On his major record debut, the Austin, Texas, guitarist seized the opportunity to better track his musical identity with his latest full length album. On “Blak and Blu” he’s not a Black Keys copy, he’s not a traditional blues guitarist, he’s Gary Clark Jr. With tracks that hop from rockabilly (“Travis County”) to R&B (“The Life”), the guitarist showcases his dexterity on his instrument through these different avenues, knocking each out of the park. In the process, Clark melds a new sound steeped in new and old musical arenas with hip-hop elements glinting in at times. But through all of this, Clark doesn’t leave behind distorted guitar shredding, whether he’s running with speedy rock and roll or 12-bar blues.  

Grade: A