Jars of Clay/YMMV

• Broken Base: It's a given that any band who changes up their sound with every album will inspire some Love It or Hate It reactions from the fanbase. However, you'll find a lot of people who couldn't get into anything else after the self-titled album. Fan reactions to The Shelter (the group's first "worship album") have also been highly polarized.
• First Installment Wins: While later albums have been critically recognized for demonstrating artistic growth, the band's self-titled album still remains their most popular, contains the most material requested at concerts, and is still cited by many fans as their favorite.
• Funny Moments: Several live cover versions, most notably "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" played with mock seriousness in 6/8 time, and a snippet of "Tom's Diner" inserted into "The Coffee Song".
• Magnum Opus: Many Jars fans - as well as sales numbers - would argue that the Self-Titled Album was this.
• Moment of Awesome:
  • Early tours featured an unexpected electric guitar breakdown at the end of the otherwise quiet, contemplative "Blind".
  • The seamless transition from "Fade to Grey" into "Flood" during their tours for Much Afraid.
• Tear Jerker: Quite a few over the years.
  • "Worlds Apart". Perhaps the band's most emotional and enduring classic.
  • "Fly Farther". The band lampshaded this by describing it as "our sappy country song".
  • "Silence" and "Oh My God". Both are stark, desperate prayers with little in the way of resolution.
  • "Light Gives Heat". Just listen to that African children's choir and try to remain unaffected.