Out of the darkness and into the light of day comes “J.A.I.M.E.,” the latest single from critically acclaimed gospel/rock juggernaut J.Long. J.Long, tells us “Let’s take it to the J (Jesus) / A (absolutely) / I.M.E / Is my everything” in the chorus of the song, and he isn’t just talking about gospel conceptualism as we’ve come to know it. In this track, J.Long leads us on an intoxicating journey into the heart and soul of American CCM, acquaints us with its finer points, and then challenges its foundations by contributing a splash of impulsive grooving to its time-honored staple structure.
There’s nothing predictable about this song, from its brooding vocal to the guttural beat it’s so beautifully woven into. The only thing that can be counted on when traveling in the company of “J.A.I.M.E.” is an up close and personal view of melody when it is at its most entrancing, which is something that I think most music fans will agree is, unfortunately, missing from the repertoires of today’s most popular artists.
An epic guitar skips vibrantly through a bluesy arrangement without ever batting an eye while the drums dramatically color the rhythm with a precariousness that is angst-ridden and full of disdain. J.Long sings with a sedulousness that reminds me of classic rock, only instead of spouting sinful diatribes he’s trying to announce his faith and the passion through which he finds it. Lyrical bombast joins a riff that shatters any illusion of pop pomp and acts as key players in the matchup between the fragile harmonies and the animated grooves.
Neither side is capable of nor willing to back down, and J.Long ends up serving as a mediator in the audiological war he has started. It’s all entertainment for the audience, who is powerless to intervene in the tizzy of tones clashing with cryptic lyrics and furious drumming. It’s difficult to nail down precisely where the climax of this song is, but that’s only because of how intense and gripping it is from start to finish.
The guitar part that comes into focus just before the middle mark here is even more opulent as a backdrop than it is as a centerpiece, and I think that it speaks volumes about the craftsmanship of these licks and the ingeniousness of the artists responsible for their existence. The master mix produces so much clarity that every tantalizing vibration of the strings resonates divinely as if the band were playing right in our living room.
As the song nears its conclusion, a more augmented guitar leads the retreat into darkness, not dissimilar to a whisper slipping away into the silence from which it came, satisfied with the message it left in its path. With a smooth landing, the track comes to an end, but the impact of its haunting words isn’t going anywhere. J.Long’s new single provides as many chills as it does thrills and leaves no one who gives it a spin disappointed, and I think other CCM fans will dig its construction as much as I do.
Mindy McCall
