The blues you don’t want to lose

Fat Possum Records was founded in North Mississippi years ago as a tiny label dedicated to the native music of the region. Its motto was, “Not the same old blues crap.” And those who knew what that meant felt the sting.

The blues begat rock ‘n’ roll (as well as providing the juice for much of jazz), and it strikes an inner chord that will never fail to thrill. But its modern renaissance beginning with the Robert Johnson box set and continuing with Alligator Records’ fecundity grew stale as the form lacked for innovators; Stevie Ray Vaughn’s tragic loss felt like the end of more than just one artist.

It’s not like nothing good has been happening with the blues until GARY CLARK JR. came along, but he’s been widely hailed as the music’s future. That’s a heavy load to place on a 28-year-old with his first full-length major label record just out. Much of BLAK AND BLU meets or exceeds the hype. His guitar work is worthy of deity comparisons (Hendrix, Vaughn), and his voice has decent range, leaning more towards crooning than belting.

The Austin native makes it clear right out the gate that he wants to do so much more than stay within the genre’s strict bounds. “Ain’t Messin ‘Round” is a blast of horn-driven retro soul, with vocals alternating urgency and cool falsetto. His guitar fills are crunchy and his solo strains to break free but stays grounded. Hello, Gary – welcome to the bigs.

“When My Train Pulls In” gets his blues bona fides in order with its seven-and-a-half minutes of pounding riffs and scorching solos (with and without wah-wah pedal). The title cut comes next and elicits a big “whoa” of surprise with its Bell Biv DeFoe vibe. Modern touches abound, with elastic beats whipped into stop-start attention. A cool flow dominates the cut.

“Bright Lights, Big City” has probably penetrated the popular consciousness already – it’s been out for over two years on his EP and it’s been featured in more than one commercial. It’s the calling card of a new blues badass and you must hear it in full at max volume to appreciate it. “Travis County” is rockabilly, good but barely surpassing rote. “The Life” wants to show Clark can operate in the inner city, and it’s more admirable than likable.

“Glitter Ain’t Gold” is a perfect blend of his rocking blues soul mélange – the album’s centerpiece. It could have used a bit more restraint in the production department; however, it packs in too many elements and is a little too dense. “Numb” is mean and gnarly and a kick in the head. “Please Come Home” is another shot from left field – sweet doo wop and swaying rhythms and his most cogent solo of the program. “Things Are Changin’” is all Hi Records-era Al Green, but with Clark’s own stamp saving it from mere mimicry. “Third Stone From the Sun/If You Love Me Like You Say” is a literal trip – to Hendrix-land and then a detour to Albert Collins territory. In concert the tune(s) stretches upwards of 20 minutes, whereas here it’s corralled to a mere nine and a half. “You Saved Me” could have been probably left off, but “Next Door Neighbor Blues” and the two bonus cuts on the deluxe version are worthy of the extra dollar outlay.

Promise aplenty, potential unlimited. May his spark burn brightly for a long, long time.

DAVID HIDALGO, MATO NANJI AND LUTHER DICKINSON all have other gigs (Los Lobos, Indigenous and the North Mississippi All Stars, respectively), but they’ve teamed here to make a glorious guitar racket. 3 SKULLS AND THE TRUTH is what they call it, and I call it awesome. This is how three practitioners of guitar shredding get back to basics and let things just rip.

These guys know the value (and necessity) of dynamic range and tension and release. That’s how you make statements deliver maximum impact and keep matters fresh, not to mention avoid headaches. With music this aggressively rocking, that’s a real possibility.

Dickinson is probably the standout here. His voice is a dead ringer for Peter Wolf’s (J. Geils Band), but few others have noted that. He can play marvelous single-note leads, his slide is world class and he’s got the North Mississippi thing. (See the Fat Possum motto above.) I’ve always rooted for Hidalgo and his band. He’s got a shining intelligence and can also play his ass off. Nanji was the revelation, as he’s got buckets of talent and a voice to rival Billy Gibbons’ (ZZ Top, and see below.)

None of these songs are going to going to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame, but they aren’t meant to be candidates. They aren’t throwaways either. Best of the bunch to my ears are “Have My Way With You,” “Make It Right” (Dickinson at his nastiest), “Mississippi Clean,” “All I Know,” “The Truth Ain’t What It Seems” and “Woke Up Alone.” “Natural Comb” deserves its own category, one with sheer blues swagger and double entendres as main ingredients. A couple of the tunes get caught up in tangles of their own words, but even they are saved by the mighty axes.

Guitar freaks, both real and air varieties, get this one, STAT.

As promised, ZZ TOP gets its due here with its altogether fantastic new one, LA FUTURA. They’ve been working on this thing for many years, with the estimable Rick Rubin (Johnny Cash, Public Enemy) as producer. During this whole process they never tired of stating their definite intention to get back to basics – and if you thought that meant more Tres Hombres and not so much Afterburner, you’d be right.

If you’ve ever played tennis or golf or just had a day when things just swung right, then you know what the “sweet spot” is – the feeling that something not that easy (and pretty hard, mostly) is effortless, that is, a total breeze. The three guys in ZZ Top hit the sweet spot over and over again here. Not an original bone in their bodies, but they’re consummate professionals with an unerring eye and ear for what’s right.

“I Gotsta Get Paid” began its life as a hip hop song, but the boys make it all their own, turning in a viciously swinging piece of nonsense that creates an irresistible urge for more. “Chartreuse” is unfortunately placed second, in that it’s the weakest cut on the album. (It sounds exactly like “Tush”, or so close it’s impossible not to think of it.) “Consumption” gets back to the spot, managing to sound both classic and fresh at the same time. “Over You” is genuinely touching, Gibbons’ cracked voice wringing pathos out of the tritest lyrics imaginable.

The second half of the program is even stronger. ‘”Heartache in Blue” is straight-up chugging blues with Charlie Musselwhite’s killer harp adding potent accents. “Flyin High” evokes the classic stomp of AC/DC in a piece of glorious trash. I dig “Big Shiny Nine” so hard that it’s a little scary – if this was a 45, I’d have worn the grooves out and probably needed another copy. “Have A Little Mercy” has more cliches than an episode of Cajun Justice, but I love it beyond all reason.

Just a little ol’ band from Texas – bringing it home again, like they never left.

The blues will never really leave either. It’s encoded in our national DNA. Listen, really listen to Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf and any number of the giants of the form and you’ll be connected to that essential core. You’ll then be able to hear its presence everywhere.

– Dave Norman is a local attorney who has written or participated in various critiquing endeavors in the past (movies, restaurants) but who believes now has found his real niche as a music critic. In his opinion.

Gary Clark Jr. – “Blak and Blu”

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David Hidalgo, Mato Nanji and Luther Dickinson – “3 Skulls and the Truth”

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ZZ Top – “La Futura”

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