Queens-native Jam Young never left, but he's back—again. After an impressive 14-week period of releasing a new single every week, he delivers us a new album just in time for the holidays: Growth.
Jam's hip-hop is best described as an exploration of positivity, and Growth continues that trend. It includes a range of moods and beats, and in doing so, is a great introduction to and summary of Jam's work. Having a rough 2020? Let's think about it, talk it out. And so Jam does, straight from the heart and the home studio (quarantined, duh).
The album feels brief, but in a good way. Songs flow together. "Kevin Garnett" fittingly starts us off, and feels like a good morning. It's a smooth, slower beat, with hints of energy about what the day (what the album? what life?) might bring. Next, "My Name is Jam" gives us a primer on the artist, and features his typical lyrical style: Bars focus on spoken rhythm, and look to cut you with a memorable line.
Other songs feel more personal. "Harsh" explores loss, one of life’s guarantees. This has been a hard year for everyone, and this song feels like a therapy for the artist, if not the listener. "Face Time" evokes frustrations of being behind a screen, of trying but failing to find that needed connection. "Drip Mode" changes the mood big time, and is about respect, coming correct. It's reminiscent of more typical Billboard songs about being hard, and so feels a bit out of place for this artist.
This makes sense when you remember that Jam is an explorer, open to life's possibilities. Growth includes some of these explorations, and there's a song in here for however you're feeling. BUT, we think Jam shines when he slows things down and talks with you. When there's no floss for floss's sake, but a story to tell, or a conversation to have.
"Kevin Garnett" is one example. "Chance Baby" is another. It's straight-up butterflies, made for a slow dance with your boo. "Made It Far" is uplifting, Jam's pump-up jam, and is reminiscent of early-to-mid career J. Cole.
"Vibe Check" has to be the song of the album. In a year of so much change, of groups of people being hurt—and hurting others—it's important to step back and take a vibe check, and this song does exactly that. It sounds like a video game dream, something to vibe to under the sun, when you have a minute, when you can check in with life and be thankful for what is, when you can be thoughtful about what's still needed.
Listening to Growth is a good time, and it makes us wonder, what's next? But Jam already gave us the answer: See song #1; Anything is possible, Kevin Garnett.