Seeing all of the Facebook status updates and Tweets coming live from a Jars of Clay showcase in Nashville earlier this week, I was intrigued by all of the glowing comments about the new songs.  Then I remembered that the CD came across my desk a few days ago.  So I put it in my “listen to” pile yesterday.  The new album, The Long Fall Back to Earth, released today on Gray Matters/Essential Records.

I put the CD in the player and listened to it … all day.  Round and round it went, as I experienced each new song several times throughout the day.  While I am not here to exclaim that it is as good as their debut release from 1995, I would suggest any fan of Jars of Clay over their long career should have a listen.  And with the more recent album releases seemingly being cut short of music, I was pleased to see this one was almost an hour long!

On the third day God created vegetation.  On the third day of GMA there is no time to sit and veg. The day, while uneventful ended with a big-bang at the JesusFreakHideout showcase at 12th and Porter.  I know, Jesusfreakhideout is a "competitor" of inReview but nevertheless the showcase was packed full of great performances by Danyue, Abandoned, The Listening, Remedy Drive and Seabird Music.

One of the biggest benefits of these showcases is discovering artist that you may have never gotten the opportunity to see outside of the freedom of GMA week.  I am not one to jump on every bands wagon in town, but at tonight's show I found myself looking for the hitch to The Listening.  They completely captivated me with their live show.  I have a copy of their CD that I am dying to listen too...when there is less chatter and distractions.

Day two: First official day of GMA sponsored events.  Having snagged an invite to the Jars of Clay/ CAA luncheon, I was very excited.  I LOVE Jars of Clay!  We got an acoustic listen at Long Fall Back to Earth and a copy of the CD.  The CD hits stores on Tuesday and from my early listen, it is living up to its hype.  They are, to me the deepest lyrical band in Christian music hands down!  This CD, about relationships, promises to be as deeply layered as relationships themselves are.  I promise a review (if one of my fellow inReview staff doesn't get it done before I do!) as soon as I return home.

Day one was an adventure in true JantRN fashion.  I started the day with a "blue light" special.  I did, however get to meet one of Friendswood, TX's finest.  Made it to the airport and on da-plane without much else hindering the trip.

Touch down brings me round to car rental company.  My epic dream of free upgrades and cushy cars that I am accustomed to when using Priceline.com did NOT pan out for my Southwest booked car rental.  We end up with a bright red Ford Focus, four adults plus luggage turned out to be an EPIC FAIL!  I left two at the airport while we drove out to Brentwood to our two bedroom condo rental for the week.

Had that been the end of the airport story it would be eventful enough but my @LLCoolChance spotted Mute Math strolling through (and yes I have trained him well!) he approached and made contact...very apprepo for the evening kick off.

Tonight's hot off the press news comes from Relient K's Myspace blog.  Matt Thiessen logged on to tell fans they started recording a new record today with Mark Lee Townsend wearing the Producer hat at Dark Horse Recording studios outside of Nashville.  Next is a trip to California with John Feldmann at the helm.  A short west coast tour is planned for May.

Mark Nicks of Cool Hand Luke posted a detailed blog today on Myspace.  Sitting down at a coffee shop in Nashville with his wife, apparently people he knew kept walking in and asking him what was up with the band.  This prompted Mark to send out the latest news.  In short, upcoming shows are planned near Nashville, but without a band.  Mark will perform old and new Cool Hand Luke songs and play the piano.  For various reasons, his recent bandmates have left the band.  Despite this, Mark says Cool Hand Luke is not done and he hopes to tour to areas where the band has not been recently.  Furthermore, Mark is working on new music.

He is from Houston, Texas. He planned to become a history teacher. He greatly respects and admires Derek Webb as both a songwriter and role model. He was raised as a Greek Orthodox.  At age 9, he became addicted to pornography - a compulsion that haunted him well into his college years. Oh, and did I mention that he never intended to enter the music business? His testimony is inspiring, his personality intriguing, and his music life-changing. Yes, this is singer/songwriter Jimmy Needham.

Y'all should check it out! In an unprecedented amount of access, rock band The Elms are streaming their entire three-week recording session online.  Thanks to the magic of Ustream and rigging together some great equipment, The Elms are giving a great view of the studio's main control room for 24/7 and are even streaming all the audio from the control room as well.  Fans can hear the entire recording process, a number of the band members are blogging daily, and a number of them also chat on Ustream's page with the viewers.  It's a great way for fans to interact with the band and even gives fans such as myself a feeling that we have a part in the recording process.  Plus, there have been some golden moments that can only be caught on the live stream, such as Owen, the vocalist, recording some hilarious falsetto, soul versions of the songs and much more.  Check it all out at www.theelms.net.  The album they are recording, The Great American Midrange, will be available later this year and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.

Music lovers and critics alike have often contended that the most praiseworthy trait any artist can possess is a willingness to try something new. Perhaps this is true because such intrepidity also carries along with it the risk of alienating the performer in question from the better portion of their existing fan base. The axiom certainly applies to the members of KISS, who traded in their characteristic hard rock inclinations for pseudo-progressive rock on 1981’s Music from the Elder and post-grunge for 1997’s Carnival of Souls, and were rewarded with the only two non-RIAA certified studio albums of their 35-year career.

Having spent over a decade touring and recording with their respective bands — Switchfoot and Nickel Creek — both Jon Foreman and Sean Watkins have strayed from their well-known sing-along choruses and strong guitar accompaniment to a more stripped down, darker release. While it takes a few listens to fully understand the depth of this disc, Fiction Family proves the versatility and staying power of both musicians in a time when not many bands are leaving their comfort zones.??

Calling themselves Fiction Family (despite Foreman's wish for the Real SeanJon) the Watkins and Foreman project formed after a few chance encounters at a local coffee shop in their San Diego hometown. After the urging from friends to collaborate over the years, they decided to give it a shot — never expecting a completed release. Taking turns singing lead vocals and alternating between multiple instruments including guitar, bass, keyboards, percussion, baritone, ukulele, piano, organ, mandolin, steel guitar and 12-string guitar, the 12-song self-titled debut will be released January 20 on ATO Records.