Jam In Between is a five-piece band based out of Chicago with rock, blues, funk and R&B influences that recently released a six song self-titled EP Jam In Between. Jam In Between formed in 2016, and is known for playing live around the Chicago area. To my ears they sound like a live band. They have that type of upbeat energy that you hope to find if you want to unwind on a Saturday night with a cold beverage in your hand.
They mention “The name Jam In Between comes from the signature style of placing instrumental jams in between structured music in their original songs, as well as physically putting jam in between various objects.” The band begins with “Six Dollars” which is the single. They lean into a bluesy song with a rock foundation. The female vocalist is dynamic and can belt it out. I also thought the instrumental aspects were rock solid. The bass doesn't take a back seat here which is in the pocket with the drums. Great opener that is a solid introduction to their sound. I always appreciate some bass and drums work when it locks onto a tight groove. That’s the case with “On and On.” The guitar keeps things on the funky side but the blues feeling remains. For the most the song has a lively groove but still feels chill and relaxing which is a fantastic combination for live music. “One Good Reason” is the arguable highlight. The groove is fantastic here and what sounds like electric piano panned hard left melds really well with the guitars. Once the chorus comes the band does some solid rocking out. The drummer fits in a good amount of fills but doesn't feel like too much and the vocalist nails the hard to reach notes. “Hummingbird” is a bit of a slow burn that builds with intensity as it progresses. Something about this song felt more aligned with classic rock. The feeling I was getting was in the spirit of a movie like Easy Rider. It felt like a song where you wanted to hit the open road. “Sunday Scaries” is a romp. The song has the perfect amount of attitude that has been vacant within rock. It seems to be about not looking forward to the work week. They close with another hard rock blues song “Seamstress.” This time sounding similar to a band like The White Stripes. Jam In Between isn’t reinventing the wheel here and tips their way to blues, rock and soul without too much deviation into experimentation. On that note this is a purebred rock album that has a sense of familiarity. The songs are a blast to listen to. If you’re in Chicago, which I happen to be, I would say this is a band that will be on top of my “go see live” lists. If you can’t do that I encourage you to spend some time with this EP. Recommended.
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