Music Friday: "Third Stone from the Sun/If You Love Me Like You Say"

Gary Clark Jr. has to be one of the finest musicians plying their trade right now. 

Here's one two from his Blak and Blu album.  

Music Friday: "Maktub"

I got the new album from Gary Clark Jr. when it came out, but I began listening to it more often this week after I watched his performance on Austin City Lights from this season, which is their 50th season. 

Here's the opening track from JPEG RAW. 

Music Friday: "What about the Children"

I didn't realize Gary Clark Jr. had a new album until I heard him interviewed by David Fricke's "Writer's Block" program on SiriusXM radio.

I picked up the album this week and have been listening to it almost every day.

Music Friday: "What About Us"

Here's a song that follows up the outstanding title/first track of This Land by Gary Clark Jr. 

Music Friday: "This Land"

I'm pretty sure I have featured this song before, but it seems appropriate to share it again. 

Top Ten/Twenty Albums of 2019

It's that time of the year again.

Like I did in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018, I'm providing my top choices of albums that came out this year. 

I didn't acquire as much new music as I have in past years, so if there are other albums you would recommend that came out in 2019, please let me know in the comments section. 

I'm providing my top ten albums with a handful of honorable mentions. 

1. Sturgill Simpson, SOUND & FURY

If people thought Simpson's last album was an experiment because of the inclusion of horns, I wonder what they think about this one. This album was a total surprise to me. I enjoy his whole discography, but this opus delivers wildly different goods than what we're accustomed to from a singer-songwriter of the Americana ilk. The pulsing beats and experimental melodies are wonderful. Do yourself a favor and watch the film on Netflix. It's a trip. 

Favorite Songs: "Make Art Not Friends," "Best Clockmaker on Mars," "Mercury in Retrograde," and "Sing Along"

2. Gary Clark Jr, This Land

Like Isbell's song from last year, "Hope the High Road," Clark's leadoff song on this fine album, "This Land," is a political punch in the gut. That song, for me, is the 2019 Song of the Year. The album is a mix of traditional blues, rock-n-roll, and soulful tunes. Mr. Clark has turned himself into one of those artists who puts out consistent, well plotted albums. I look forward to more and more of them. 

Favorite Songs: "This Land," "Dirty Dishes Blues," "Gotta Get Into Something," and "Feed the Babies"

3. Black Pumas, self-titled

This duo is apparently nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys. I suspect they might win unless Maggie Rogers (see below) wins the award. I suspect you've heard their single, "Colors," sometime along the line this year. Their music reminds me of the great R&B/Soul records of the 60s and 70s, especially the work of Bill Withers, who was phenomenal. I don't know much about these guys besides the fact they're based out of Austin, which is a musical hothouse. 

Favorite Songs: "Touch the Sky," "Fire," "Colors," and "Know You Better" 

4. Michael Kiwanuka, KIWANUKA

Over the years I've heard Kiwanuka's tunes and enjoyed them, but I never took the plunge and actually bought one of his albums. I rewarded myself and acquired his 2019 release. I guess he's considered an alternative artist, but it sounds like good old fashioned R&B to me. "Final Days" is one of my favorite songs of the year. 

Favorite Songs: "Final Days," "Hero," "Piano Joint (This Kind of Love)," and "Solid Ground"

5. Jon Batiste, Chronology of a Dream

Mr. Batiste and his backing band Stay Human are known for their work on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and a week or so back the band played one of the songs from this album on the show. I loved the song. So I bought the album. Batiste has two albums out this year that are live at the Village Vanguard. I prefer this one over the other one, which is featured in the honorable mention section. I might be purchasing more jazz albums this coming year. Batiste and his mates have reaffirmed my interest in traditional jazz. 

Favorite Songs: "PRINCE," "PWWR," "KENNER," and "BIRTHE" 

6. Maggie Rogers, Heard It In A Past Life

I got interested in her work after hearing the single "Light On" via the Sirius XM Spectrum channel. I guess one way you might describe her music is alternative pop. This album fulfills my need when I have to listen to some pop-like tunes. 

