Consuming the Tangible

We’re wrapping up my Best of 2024 (so far) series with another artist not content to remain within a proscribed genre or form. And no, I’m not talking about the latest from Beyoncé (though I could and will because it’s also one of my favorites this year): I’m talking about the guitar powerhouse that is Gary Clark Jr. and his new boundary pushing album JPEG RAW. I don’t think Clark’s ever been content to sit as just another guitar prodigy, and like his previous banger This Land his latest sees the artist continue to embrace his influences, even having them accompany him on the album.

Not everything is a complete left-hand turn: the fuzzed out riff that opens “Maktub” presages what is by now a classic Clark jam, gnarly blues bumping up against soul vocals and a sing-song lead delivery from Clark whose voice gets better with each release. That tone has become unmistakable, squelching under a noise gate but never restrained. The rest of the instruments sound full and encompass the entire soundstage, especially that bass. The title track oozes gin joint, a “What If” scenario where Boyz II Men wandered in at 2am and hung with the house band as the bar closed. “Don’t Start” is another slinky rock number, this time featuring a great co-lead performance from Memphis singer Valerie June, and the first side ends with the creeping, ominous “This Is Who We Are” with Naala. The chorus has these great middle eastern swirls from woodwinds and a glitchy synth keeps the menace in proper bounce.

The second side opens with the minute-long “To The End of the Earth” a solo piece with Clark indulging in some lovely jazz guitar and torch song melodies before continuing to some serious Al Green/Marvin Gaye territory on “Alone Together” with Kenyon Harrold adding some sweet trumpet solos throughout. Clark gets his falsetto on, and it’s a beautiful turn from the more rock-driven first side of the album. But then we shift into a completely different gear, and I haven’t talked to a single person who didn’t listen to the opening figure of “What About the Children” and didn’t hear the Stevie Wonder stamp, even before his still killer vocals came in. I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t my favorite track on JPEG RAW, but to be fair, anything with Stevie Wonder is going to have my ear and heart, and it has plenty of competition throughout the rest of the album, including the nasty gutter stomp of “Hearts in Retrograde” which immediately follows. I’ve always been a sucker for that fuzz drenched guitar tone, and when the synths kick in with it the song sounds so dirty and scuzzy in the best way music can sound. As great as the first side was, it’s Side 2 that basically has me ringing the bell for JPEG RAW as it finally closes on the smooth psychedelic pop of “Hyperwave” which slowly expands into the cosmos with a solo that stretches the pop definition to the point of bursting.

But since this is a Gary Clark Jr. album, just like The Story of Sonny Boy Slim’s of course there’s a third side. And if you’re going to kick off the last side of the record you might as well do it in style, so here’s George Clinton coming off the Mothership Connection and bopping along on “Funk Witch U” bringing his unique speaking and coaxing a mother of a riff our of Clark’s guitar. Love the soloing on this track, and it’s been years since I’ve really dug into anything Clinton was doing, so to come upon this on Side 3 was the best kind of surprise on my first listen. It’s followed by the slow jam “Triumph” which has an anthemic touch and shades of another key Clark influence: Prince. Then there’s the true closer, the epic nine-minute “Habits”. Rolling Stone compared the ambition and expansiveness of Clark’s sound to another journeyman I happen to love, Jason Isbell. I can hear it on this song, especially in the way Clark constructs his vocal melodies around his playing. It’s a beautiful song with some sublime playing, and having his sisters provide background vocals along with him is a wonderful way to bring JPEG RAW to a close.