Back in 1989, a group of young musicians from Hightstown, New Jersey, came together with dreams of making their mark on the rock scene under the name Laughing Jack. They soon became Jack’s Maze, developing a sound influenced by Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Rush, and Genesis before completing their debut album, “Lost in the Maze”, in 1993. Life soon sent the band members down separate paths, leaving their record unheard for decades and their musical ambitions seemingly behind them. Now, nearly four decades after their formation, Jack’s Maze are back with “Let It Go”, a melodic, emotionally charged progressive rock single that offers the first taste of “Once In A Blue Moon”, their long-awaited second studio album, scheduled for release in January 2027. It is a remarkable next step for a band whose story seemed to have ended before it had truly begun.
When Jack’s Maze reunited in 2022, it was an opportunity to recover something that had remained unfinished for far too long. The intervening years had brought painful losses, including the death of lead guitarist Bill Snyder in 2021. Bringing their abandoned album to listeners became a way of honouring their shared history and preserving the contribution of a friend who would not be there to experience the reunion. The eventual release of “Lost in the Maze” on its thirtieth anniversary transformed a forgotten recording into a testament to perseverance and friendship. The track “Big Machines” captured much of the ambition that had driven the original group. The rediscovered material demonstrated that the bands early ambitions had substance beyond youthful enthusiasm, with expansive songwriting and instrumental interplay that had survived the passage of time. Rather than allowing their return to become an exercise in nostalgia, however, the surviving musicians have chosen to keep moving forward.
That renewed purpose finds expression in “Let It Go”. Frontman Frank Cinquegrana first developed the basic melody around fifteen years ago, eventually completing the song more recently. Explaining its central idea, he says: “The concept is obviously how music can be a remedy for what may troubling you at any given time – it’s an escape and freedom – but, for me at least, sometimes it can be a double-edge sword.” The theme feels particularly fitting for musicians whose creative lives were interrupted for so long, yet whose connection to music endured. For Jack’s Maze, the challenge has been to transform unfinished business into a fresh beginning rather than simply revisit what might have been.
Musically, “Let It Go” blends the melodic appeal of 1970s classic rock with a darker, more introspective progressive rock sensibility. There are echoes of Styx in its sweeping melodies, while touches of The Eagles emerge in the guitar-led passages. Robin Ross keyboards, Scott Cowan guitar, Joe Torres bass, and Cinquegrana vocals and drums create a spacious arrangement, with Tina Ross subtle ghost vocals adding another layer of atmosphere. Recorded and mixed by Ross at Baa Baa Leaf Studio in Milford, Pennsylvania, the production gives the instruments room to breathe. The song is engaging without being especially adventurous, and some of its familiar stylistic touches will appeal most to listeners who appreciate classic melodic rock. Its more distinctive quality lies in the contrast between the inviting musical surface and lyrics concerned with loneliness, memories, and the difficulty of quieting persistent thoughts. Although its classic rock influences occasionally lead it towards familiar territory, the song succeeds through its melodic assurance, thoughtful arrangement, and the tension between its bright musical character and darker emotional undercurrents.
Cinquegrana describes that experience in unusually personal terms: “There is constantly music in my head – just about every waking minute, whether I am proactively humming/singing or playing it in my head on purpose.” He goes on to acknowledge the less welcome side of that constant soundtrack, concluding: “Music is usually freedom but sometimes it can be chains.” The sentiment gives “Let It Go” an emotional centre that extends beyond its classic rock influences. The song recognises that the things which sustain us can sometimes become difficult to escape, just as the past can be both a source of identity and something that holds us back. Cinquegrana delivers the vocals with conviction and conversational warmth, helping the song balance its darker reflections with an accessible melodic appeal.
With “Once In A Blue Moon”, Jack’s Maze are building on the creative partnership between Cinquegrana and Ross, whose intervening years have included extensive work as a musician, songwriter, and producer. Their story is not one of a dream unfolding as originally planned, but of musicians discovering that an old ambition can take on new meaning with time. “Let It Go” may draw on familiar musical traditions, yet its underlying message feels especially appropriate for a group that has endured separation, loss, and rediscovery. The young musicians who once hoped to make their mark have returned with a different perspective and another opportunity to create together. Sometimes life takes away the future we imagined, only to leave open a door we never expected to find again. For Jack’s Maze, the music is playing once more, and this time they have a new chapter to write.
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