The Album Review Club - Week #141 - (page 1860) - JPEG Raw - Gary Clark Jr.

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JPEG Raw – Gary Clark Jr.

Released in March of 2024, the 4th album from Gary Clark Jr. once I first heard it earlier this year literally blew my socks off. The album had so many “what was THAT?” moments that I simply had to nominate it here in the year it was released. The album’s title is an acronym for Jealousy, Pride, Envy, Greed…Rules Alter Ego, Worlds. It also was inspired by Gary’s enjoyment of photography and the filtered (JPEG) vs. the unfiltered (RAW) image.

(and for the record, this album was released a mere 194 days ago, which beats the 243 days that The Struts selection was released when we reviewed that back in early July. I almost nominated this album in the last round, but I already had Manchester Orchestra’s selection ready, and the extra time with this has also allowed me to appreciate this album much more over the summer after heavy play)

It has been 5 years since Clark had released This Land, which won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album in 2020, while the title track won Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance. This album was started after the 2020 Grammys as the world entered the Covid pandemic lockdown. Being off the road trying to fill time and figure out “what now?”, Clark wanted to get back to the basics of when he started making music at the early age of 12. Gary explained that JPEG Raw is about "showing the real and not the edit" as he grew tired of not having "more genuine interaction" due to a "world of edits, filters and redo’s". What is represented or displayed on the outside isn’t always what’s happening on the inside, and that theme took a predominant place on a key song here.

Started initially over Texas BBQ brisket sessions with his band and his all-night smoker under the Covid quarantine, this was Clark working on his guitar shredding to his inspirations of Joe Satriani, Jeff Beck, and Eric Johnson, and the quest for more advanced styles of playing than just the blues. With the band mostly playing together and rehearsing ideas during lockdown, it really was more about how they could play together as a unit, more than just Gary on guitar playing the blues.

What initially stood out to me here on this was the collaborations with other artists, including Valerie June, Naala, Keyon Harrold on trumpet, the funkmaster George Clinton, and of course Stevie Wonder on “What About the Children”. That was a song and idea that Stevie came to Gary on and suggested they work on together. What that collaboration evolved into sounds like a masterpiece from one of Stevie’s mid-70s classic albums. That was a song that both artists shined on that came from the seeds of the frustration of the deaths in the US at the hands of the police during that same timeframe.

The other aspect of the album I enjoyed was the various sounds and genres, and even generations of music represented. There really isn’t a repeat on the album as the various songs all sounded different, yet came together cohesively. It’s not the usual and prior GC Jr Blues - it’s Americana, Glam Rock, Rap, guitar Rock, Jazz, and Funk, all represented. After repeated listens, there isn’t a song on the album I dislike or don’t appreciate, and that especially includes the George Clinton song “Funk Witch U” that took some time to grow on me, but really hits a sweet spot now on its overall sound, both lyrically and musically.

Gary noted that the song “Triumph” was delivered as a message to his kids. It really is a fantastic penultimate song, and could have been a great closer track on its own, if not for the song that came after that actually was the bonus I didn’t see coming. When I first heard “Triumph”, I thought what a great closer he’s done - until I realized there was another track to go…

It’s the closer of “Habits” on this that really to me is a contender for my song of the year, just an amazing 3+ songs merged into one, beautifully done and performed. Emotionally, that 9-minute closing track really hits you where you live and is as honest a song about Gary’s struggles as he’s ever done. He’s admitted the emotion of performing that live initially left him without a dry eye, as it put focus on the other side of the bright lights of fame and glory to really appreciate life and relying on things beyond the bottle.

While I realize the different and various genres contained within this album may leave some looking for something more cohesive, I do think what he put together on this album above all of his others really is a masterpiece of music and honesty of the times we’re in and may be even more appreciated in years to come. Maybe now too, we’ll see. It’s how and why this selection has remained constant with me throughout this year since its release. It may not be “popular” like the more commercial artists are, but to me, it is essential for the uncertain, yet hopeful (and possibly soon joyful) times we find ourselves in, especially in the US.

One final note, Gary Clark Jr. will be touring in the UK (London 15/10, Manchester 16/10, Bristol 17/10, and Birmingham 19/10), so catch him live if you are interested and able to. I’ve seen him in concert before, and he’s well worth it to see and hear live on stage.

“If this is what you want, what you waitin’ for? If this ain’t what you want, what you want?”
 
threespires said:
Great choice, have high hopes on your behalf for this one! GCJ does exactly the type of melange I like and another of a long line of great musicians from Austin.
Click to expand...
And as timing is everything, here in the US, GCJ will be on Austin City Limits (ACL) season 50, episode 2 airing with the Black Pumas this upcoming Saturday night. I saw Black Pumas in concert 2 weeks ago and they were phenomenal too!

S50 E2 · Gary Clark Jr.; Black Pumas
60 min · Oct 5, 2024
Blues rock musician Gary Clark Jr. performs highlights from "JPEG Raw"; Black Pumas present selections from "Chronicles of a Diamond."
 
Sounds great on paper, like it might be my cup of tea.

I have listened to Gary Clark Jr. songs before; couldn't tell you the names of songs or what albums they were from, but having the focus of an album to listen to a whole album without skipping onto the next thing will be good.

And congratulations for breaking the "newest album reviewed" record :)
 
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