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CD review: Gary Clark Jr.’s ‘Blak and Blu’
Wed, Oct 24, 2012 (4:39 p.m.)
The Details
- Gary Clark Jr.
- Blak and Blu
In recent years, 28-year-old Gary Clark Jr. came to his “blues guitar hotshot” tag honestly, through high-profile live collaborations with Alicia Keys and appearances at festivals like Bonnaroo and Crossroads. Still, the Austin musician’s engaging full-length major label debut, Blak and Blu, is more than a blues clinic.
Clark demonstrates versatile range by dabbling in sultry soul (“Things Are Changin’”), John Legend-ish R&B (the title track) and ’50s-style slow dancing (the falsetto-filled “Please Come Home”). Still, these songs aren’t quite as vibrant as the moments on the album when Clark unleashes his formidable guitar skills and gruff rock snarl—from the horn-driven soul strut “Ain’t Messin ‘Round” and the smoldering “When My Train Pulls In” to the nasty Southern-rock rumble “Glitter Ain’t Gold (Jumpin’ For Nothin’)” and the blazing psychedelic sprawl “Third Stone From the Sun/If You Love Me Like You Say.”
During songs like those, the album captures the spiritual transcendence of Clark’s fiery concerts.
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