On Good Monsters, Jars of Clay turn up the volume and open up emotionally. Singer Dan Haseltine struggles to keep his head above water on “Work”, an examination of isolation that’s buttressed by alt-rock crunch, and “Dead Man (Carry Me)”, a yearning for spiritual renewal pinned to crisply motoring drums. When the band revert back to their acoustic roots—hear the atmospheric redemption ballad “Oh My God”—the lyrics drive home their honesty and sense of urgency.