As Max Webster told us many moons ago, Friday (Friday) is a good time to shine. It’s also the best time to announce new albums, if the weekly assault on my in-box means anything. Among those missives: The news that Austin singer-guitarist Gary Clark Jr. will drop his new album JPEG Raw on March 22. Get all the deets on that below — and check out a four-song sampler! — then check out the rest of today’s announcements beneath that, and hit the Upcoming Releases page to see all the albums on the way between now and the end of time. Max out:
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Four-time Grammy-winning artist Gary Clark Jr. has just surprised fans with a taste of new music; four new studio tracks from his much-anticipated upcoming album,JPEG Raw, set for release on March 22.
This new body of work signals a brave new world for Clark’s ever-expanding creative palette. The new music is dense and adventurous with a more cohesive synthesis of his eclectic musical universe. His samples, Thelonious Monk and Sonny Boy Williamson, decorate flourishes of African, world music, and even jazz while merging with rock, R&B, hip-hop and blues; familiar areas he has ventured before, this time with more unity forging a fresh new style.
Clark’s lyrics are pointed, deeply personal, outspoken and socially conscious with occasional forays into rap and spoken word from Clark himself. The sonics are immersive, verging on modern groove-oriented psychedelia with hip-hop driven beats in verses giving way to anthemic choruses, rich with power-chording and wide fuzz riffage.
Songs like Maktub, JPEG Raw, This Is Who We Are, Hyperwave and the epic 10-minute Habits break fresh ground defying categorization in the ever predictable music world. The co-written Stevie Wonder duet What About The Children feels like an immediate classic that could have lived on Innervisions or Talking Book — if not for Clark’s fuzzed-out riff and hip-hop pocket.
JPEG Raw is Clark’s first album since 2019’s critically lauded This Land, which became his third consecutive top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart and garnered three Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance (This Land) and Best Contemporary Blues Album. Clark’s first Grammy was awarded in 2014 for Best Traditional R&B Performance (Please Come Home).
Since its release, the singer-songwriter has toured extensively and stretched his wings as an actor, playing American blues legend Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, which received eight Academy Award nominations. Clark also served as the official music director for Jon Stewart’s acceptance of the 23rd annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. In addition to programming the event, he delivered a powerful tribute on stage.
With an eclectic range that contains multitudes, Clark continues to defy boundaries of any kind. Highlighted by an impressive coterie of awards, critical accolades, collaborations, sold-out tours that span the globe, billions of streams, endless television performances, and appearances in acclaimed films and TV series, Clark steps back into the light with JPEG Raw and breaks new ground that is both thrilling and inspiring on every level.”
JUST ADDED
February 2
Kasper Bjørke | Conversations feat. Sister (Sísý Ey)
The Halo Trees | Stray(nger) Single
February 9
Alpha Chrome Yayo | Home for Hitodama
Bailen | Tired Hearts Deluxe Edition
Ivy Lab | Mild Snake
Kissen | Homesick EP
Shamane | Lucky As Expected The Sky Is Pink Love In The Distance
Various Artists | Curses presents Next Wave Acid Punk Deux: Secret Cuts
Various Artists | 8 Years Of Shall Not Fade
February 16
Ariel Bart | The Trio Project
Big Sugar | 500 Pounds Reissue
Circles | Still
Ryann Gonsalves | Ouch!
Bob Marley | One Love: Music Inspired By The Film
February 23
Excuse Me | The Light
Frolin & Magnus | Stargazing
Katia & Marielle Labèque | Philip Glass / Cocteau Trilogy
’92 | ’92
March 1
Staś Czekalski | Przygody
From Grey | To Dust
Liam Gallagher And John Squire | Liam Gallagher And John Squire
Heavy Feelings | Heavy Feelings EP
Giuseppe Ielasi | Rhetorical Islands
Junegrass | Perpetual Stew
Robert Lippok | Open Close Open Remastered
Daniel Rowland | Max Richter: Recomposed
March 8
Ernesto Cervini | A Canadian Songbook
Chatte Royal | Mick Torres Plays Too F***ing Loud
Raffi Garabedian | The Crazy Dog
Harmon | Transitions EP
July Talk | Remember Never Before Deluxe Edition
Love Is Yes | Love Is Yes
Squid Pisser | Vaporize A Tadpole
Emilie Zoé | Hello Future Me: Alternate versions by Christian Garcia-Gaucher
March 22
Lisa Cameron, Alex Cunningham | Chasms
Carpet | Collision
Gary Clark Jr. | JPEG RAW
Dandara | &Chakib
The Gordian Knot | The Gordian Knot Reissue
Loony | Loony
Dustin O’Halloran | 1001
Bill Orcutt Guitar Quartet | Four Guitars Live
Sai Galaxy | Okere EP
Jessica Williams | Orgonomic Music
March 29
De Beren Gieren | What Eludes Us
Dead Head | Shadow Soul
Nø Man | Glitter and Spit
April 5
Circles Around The Sun & Mikaela Davis | After Sunrise
Dayna Stephens | Closer Than We Think
April 12
The Cryin’ Shames | Friendly Persuasion: Please Stay
Daniel Elms | Collected Works 2018-22
The Toy Dolls | The Singles
April 19
Blue Lab Beats | Blue Eclipse
Glen Campbell | Duets: Ghost On The Canvas Sessions
Tina Charles | The CBS Years 1975-1980
Emel | MRA
The Fall | Live At The Witch Trials Vinyl Reissue
Fu Manchu | Signs Of Infinite Power Reissue
Radio Moscow | New Beginnings Reissue
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles | What Love Has Joined Together / A Pocket Full of Miracles / One Dozen Roses / Flying High Together
Delroy Wilson & Ken Boothe | Sarge/Unlimited
April 26
Peter Baumann | Phase By Phase: The Virgin Albums
Stewart Forgey | Nature Of The Universe
Son Of Man | Gaslight
Warhorse | The Recordings 1970-1972
May 3
Kwoon | Tales & Dreams Vinyl Reissue
Bette Smith | Goodthing
May 10
Neil Peart | Silver Surfers: Sports Cars Of The Sixties (Book)
Jordan Rakei | The Loop
May 17
Ghostly Kisses | Darkroom
