Jason Michael Carroll pulls back the production to reveal a new sensitivity in his single 'Close Enough.' The singer has a unique way of taking a phrase and turning, twisting and shaping it to mean several different things within a three-minute song. It's a talent that's on display once again during this regret-filled ballad.

While the songwriting is sharp, it's Carroll's tone and the arrangement that really set the mood for this track. A simple acoustic plucking over a gently snare drum lets us know how the story will end before he begins.

"I get 700 channels on my TV / I got more things than any man needs / I got friends to call when I wanna get buzzed / But I can't get you close enough," he sings to start.

The chorus displays that knack for shaping a phrase to mean something new, just as he did on 'Alyssa Lies' and 'Where I'm From.' "So many people in the world to love / Crazy how my heart only wants one / And I can't shake how good it was / Back when we couldn't get close enough."

In the past, Carroll could be accused of falling in love with his own deep voice, using it at every chance, often at max volume. That's not the case on 'Close Enough.' A more mature sound comes from this singe. He even reaches up for a falsetto toward the end, that -- while not his new signature -- is a pleasant surprise. What makes this song a keeper, however, is the sorrow it plants in the heart of each listener. He makes you feel it. And that feeling lasts.

4.5 Stars
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Listen to Jason Michael Carroll, 'Close Enough'

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