Sunday Sound: Bright Talent

Gary Clark Jr. promises you, you're gonna know his name, as Bright Lights says.

Well it might be difficult to remember since his name I've easily lost between Gary Cooper and Clark Gable. But that's me. And that's me before hearing him. After experiencing a few replays of his Bright Lights I considered myself hooked and in awe. Gary Clark Jr. is one of the best reasons why the South is so fascinating. The South makes great music, music that's pure soul and just electrifying and for them, it's never hard to live up to what they'reknown for (Elvis, as an example) cause they're just full of talent, both discovered and untouched. 

Now I usually suck at musical references and I never dare to try going at it, but with Gary Clark Jr. I know he's all blues and rock n' roll. His sound you'll never mix with anyone you've heard (or that's what I think) and what makes him more promising is that you just feel that he has the chops to pull off RnB as good as Boyz II Men or go full. Imagine him taking on jazz? Rolling Stones wrote a wonderful review on him from last year.

But I do have to give credit to the Washington Post for their 2012 In/Out List. Without having stumbled across this, I'd never learn that Adele (my Goddess) is an OUT for 2012 and my new favorite, Gary Clark Jr. IN for the year. For me their both artists I'll love regardless of the year. But don't you worry, I didn't like Gary Clark Jr. solely just cause the Washington Post told us he's in for the year. It's because he's a breath of fresh air for me.

Bright Lights is down-right ballsy in terms of sound for me. I love how it does conjure up those fast played shots of blurred lights in New York and for some reason, it makes you feel like dressing up as if you've stepped fresh out of a Cavalli show. And his voice...It's just thick, weighty but far from annoying to the ears, in fact, its great to listen to. His is a voice you wish you had when you wake up: It's scratched and high and soulful and has that ability to take on different songs and make every single one of them sound right and wonderful. Gary Clark Jr. too is a devil on the guitar. I've not the slightest clue concerning anything that is related to a guitar, but I could tell he's got game on those strings. 

So far its Bright Lights I've fallen in love with and also Whole Lotta Lovin' that's reminiscent of the 60s (I might be wrong). But you gotta check him out and give him a listen. He's a bright bright bright talent unfolding right before our eyes.

He's great. Absolutely great and cool. He makes "swagger" a derogatory word, I tell you.

P.S. Sundays are usually dedicated to old timer tunes but Gary Clark Jr. owned it today for me.

-Gerard