By Oscar Jordan
Gary Clark Jr.
Blak And Blu
Warner Bros. Records
Producer: Various
Score: 9 out of 10
Amidst the massive hype, success and accolades over the last few years, Gary Clark Jr.’s first full-length record is finally here. Clark has one foot in the present and one in the past as he skillfully mines dirty blues, ‘60s psychedelia, R&B, rock and hip-hop. The Hendrix style garage fuzz of “Numb” segues nicely into the classic R&B falsetto of “Please Come Home,” while the neo soul of “Blak And Blu” dovetails into the urban grit of “Bright Lights.” Clark writes a catchy hook on the pop/R&B of “Ain’t Messin’ Around” that rounds out a fresh, uncontrived commercial record, one that draws from the best in African American music, past and present.
