Gary Clark Jr - Blak and Blu (Deluxe)

Gary Clark Jr has been performing on the music scene for close to ten years with a style that combines genres like Blues, R&B, Rock, and Soul. In 2012 he released his debut LP, Blak and Blu, in which he seems to show off just about every style that he could do and wanted to try. The transitions between the songs can be a bit disorienting at times because of this, but their common trait is that they're generally all influenced by Blues. Clark is especially known for his amazing guitar-playing skills that many find reminiscent of Hendrix, shown through his multitude of guitar riffs and solos. His voice is soulful and on the huskier side, but can also be smooth and tender. Overall, he provides an older sound with a contemporary twist.

Over half of Clark's songs are a form of Rock. The first track "Ain't Messin' Around," for example, is more of a party-style of Rock that seems to have influences of funk and debatably Jazz. The general meaning of the song can be understood through the first line, "I don't believe in competition." He seems to be saying that he sticks to what he likes without taking things like comparisons to others or their opinions to heart. Several songs are rough Blues Rock, including "When My Train Pulls In," where Clark expresses the desire to leave his hometown and old life behind. Then in "Bright Lights," he's managed to move to the city, but still finds himself struggling with his lifestyle and reaching his goals. "Travis County" resembles old-fashioned, upbeat Rock 'n Roll and tells the story of Clark running around and getting into trouble in the area where he grew up. "Glitter Ain't Gold" is a soulful Alternative/Indie song that seems to circle around getting your hopes up and waiting for something great to happen. In his case, he could be talking about fame; potentially having it within reach and being worried that it'll be pulled away before he can grab it. But at the same time, he's aware that success isn't everything. "Numb" is the heaviest song on the album. It starts with a rough, fuzzy guitar riff that's strongly reminiscent of The Beatles' "Come Together" and drives the song. It expresses a lot of frustration through its audible tone and lyrics describing a struggling relationship in which he no longer feels anything. The Hendrix influence fully shows through with Clark's cover of "Third Stone From The Sun," which goes into a slightly toned-down, bluesy Rock version of Albert Collins's "Love Me Like You Say." "You Saved Me" is slowed-down Rock with another element that can be a challenge to pinpoint. In an interview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iql9wPVXQpY), he talked about how he "wanted to just go to outerspace" and "see how far [he] could take it" with the instrumentation and production. As a result, he has a song that fittingly has a somewhat relaxing and atmospheric vibe; with resonating, fuzzy guitar and light, layered vocals. One of the songs available on the deluxe version is "Breakdown," a smooth Alternative/Indie Rock song that makes for a light jam. It's an uplifting tune where he talks about not giving up and working towards what he wants.

Most of the remaining songs focus more on R&B/Soul, being less driven by guitar and more influenced by electronic production. "Blak and Blu" is a fairly soft and airy track where Clark offers himself as a form of comfort/advice, and essentially asks the recipient to be the same for him. The song is a sort of laid-back R&B, perhaps with some elements of Funk. He adds in some new sounds like horns, synth effects, and even a crying baby. But overall, its sound is relaxed and mind-easing. "This Life" is a slightly more upbeat song that includes hip hop-influenced beats along with vocals that can resemble a rap flow. But contrary to the uplifting tone of the song, the lyrics are a bit melancholy. Clark describes a reckless and difficult lifestyle that includes going out, drinking, trying to write music, and barely making enough money to get by. He expresses regret towards his current life and past choices, saying in the chorus "I can't go on like this." "Please Come Home" is a gentle, slow, love song with Clark serenading in a sweet falsetto throughout. Old "doo wop" records were an influence here, resulting in a track that could be imagined in a 50s dance setting. "Things Are Changin'" and "Soul," the second song on the deluxe version, are similar as sweet and seductive love songs. The former in particular even has a bit of a jazzy feel to it. Both, with Clark's light guitar trills and strums accompanied by gentle and longing vocals, create some beautifully smooth and mind-numbing tunes.

Clark really goes far back to the roots with "Next Door Neighbor Blues." This track goes into pure, raw, vintage Blues. It tells the story of a relationship suddenly going wrong; his lover threatening him with a pistol and then leaves to be with the neighbor. The simple instrumentation sounds like it consists of steel guitar and a kick drum. An effect over the audio makes it all slightly faded and muffled, having the same quality as an old record.

While the tracklist may come off as disorganized because of some of the slightly jarring style transitions from track to track, Blak and Blu is a collection of solid, well-performed songs. If you can manage to get past that bumpiness when listening to the album straight through, it's pretty intriguing to hear what Clark can do, what he experimented with, and the stories that he tells. He seemed to throw just about everything he could into this one album and proved that he has great talent and flexibility.

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