Gary Clark Jr. - Blak And Blu

Hello My Summer Album

It’s time for another reader recommendation! This time though, it’s a very special one to me, because it was given to me by my Dad. The man who got me so heavily into music at a young age, and it has never stopped. After telling him I was starting this blog and how I loved the genre blending of Frank Ocean’s Channel ORANGE, he excitedly told me to look up Blak And Blu. Intrigued, since my dad always gave me good music, I did my research and found out that Blak And Blu is the first major label release of Gary Clark Jr., a blues guitarist from Austin, TX. Not even done with the first track on the album, I realized why my dad gave me the album. Blak And Blu is not only a great blues album, but an album that mixes so many genres perfectly, that it is an album that shows just an amazing love of music by Clark Jr.

Clark Jr. showcases such a strong love for so many genres that I made notes on each different genre that was used in the album, and with what songs they were used. Lets go through these shall we.

“Ain’t Messin ‘Round” - Rock with a Blues edge
“When My Train Pulls In” - Country Rock
“Blak And Blu” - R&B
“The Life” - Hip-Hop
“Numb” - Psychedelic Rock
“Things Are Changing” - Soul
“Next Door Neighbor Blues” - Bluegrass

I did this unconventional writing style to prove a point. There are so many different genres mixed into one album, that it shows such a strong love of music as a whole by Clark Jr. I know I brought this point up in Frank Ocean’s review too, but I love that artists are starting to do this. It shows such a burst of creativity that it is refreshing to listen too. In a day where artist and bands stick with one genre and fall into the tropes of the that genre, it’s awesome to see young artist taking risks by genre blending and experimenting. It is even more refreshing when the music is so well crafted and executed.

Production-wise, musicianship-wise, and lyric-wise, Blak And Blu shines bright. Clark Jr. is such a strong guitarist and musician that he can make all this genre blending work. His guitar work carries the rock and blues style songs, while his smooth, jazzy voice can carry the hip-hop and R&B songs with ease. When he mixes these two strengths, like in the blues and R&B mixed “Blak and Blu”, it is such a treat to the ears because it is a mix that you wouldn’t think would work, but does.

The final verdict:  I have nothing bad to say about Blak And Blu. It’s the type of album that is right in my wheelhouse. Creative, surprising, and fun as hell to listen too. The amount of genre blending and love put into this album is something that should be aspired too and marveled. Once again, I have to tip my hat off to my Dad for showing me another amazing artist and album.

FINAL GRADE: A+
CHOICE CUT: Black And Blu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYyM_Capz8I