In the spirit of this blog’s name, today’s post is not a new discovery or a recent release. It’s a song that has been on my mind and in my ear for much of this week, stirring up a bunch of emotions and thoughts, and I just feel like sharing it. Plus, it’s a grey, Friday morning here in Maine at the end of a long-feeling week; a ripe moment for some blues.
I woke up to this song today. It’s my alarm ringtone now, so I’m being reminded daily how much I love it. How much I respond to Gary Clark, Jr.’s simple electrified picking and his plaintive voice. How much I like stripped-down Gary Clark, Jr. and the sparse version of this track versus the polished, produced version on his full-length debut record Blak and Blu (a common refrain among blues ‘purists’ and Gary Clark, Jr. fans and critics alike, but I’m not getting into that now).
Most of all, I respond to the varying moods the melody evokes. It’s just such a soulful, beautiful track. The song pulls me along through the 4+ minute run time; never bored, because Clark is always playing with the syncopation or throwing in a quick, improvised riff, and never once feeling like he’s finished exploring the depths of emotion he can create with his guitar and voice.
Enjoy the weekend, y’all.
Featured Image by Jonathan Mannion
In My Ear 