After stepping away from familiar musical terrain on 1999’s If I Left The Zoo, Jars Of Clay returned to their underlying strengths on The Eleventh Hour (2002). Downplaying arrangement filigree, the graceful melodies and visceral pulse that earned the band its original following are reasserted. Modern rock dynamics and hip-hop influenced rhythms are also evident, along with a lyric focus that moves beyond Christian praise themes into more earth-bound topics. “Disappear” and “I Need You” are urgent pleas for personal transformation, driven home by Matt Odmark’s propulsive guitar. Dan Haseltine’s intimate vocals bring out the quiet desperation of “Scarlet.” The band veers into biting social commentary with “Revolution” and takes a swipe at a treacherous female on “Whatever She Wants.” But the finest moments come with the sweeping celebrations of divine love found in the title track and “The Edge Of Water.” The Eleventh Hour distills intriguing sonic textures out of simple elements, then infuses them with a sense of reverence. It stands as one of Jars Of Clay’s most eloquent and satisfying works.