Gary Clark Jr. – JPEG RAW (2024) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Gary Clark, Jr. pushes hard on the envelope in JPEG RAW. He’s grown far beyond the blues into a multi-faced presence steeped in a variety of genres, from blues to pop and prog rock to the frontiers of modern funk. Rather than referring to a digital photo file, JPEG here stands for “Jealousy, Pride, Envy, Greed,” while RAW is an acronym for “Rules, Alter Ego, Worlds.” Given that kind of ambition, it’s no surprise that Clark’s lyrics have branched out into life’s most pressing conflicts, including a plea for unity in the album opener “Maktub”: “And if we don’t get it ourselves/ Then we can’t be mad when we don’t receive the paper/ We’ve come too far for our seeds to continue to look back and say/ That’s the way it went.”

Using a favorite vocal effect over big beats in “Don’t Start,” Clark rages when he finds his woman cheating: “Better run, better, run and hide/ Better call your God, cause oh lord I’m bout to kill that man.” The same vocal processing—an acquired taste—appears several times but does not diminish Clark’s performance, his most impressive as a singer to date. Accompanied only by his effects-free electric guitar, Clark croons the short love song “To The Ends of the Earth” in a beautiful clear voice. On the following track, “Alone Together,” he switches to smooth funk mode and a falsetto that’s unmistakably reminiscent of Curtis Mayfield. “Hyperwave” gives off a refreshing vibe of Prince’s rhythmic vitality. His collaboration with Stevie Wonder, “What About the Children,” is a huge success, brimming with genuine emotion and melodic joy to spare.

Clark continues his mastery of a wide variety of instruments, handling guitar, drums, synths, mellotron and percussion on most cuts. Produced by Clark and Jacob Sciba, JPEG RAW was recorded at various studios including Arlyn Studios, where it was also mixed. Loaded with effects and plug-ins, the sound, while processed, does not overdo its enhancements. From a blues cocoon, Clark is an original artist spreading his wings

Tracklist:

1-1. Gary Clark Jr. – Maktub (04:13)
1-2. Gary Clark Jr. – JPEG RAW (04:26)
1-3. Gary Clark Jr. – Don’t Start (feat. Valerie June) (03:03)
1-4. Gary Clark Jr. – This Is Who We Are (feat. Naala) (05:31)
1-5. Gary Clark Jr. – To The End Of The Earth (01:08)
1-6. Gary Clark Jr. – Alone Together (feat. Keyon Harrold) (04:30)
1-7. Gary Clark Jr. – What About The Children (04:39)
1-8. Gary Clark Jr. – Hearts In Retrograde (03:54)
1-9. Gary Clark Jr. – Hyperwave (04:33)
1-10. Gary Clark Jr. – Funk Witch U (feat. George Clinton) (04:19)
1-11. Gary Clark Jr. – Triumph (04:41)
1-12. Gary Clark Jr. – Habits (09:05)