GARY CLARK JR. LIVE

The rock n roll live album. Loved by some and mocked by many. I count myself among the some. A great live album is a chance to really hear musicians do what they do outside of the confines and safety of the studio. (Yes, I am aware that many great live albums are sweetened in the studio. I'm totally fine with it.) Don't get me wrong, I love studio albums. In most cases I prefer them for at home listening. I also have to admit, that there are a lot of superfluous live albums. I dig me some live Grateful Dead, but do I really need over a hundred live Dead albums? No. Does Pearl Jam really need to release every single show? Of course not.
Fortunately, Gary Clark Jr. is young enough to have not flooded the market with unnecessary live recordings. His latest live record is one of those rare documents that is actually better then his studio output. 2012's Blak and Blu, has some great moments, but it is a bit stiff, unfocused and over-produced. It sounds like a talented musician trying to find his way. With "Live" we are hearing a musician and a band that knows exactly what they are on stage for: to keep the candles of blues, rock, and soul burning into the 21st century.
Comparisons to Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan are inevitable, but Gary has an identity all his own and he has the chops to be counted among history's great blues-rock guitarists. Gary's playing on cover songs "Catfish Blues," "Three O'Clock Blues" and "If Trouble Was Money," is more then enough to establish his blues street cred. Gary's inspired medley of Hendrix's "Third Stone From the Sun" and Albert Collins's "If You Love Me Like You Say," was something he did on "Blak and Blu," but its the live version that is definitive, featuring Gary's hip hop scratch guitar over drummer, Johnny Radelat's relentless funk.
On the studio album, "Travis County," was the victim over-production, but on stage the song's Chuck Berryesque riff allows Gary's fleet fingers to tear into some traditional rock n' roll. "Please Come Home," featuring Gary's lovely falsetto vocal, adds two minutes to the grammy winning studio version with an intense and soulful guitar solo. "When My Train Pulls In" and "Bright Lights," are nuclear meltdowns of fuzz guitar wizadry, while "Numb" adds a delta blues intro before unleashing a beautifully distorted riff that recalls the early days of the Black Keys.
The double record ends on a wonderfully low key note featuring Gary alone, lazily strumming his guitar on "When the Sun Goes Down." The song also affords Gary the chance to show off his harmonica skills, which is something he hopefully continues to add to future recordings. With this live album Gary has established himself as this generation's guitar hero. With young players like Gary Clark Jr. we can hopefully look forward to many more years of blues inspired rock 'n' roll. 4 1/2 Burning Coals.