Gary Clark, Jr.: JPEG RAW

In contrast to Gary Clark, Jr.'s thunderous stage performances, the keen impact of which permeate Live (Warner Bros., 2014) and Live in North America 2016 (Warner Bros., 2017), his studio albums, including JPEG RAW, are ambitious eclectic pieces of work the force of which grow inexorably with repeated listening.

Its title an acronym for 'Jealousy, Pride, Ego & Greed / Rules, Alter Ego & Worlds,' the man's sixth full-length album is hardly an exception to that rule. In fact, it is as much of a personal statement as his major label debut, Blak and Blu (Warner Bros., 2012). Here, as on This Land (Warner Bros., 2019), the Austin Texas native pursues musicological interests in offering homage and tribute to roots and influences as diverse as Thelonious Monk, Sonny Boy Williamson II and the Jackson 5.

This diversified approach supplies a readily discernible theme that underpins often-lavish production values. It achieves the same end as his concerts, albeit in a distinct fashion and even with some high-profile guests like Stevie Wonder and George Clinton plus Valerie June on "Don't Start," where her pure vocal tones soar above hammering drums. Nonethless, the opening of "Maktub" affirms that this is GCJ's show.

Festooned with Clark's falsetto vocals and the ambiance of a live audience welcoming the precision of his guitar playing, the title song restates that case, simultaneously demonstrating how fully engaged and deeply emotive this precocious artist is. With instrumental technique as understated as his singing, he presents a vivid depiction of his 21st- century understanding of the blues.

So does "This Is Who We Are" (featuring the dulcet singing tones of Naala), the slicing guitar of which places the tune squarely within the bluesy roots of Clark's essential style. The soft romantic glow of romanticism in "To The End Of The Earth" makes for a stark contrast, its brevity hinting at the eclectic reach when arranged for Keyon Harrold's trumpet as well as the gentle synth orchestration that wafts above it, further evoking the ghost of Motown icon Marvin Gaye.

As Clark stipulated so clearly on The Story of Sonny Boy Slim (Warner Bros., 2015), he transcends his influences even as he depicts them with great authority over the course of the dozen tracks that comprise JPEG RAW. Utilizing the recording studio in conjunction with band members and occasional co-writers, such as the rhythm guitarist, he makes sure to earmark original songs with a contemporary stamp that hardly diminishes the vintage source material, including the gospel overtones in the work of the background vocalists.

Take, for instance, the track with Wonder, "What About The Children." It is a close cousin to 1973's "Living For The City" from Innervisions (Tamla, 1973), but like the Hendrixian fretboard storm of "Hearts In Retrograde," it sounds more like a natural extension of Clark's personal style rather than an exercise in the derivative. And, as the enclosed lyrics reaffirm, the man is indeed "ridin' on a hyperwave" of invention rendered all the more powerful when he so excitedly wields a guitar.

It is thus a tribute to Clark's ever-maturing sense of artistic self that icons like the aforementioned linchpin of the Parliament Funkadelic collective deign to collaborate with him on something like for "Funk Which U." "Triumph" is likewise an exalting piece of work, suggesting that the younger musician is bent on establishing a tradition all his own. The refrain echoes with the joy of self-discovery via the encouragement and call to action implicit in "Go live it up—Go start a fire!" As a result, courage permeates the author's voice on "Habits," as in the album as a whole, which is co-produced by the artist himself and Jacob Sciba.

Just as Clark's individual efforts begat the deceptive density of this instrumentation—featuring programming, sampling, vibes and multiple keyboards—the upward spiral of guitar on this closing of the fifty-plus minutes symbolizes the continuing creative ascendance that is JPEG RAW.

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