Blak and Blu (Deluxe Version)

Austin's Gary Clark Jr. grew up in one of the nation's most musical cities so it's no surprise just how diverse his influences are. He's drawing from a world between '60s psychedelia and hip-hop song structure. Stylistically, his major label debut offers some fuzztone-drenched blues riffs wrapped around bits of classic rock and R&B. With songs like "Numb" and "Ain't Messin 'Round", he fits more in with the blues crowd that identifies with The Black Keys than any of your Hall of Fame axe-wielders. It's precisely this element–invoking passion and stripped-down power over licks–that makes Gary Clark Jr. such a fascinating figure.