Cage Match: Marcy Playground vs. Jars of Clay

Cage Match board member D.X. Ferris emailed in with this week’s matchup a few weeks back.

Short, sweet, and to the point, here’s how the exchange went:

subject line: matchup idea: marcy playground vs. jars of clay

I write back, “What tunes?”

“Do they have more than one each?”

Poor Marcy Playground. Always a punchline in my world, and it’s usually me delivering the joke.

For once though, it was someone else which allowed me to feel better about myself, and also let you know that Marcy Playground has an upcoming show booked at the Roc Bar here in Cleveland. The band is booked for a September 12th date with excellent Cleveland locals Redwater Rojo supporting.

We’re pretty sure that “Sex & Candy” will be on the setlist. Is there anyone that didn’t hear this song in the 90s?

Marcy Playground are touring behind their new album Leaving Wonderland…In A Fit of Rage, and will be in Charlottesville, VA next week to record a radio session for my buddy Brad Savage and the rest of the fine folks at 106.1 The Corner.

The band performs an acoustic version of our first contender during a March promotional appearance in Calgary.

Jars of Clay.

Holy rollers, as my pal Chris Akin might have called them at the time that this next song was popular.

Call me crazy, but I’ve always thought that “Flood” was the Christian rock answer to “500 Miles” by The Proclaimers. They both have the same type of rhythm anyway, and a tempo that makes you want to march like a good little Cub Scout, in time with the music coming out of your radio.

I always liked this tune, and as it happens, Jars of Clay also have a new album available, called The Long Fall Back to Earth.

Ouch, that hurt!

Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and tell us – What’s your favorite tune? Marcy Playground or Jars of Clay?

8 Comments on “Cage Match: Marcy Playground vs. Jars of Clay

  1. Can I choose neither?

    Actually, I’m going to argue that the second single from the respective records of each band is far superior.

    Marcy Playground’s “Saint Joe on a Schoolbus” is kind of a jam. Way more so than “Sex & Candy.” Much more Local H-ish.

    Jars of Clay, on the other hand — and they went to school near me, so I claim them as local — clearly win. “Flood” is a timeless, fantastic song that to me sounded more like Toad the Wet Sprocket. But “Liquid” is the secret weapon on that album, which I think I paid a whole dollar for at the Record Exchange.

  2. Gotta go with Jars of Clay on this one.

    I actually loved that Jars of Clay album back in the day. May have to dig it out, dust it off, and give it another spin.

  3. Dirty Secret Time: I’m a huge Marcy Playground fan. Like, HUGE fan. I remember going to one of the EndFests just to see them. The first and second albums are gems of late 90’s alternative that are maligned by pretty much everybody, including those that write overstuffed music blogs and can some how justify liking Van Hagar and leave dinner plates at people’s houses and never hang out or call when they get flowers.

    Ahem.

    See you at the show?

  4. Damn bro, you drive a hard bargain. I might go to the show just to hang out with you, because it’s been way too long.

    P.S. – can you really link to a non-functional blog? Seems like a wasted hyperlink.

  5. Dammit, that joke was a lot funnier when I thought you had linked to your dormant blog. Not so funny now.

    I hate you.

  6. I agree re: Flood. And now that I've heard it, “Liquid” is pretty awesome. I'm going to have to track down the album at that Record Exchange place you mentioned. I'm familiar. Quite.

  7. I agree re: Flood. And now that I've heard it, “Liquid” is pretty awesome. I'm going to have to track down the album at that Record Exchange place you mentioned. I'm familiar. Quite.

Comments are closed.