SOD: Gary Clark Jr. "Bright Lights"

This ones for you Bub.

Anyone who says that rock is dead, is wrong. It's suffered, surely, as has every genre of music since the rap and electronic age have lambasted their predecessors and taken over the youths airwaves. And being that rap is to my generation, what classic rock was to my parents generation, there's not a perfectly shaped box for rock these days to fit into. There's still a lot of people who love it, but dare I say, it's starting to age. But that doesn't mean that there's a lack of talent. Doyle Bramhall II has toured with Roger Waters and was Claptons second guitarist from 2004 to 2009. During certain performances, his solos even outshone old Slow Hands. Derek Trucks, case and point. And there's some younger bucks vying for notoriety as well, like Gary Clark Jr.

Gary Clark Jr. is the nephew of the "Godfather of the Austin Blues," W.C. Clark. The name may not stand out to you, but chances are you've heard him. He formed a Revue in 1975, and played with them through the 80's at venues all over the world. The group had, at different times, James Brown, The 3 Kings (B.B., Albert, and Freddy), Sam and Dave (of Hold On I'm Comin and Soul Man fame), Elvin Bishop, and Bobby Blue Bland. W.C. even wrote "Cold Shot" which went on to become one of Stevie Ray Vaughn's biggest hits. The man is a living legend. If you really love the blues, you know the impact this man had on it. The only full album I own by him is Texas Soul, which is actually more of a R&B/Soul album than a straight blues album overall, but it's a testament to his diversity, and amazing voice and emotionality.

Which brings me back to Gary Clark Jr. This kid could wind up being great. He comes from good stock and he's certainly got a distinct sound. He's been able to pick up on what his uncle hinted at, blurring the lines between genres. The songs that are out there, and the performances on youtube paint an interesting picture. He has the ability to get very deep into the blues rock genre if he wants. Hendrix comparisons have been thrown out there, and some Lenny Kravitz similarities have been pointed out on the more edgy mainstream rock stuff. But he also has a very soft side. "Things Are Changin'" is a simple but beautiful song focusing on lyrics and vocals, as opposed to straight guitar work. It's nice to see that he has some diversity, that will certainly go a long way if he intends on making a career out of it. I'm certainly interested in what's to come. If "Bright Lights" is any indication, he's definitely got the potential...