The Shelter is a collaborative project that focuses on the theme of community. It’s an interesting theme to say the least, and the album – while built around performances by Jars of Clay – features a who’s who of Christian artists, from David Crowder to Amy Grant. The cameos are all very subtly done, and the contributions all blend seamlessly into the collective whole, which, I suppose, is the point.

The Shelter doesn’t deviate much from the sound of Jars of Clay’s last album, meaning that it’s a slightly indie-leaning take on reverb-drenched ’80s rock.

The indie part is magnified more here though, and in particular the gang-vocals of “Small Rebellions” reminded me of the Arcade Fire. The biggest problem with The Shelter is a simple one… the songs just aren’t there. For all the interest that might be generated by the concept, there are really only one or two songs that stand out, most notably the folksy “Eyes Wide Open.” Jars of Clay are a phenomenal band, and The Shelter isn’t a bad album, it’s just not their best.

Three and a half out of five stars