Gary Clark Jr. is the greatest blues artist of our generation. He has masterful guitar work, great production, great vocals, and catchy lyrics.
The Story of Sonny Boy Slim released in 2015 is Clark’s second studio album after the fantastic Black and Blue. It is also the first vinyl record that I ever bought. The first thing to notice about this record before you even play it is the album art looks great and its even a gate fold with some great art work on it as well. And speaking of artwork there is also a awesome etching on side 4 that resembles the gate fold which is a nice touch. As well as the vinyl record you also get a download code which is always a great thing to be included so you can listen to the album in your car and on the go. I know what your thinking, yeah that’s great but how does it sound? It sounds great.
The album opens with the track “The Healing”, which opens with an old man singing in a park, and then the actual song kicks in to gear, its a great opening song, its catchy, its upbeat, its got a groove, and Clark’s guitar licks are superb. The next song “Grinder” opens with some distorted guitar feedback, and then the backup instruments come in howling, this track is much dirtier sounding, with soloing by Gary Clark Jr. reminiscent of Van Halen. The third song opens with what sounds like feedback down a hall and then the albums first slower song starts “Star”. “Star” is a funky song, and that is a compliment, from its wah-wah pedal laden guitar to its R&B inspired vocal performance it starts a nice break from the two previous fast pace, upbeat tracks. Continuing this trend, a strait up soul song “Our Love” kicks in, its got beautiful piano, Gary Clark Jr.’s signature guitar licks, and great sounding back up vocals.
Picking up the energy again is the supremely bluesy track “Church”. The acoustic guitar dominates in this song, as well as the harmonica as if he’s trying to remind us that its a blues album, its all acoustic there’s even a tambourine, this song evokes exactly what its suppose to, the rural, deep south with its old farms and churches. Next slowing it down again is the song “Hold On” and when I say slower I don’t mean less energy because this song manages to maintain the energy from “Church” with Gary Clark Jr. going back to his usual electric guitar and man he reminds you why his default instrument is the electric. This song also boasts the best lyrics of the album.
Next we are treated to the California rock track “Cold Blooded”. This track has Clark’s omnipresent amazing guitar work as well as some funk inspired bass, trumpets and vocals. The next song slows things down again “Wings” is an amalgam of blues guitar, hip hop inspired drums, and R&B vocals, basically the best parts of the three genres. “BOYB” is a song that I wish I woke up to every mourning, its very short but if your feeling good listen to it. Following up that feel good song is the pop rock track “Can’t Sleep” which is easily one of the catchiest song on the album, and is scarily relatable. Next is the powerful Song “Stay”, its full of emotion, its loud, its good. “Shake” is in a similar vein as “Church” it evokes images of people dancing in a southern honky-tonk, the slide guitar in this song steals the show, and you know its a blues dance song when Gary Clark Jr. is singing nonsense words and “Don’t stop baby keep on moving”, and the rhythm guitar is infectious, it really makes you want to dance. Last on the album is its weakest track, by no means bad but definitely the weakest of the album, the reason I don’t like it is that it is a strait up R&B song with barely any of Gary Clark Jr.’s signature soloing, and guitar licks, in fact there’s barely any guitar in the song and it’s way too long and it doesn’t evolve much over its almost eight minute run time, its an OK song, and you might disagree if your into that kind of music.
Do I recommend this record? Yes buy it, along with anything Gary Clark Jr. so as much breaths on, its an album i find myself keep going back and listening to and I still love it just as much as when I first listened to it. I also recommend Gary Clark Jr.’s live albums in which he and his band improvise parts in all their songs in an attempt to give a different live experience, seriously they’ re great its not just the same song done live.