Underestimating an album, no matter the reason, can go forever unchecked, leaving billions of us unknowingly unaffected by an artist’s message thrown back into the racks. Fortunately, One Last Thing, the 11th studio album by Middle Tennessee’s Jason Lee McKinney Band, breaks the boundaries of the Christian rock section as “life-affirming, modern-day roots music” with a big, Southern blues/rock/gospel fusion that is very much straight-up praise, performed by a properly produced funk/rock quintet.
The intro track, “Cross Over” features a youth minister-like, singing McKinney on guitar as the choir and band claps in the big unison style of The Lumineers and responds for the verses, then seamlessly transitions into a solid funk band—with a full horn section, thicker bass lines and all—for the choruses and bridge. The production is immaculate and leaves listeners with a feeling that only a choir and horn section can provide. It’s great, right off the bat, and following with a similar sentiment, the midnight-funker “Sing a Prayer” could play on secular club’s PA as dancers ask who it is, instead of noticing it’s praise-rock.
McKinney says that with One Last Thing the band brought “the message of the gospel to the foreground. The gospel was always part of our foundation, but now it’s front and center.”
On “Freedom,” a Foghat-like Hammond organ-and-guitar intro explodes right into a Black Keys-tinged gospel feel—loud, fuzzy blues with a choir yelling “Freedom!” Plenty of folks are into that stuff.
With McKinney leading on vocals and rhythm guitars, Barry Strauser on keyboards and backing vocals, Billy Wright on bass, Sam Berce on electric and acoustic guitars, and Logan Todd on drums and percussion (with other guests throughout), the band has produced a range of praise songs that fit anywhere from local Sunday sermons to convention centers.
Other sweet spots on One Last Thing include McKinney gearing towards the vocals of Bad Company’s Paul Rodgers in the rocker “Make No Mistake,” the why-is-this-one-sexy “Song of Songs,” and the piano-driven “Liturgy,” evoking strains of the country hymn “May the Circle Be Unbroken.”
While listening to “When I’m Gone” for the first time, following the uplifting horned intro, it turns into an indie song from a random North Californian couple; a pop album song.
But wait. Here comes a half-time bridge with horns. So many layers! Then the electric guitar kicks in, an organ moans to match as they keep climbing!
This band is too good.
Many tracks evoke a sentiment like that (among hints of a wide variety of artists from Eagles of Death Metal to Scissor Sisters to Hall & Oates on some tracks), minus a couple of obvious, crowd-hypnotizing convention songs. It doesn’t matter how many tries or releases or genres it took to get there, the Jason Lee McKinney Band has reached a pinnacle with One Last Thing, where there’s plenty more to praise, for praise.
Find One Last Thing, along with past albums, show dates and Jason Lee McKinney Band merch, at jasonleemckinneyband.com.