Favorite Songs: "Fallingwater," "Past Life," "Burning," and "Light On"

7. The Hold Steady, Thrashing Thru the Passion

I almost missed that one of my favorite rock bands pushed out a new album this year. It doesn't disappoint. The drum beat and menacingly fun guitar riffs on "You Did Good Kid" are addictive as hell. As usual, Finn pens fine lyrics that tell interesting stories. 

Favorite Songs: "You Did Good Kid," "T-Shirt Tux," "Entitlement Crew," and "Traditional Village"  

8. Tedeschi Trucks Band, Signs

This massively sized band put out another good album this year. Like all their other albums, it's a heady mix of blues and rock with horns thrown in. 

Favorite Songs: "They Don't Shine," "Shame," "Still Your Mind," and "Signs, Hard Times" 

9. Justin Townes Earle, The Saint of Lost Causes

I think one could argue that this album is JTE's best effort since Harlem River Blues. But my evaluation is colored by my bias for uptempo songs, which this album features. 

Favorite Songs: "Ain't Got No Money," "Mornings in Memphis," "Flint City Shake It," "Appalachia Nightmare"

10. Son Volt, Union

Considering the times, Jay Farrar returned to political songs. I can't say I'm surprised. I still hanker for rock-forward tunes of the earlier years (think Swing Wide Tremelo). 

Favorite Songs: "The Symbol," "The 99," "When Rome Burns," and "Devil May Care" 

Honorable Mentions

Todd Snider, Cash Cabin Sessions No. 3

Bob Mould, Sunshine Rock

Craig Finn, I Need a New War

Joe Pug, The Flood in Color

Chemical Brothers, No Geography

Jon Batiste, Anatomy of Angels

Music Friday: "This Land"

Gary Clark Jr. performed this song on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert last night. 

The dang album doesn't come out until March 1 though, which is way too long to wait. 

Music Friday: "Hold On"

As I was driving up to northern Iowa to visit my dad, this tune came across my iPod shuffle. 

I realized I hadn't listened to Gary Clark Jr.'s second album as much as I have listened to Blak and Blu. On my way back home Sunday, I plan to listen to it the whole way along with Son Volt's Notes of Blue, another album I need to listen to more often. 

Music Friday: "The Healing"

I'm really looking forward to Gary Clark Jr.'s new album, The Story of Sonny Boy Slim.

Here's a track I heard him play on Jimmy Fallon's show. It's "The Healing." 

Music Friday: "Ain't Messin' 'Round"

I featured some tunes from Gary Clark Jr. almost a month ago. Since I got the new album, I've been playing it quite a bit. 

Today I'm providing the lead track from Blak and Blu. 

When I saw him perform this on a late night talk show, he had horns with him like the song on the album has. The performance below is a stripped down version of the tune. 





The review in Rolling Stone about the album is somewhat accurate. If memory serves, the reviewer's thesis lauded the album but also called it "uneven." 

I like to think that Mr. Clark is trying to show his range on the disc, but there are a couple of songs where I think, "I don't know if this tune is working for me with the other blues-influenced and guitar-oriented songs."

Regardless, don't mess around at having a good weekend. 

Music Friday: "Catfish Blues," "Don't Owe You a Thang," & "When My Train Pulls In"

I'm looking forward to a number of upcoming albums such as Soundgarden's King Animal and Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit's Live from Alabama, but another I'm excited about is the first full length album by Gary Clark Jr.

I have his four-song Bright Lights EP. It's outstanding. And some of you might be familiar with the title track to that record if you watched any of the NFL Draft. ESPN was playing the hell out of that tune for its intro music. 

So today in anticipation of his album, Blak and Blu, that comes out October 22, I offer the traditional "Catfish Blues" along with two of his songs, "Don't Owe You a Thang" and "When My Train Pulls In." 

Music Friday: "Bright Lights"

Hear Ya recently highlighted the best EPs of 2011. In the thread of comments, one person remarked that an excellent EP was one by Gary Clark Jr., a musician I had never heard of.

Not that long ago, Mr. Clark played on Letterman.

After that performance, I quickly downloaded The Bright Lights EP. It's excellent, and I'm hoping for an LP sometime in 2012.