Single Review: J Long “J.A.I.M.E.”

Faith-based music isn’t typically known for being stubbornly loud and muscular by design, but there isn’t anything typical about the new single “J.A.I.M.E.” or the musicians behind its conception. J.Long’s latest single doesn’t hold back from the audience it was crafted for, which takes the gospel blueprint and injects it with a hard rock n’ roll demeanor that is uncompromising and unrestrained. Listeners who were hoping to see the classic influences in their sound magnified by a slick production will be very pleased with what they find here, as J.Long and his band pull out all the stops to deliver us their most intriguing jam to date.

There’s a hollow tonality to the drums that is particularly haunting in this track, and surprisingly it isn’t even a focal point of the mix. While the guitar is chipping away at a simple blues melody and J.Long is singing his heart out upfront, the drums are skulking around in the back, trying to stay out of sight but still imprinting their whimsical beat on the rhythm. The lack of treble in the mix makes the throttling groove all the more intense, and even though I’m a sucker for J.Long’s amazingly inspired words, it’s hard to ignore the mood being created by his equally talented comrades. This is a song that was meant to be heard at maximum volume, and I say that because of the ridiculous amount of detail that is there just beneath the top fold of its textured packaging.

J.Long’s harmonizing with the band in this song is so intuitive that there’s a moment in the chorus where it’s hard to discern the melody in his voice from that of the strings. The words aren’t as significant to this song as how they’re being imparted to us; the honesty and yearning in J.Long’s vocal is hypnotic and emphasized by the potent tone of the music. Like the rocker he is, he puts all of his emotion into the conveyance of his lyrics, and where a verse might leave us wondering what deeper meaning it has to the composer, the feelings that inspired it are never lost on us, no matter how complicated the prose.

“J.A.I.M.E.” will keep devoted music critics busy for a while trying to break down its shrewd structure and enigmatic narrative, but I don’t think that J.Long tailored this song to suit his needs exclusively. The Christian rock blood that courses through the band’s veins is becoming an uncontainable element in their aesthetic, and this single is representative of their complete sound being realized in full color. There’s an unsettling vibe in the harmony that makes us feel like danger is around every corner, and the excitement this kind of tension produces is unparalleled among other gospel acts with similar inspirations. J.Long is at the top of his game, and with God by his side I don’t see his artistic journey coming to an end any time soon (especially as he becomes known for provocative new numbers like this one).

Benjamin Cross