills this empty place
I taught you to walk but then you ran away from me
(«Collide»)

The standout track here, though, is the opener, «Goodbye, Goodnight». The track, comprised mostly of acoustic guitar and accordion, humorously tells the story of the Titanic from the viewpoint of the orchestra, while wryly confronting some of the band’s more fair-weather fans:

Raise a glass for ignorance, drink a toast to fear
The beginning of the end has come; that’s why we’re all here
Strike up the band to play a song and try hard not to cry
And fake a smile as we all say goodbye

If you’re a die-hard fan of Jars of Clay’s first album and hated Much Afraid, don’t waste your money on If I Left the Zoo. For fans of quirky, intelligent modern pop, though, this album is a jewel. [Michial Farmer, The Phantom Tollbooth, 1999]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/if-i-left-the-zoo/253108934)

CD tracklist:

01. Goodbye, Goodnight – 2:53
02. Unforgetful You – 3:20
03. Collide – 4:46
04. No One Loves Me Like You – 3:48
05. Famous Last Words – 3:26
06. Sad Clown – 4:27
07. Hand – 3:36
08. I’m Alright – 3:40
09. Grace – 4:31
10. Can’t Erase It – 3:35
11. River Constantine – 4:50

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Essential Records. Re-issued on 12-inch vinyl LP in 2019 by the band’s custom label Gray Matters, pressed on Translucent Blue vinyl.

The January 2000 issue of CCM Magazine featured a cover story on Jars of Clay.